The entire experience of traveling can be hectic and overwhelming. Flying can be stressful, from the early stages of planning your itinerary and packing suitcases to the airport and the flight itself. Even if you are a seasoned flyer, it always feels like you could’ve done something to prepare yourself better for the airport, flight, or trip. If you’re ready to step onto your flight, equipped with all the tips to make your travel easier, fasten your seatbelt and get ready for takeoff.
The Best Times to Fly to Avoid Turbulence
There are certain days and times that are better to fly on than other flights for a few reasons. If you are sensitive to airplane turbulence, morning flights would be better for you. As weird as it may sound, this is because morning flights mean it’s not as hot out. Heating from below creates unstable conditions like storms, winds, and bumpy flying, