Flying can be a stressful experience. Are the scales that you measured your checked bag at home correct or are you going to have to pay extra for being over the airline weight limit. Is my carry on too big? Did you give yourself enough time to get through security and to your gate? These and a multitude of other things can make flying a real adventure. In this post, I have compiled 25 air travel tips that can help you feel more prepared before and during your flight so that you can sit back and relax knowing you got everything under control.
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25 Air Travel Tips
1. Get TSA Precheck or Global Entry
A great way to get through TSA more quickly is by having TSA Precheck or Global Entry. With Precheck, you can keep your shoes on, leave liquids and laptops in your bag, keep your jacket on, and forgo the full body scans.
Global Entry includes TSA Precheck and can be used to get back into the country if you have flown internationally. Global Entry costs $100 and is good for 5 years. There are over 30 credit cards that will reimburse you the full cost of the membership if you pay with their card.
TSA Precheck costs $78 or $85 and is good for 5 years. There are numerous credit cards that offer full reimbursement when you pay for the membership using their credit card. Here is a full list of the credit cards that offer reimbursement on the TSA website.
My wife and I recently got TSA Precheck. We both had cards that reimbursed us for the membership. I used TSA Precheck for the first time going to Seattle and it was rather nice not having to jump through some of the hoops like in the regular TSA line and it was quicker.
I have a blog post about TSA Precheck and Global Entry that you can read to find out more of the details of each program.
2. Download the Airline’s App
If you aren’t checking a bag, there is no reason to wait in line at the airport to check in or check in at a kiosk. Having the airlines app on your phone allows you to check in up to 24 hours in advance.
You can save time and skip the lines at the airport when checking in on your phone and you can go right to security. Plus, airlines like Alaska and Southwest offer free online entertainment through the app when you fly with them.
3. Charge Devices Before Flying
You will want to make sure that your phone, laptop, camera, and any other devices that you have are charged before heading to the airport. You can’t bank on getting an open outlet at the airport or the charging ports on the plane working if there are any in the first place.
One thing that you can do is carry a portable battery charger with you. I have the INIU Portable Charger. It does a great job in charging my phone when I need to get a charge on the go.
4. Pack Snacks
Everyone gets hungry at some point. You want to make sure that you have some snacks packed away. Snacks and food at the airport aren’t cheap and the snacks on the plane aren’t very filling.
Even if you are getting a meal on a flight, many times you don’t know what you are going to get and so you always want to be prepared.
5. Bring Refillable Water Bottle
One key thing when flying is making sure that you stay hydrated. A great way to make sure that happens is by having a refillable water bottle. You can fill it up after you go through security and you can have it on the plane.
Airports have filling stations for refillable water bottles which makes it very convenient. Plus, it is going to save you money since you won’t have to buy water at the airport.
If space is an issue as it comes to a water bottle, you can get a collapsible water bottle. This one from Amazon is very popular.
6. Carry On Only
There are a number of advantages in only having a carry-on bag versus checking a bag. First, it saves you time at the airport. You don’t have to wait in line to get your bag checked or pick up your bag after you land.
Next, you don’t usually have to pay for a carry on but many times you do for a checked bag. Plus, you don’t have to worry about if your bag is going to make it to its destination if you only have a carry on.
7. Arrive Early
When it comes to getting to the airport, you should give yourself enough time so that you aren’t rushing and adding extra stress to the situation. It is recommended that you arrive 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours for international flights.
If you are traveling during the holidays or during a high traffic time, you may want to give yourself more time. Having TSA Precheck or Global Entry and only having a carry on can help cut down the time that you need to be at the airport.
8. Put Air Tags in Checked Bags
Bob Hope once said “I love flying. I have been to about as many places as my luggage.” It sounds like Bob had some issues with his checked bags.
If you are checking a bag, you can’t guarantee that your bag will end up where you are going. You can help your situation by placing an Apple Air Tag in your luggage.
The Air Tag allows you to see where your bag is on your phone. This can come in handy if the airline doesn’t know where your bag is. You can show them in real time where your bag is located.
9. Use Packing Cubes
I have used packing cubes on a number of trips. They help you keep your things organized when you pack and they can help you pack more in your suitcase or carry on.
Plus, if you are someone who likes to put their clothes in the dresser at the hotel, you can take the cubes out of your luggage and put them right in the drawer.
10. Dress Comfortably
When you are flying, one of the things that you want to be is as comfortable as possible. This is especially true if you are flying long distances.
A great place to start in getting comfortable is having the right kind of clothing. Wearing comfortable clothing like sweats, leggings, sweatshirts, cotton t-shirts and comfortable shoes can make a huge difference.
11. Travel Pillow for Long Flights
I recently flew a red eye flight from Seattle to Chicago and then on to Pittsburgh. I stayed up all night since I didn’t want my head bobbing up and down. Plus, I was sitting in the middle seat and I didn’t want to wake up with my head on someone’s shoulder. Can you say awkward? I really could have used a travel pillow.
This is the travel pillow that I am going to buy. I will be prepared the next time I want to sleep on my flight and hopefully eliminate any awkward situations.
12. Be Prepared for Plane Conditions
The temperature on planes usually runs oven hot or Arctic cold. Rarely is it just the right temperature. You really never know what you are going to get so you want to be prepared for all conditions.
You should have a sweatshirt or light jacket readily available just in case the plane is running cold. If you are wearing a sweatshirt or jacket, it is easy to take it off if the plane is hot.
13. Move on Layovers
If you have a layover, it is a great time to go for a walk, do some stretching and get the blood flowing. Some airports have rooms to do some yoga or massage chairs to enjoy. Your body will thank you in the long run.
14. Always Bring Entertainment
If you are like me, you want to have the time pass by as quickly as possible on a flight. Besides sleeping, the best way that I know is having some type of entertainment ready to go for the flight.
It doesn’t matter if it is a book, TV shows or movies, you want to make sure that you have what you need in your bag or downloaded on your device.
15. Size Your Bag
Airlines are becoming more strict when it comes to the weight of checked bags or the size of carry on bags. You want to make sure that you know what the size and weight limits are for the airline(s) that you are flying.
It is important to have a good scale so that you can measure the weight of your suitcase at home and on the road. Having a scale while traveling is important for people who like to buy souvenirs. This portable scale from Amazon is highly rated.
You also want to measure the size of your carry on. One thing to keep in mind is that the wheels are included in the measurements for a carry on.
16. Book with the Right Credit Card
Booking your flights with the right credit card gives you a number of advantages. First, you can earn valuable credit card points that can help you do more traveling down the road.
Secondly, having the right credit card can give you protections for unforeseen things like canceled or delayed flights and damaged or lost luggage.
Airline credit cards aren’t usually the best choice when booking flights. The following list of cards are great choices when it comes to booking your next trip.
- American Express Platinum
- American Express Business :Platinum
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Citi Premier Card
- Ink Business Preferred
- American Express Gold
17. Fly Direct When Possible
I don’t know about you but if the price for a direct flight versus a connecting flight are close to one another, I am going to book the direct flight.
There are a number of advantages in flying direct to your location versus flying with a connecting flight. First, it is going to be quicker to fly on a direct flight. Next, a mess up with a checked bag is less likely with a direct flight. You also eliminate the possibility of a delay, cancellation or missing a connecting flight all together.
18. Fly Earlier in the Day
There are some advantages in flying earlier in the day. First, your flight is less likely to be delayed. Your chances of a flight delay or a flight being canceled are 50% higher if you fly after 3:00 pm.
Next, if your morning flight is canceled, you are more likely to land a spot on another flight with the airline. Another advantage is that you can get to your destination sooner to start enjoying it.
If you take the first flight out for the day, it is generally cheaper than flights later in the day. Lastly, there is generally less turbulence when you fly earlier in the day.
19. Organize Your Personal Item and Carry On
Once you are on the plane, you want to make sure that you have your personal item or carry on organized so that you have easy access to the things that you need like headphones, travel pillow, laptop etc.
You don’t want to be getting up and getting things out of your carry on if it is in the overhead bin. I keep the things that I need in my personal item. It is easy to store under my seat and I can grab what I need or put back what I don’t need easily.
20. Give Yourself Enough Layover Time
When it comes to layovers, there are a few factors that determine how much time you need. If you have to be at the destination and the whole trip will be ruined if you miss your connecting flight, then you will want to give yourself more time. On the other hand, if missing the connecting flight won’t ruin your plans, then you can shorten your connecting flight time.
There is no set rule for how much time that you should look for but at least an 1.5 to 2 hours for domestic flights is a general rule. For international flights, a good rule of thumb is 3 to 4 hours.
21. Checkout Parking Options
Parking at airports can be quite expensive. There are alternatives to parking at the airport. Many times hotels located near the airport have parking at cheaper rates than the airport does. Plus, they offer free shuttle service to and from the airport.
Some hotels will also allow you to keep your parked car at their hotel if you stayed there the night before your flight for free.
Lastly, there are numerous sites that you can use to try to find cheap parking around an airport. A few sites that you can use include, On Air Parking, Way, and SpotHero.
22. Consider Noise Canceling Headphones
Noise canceling headphones are a great way to eliminate the noise that you can have on a flight. They can help you sleep better on the plane and they have been shown to reduce stress. Who doesn’t need less stress in their life?
A few highly rated noise canceling headphones include: Sony WH-100XM5, Bose QuietComfort, and Apple AirPod Pros.
23. Pack Wellness Essentials
The air in the plane can easily dry out your skin and eyes on a flight. Also, flying hours on a plane can just make you feel uncomfortable.
It is good to have some basic essentials available so that you can feel refreshed. A few items that can go a long way include: a tooth brush, tooth paste, moisturizer, eye drops, deodorant and facial wipes.
Having these items on hand is more crucial for long haul flights. You may not feel like a million bucks when you land but you can at least feel better than not doing anything along the way.
24. Download a Flight Tracker
Many times the airline app is the last one to know if a flight has been canceled or delayed. The great thing in today’s world is that there are apps that can give you real time data on your flight.
One of the more highly rated flight tracking apps is FlightStats. FlightStats gives you real time data on your flight, as well as, on time performances, weather conditions, and even flight history of the aircraft.
Being one of the first to know when a flight is canceled or delayed can help you get another flight to help you get where you are going.
25. Surprise Flight Attendants
My daughter sent me a TikTok of a guy who gives flight attendants a bag of candy or Starbucks gift cards when he boards the plane. I thought that was a great idea and so I have begun to do that.
I truly don’t do it to get something from them. It is great to see how many times they are so appreciative of the small gesture. So, I want to encourage you to try it and see what happens.
Final Thoughts
If you have another suggestion(s) that pertains to flying, please leave a comment in the comment box. I and others would love to learn from things that you have done to make flying more enjoyable.
Also, if you want to learn ways to save on travel, see travel itineraries, learn how to earn and maximize credit card points and miles and more. Make sure to go to my blog Travelwidstom.
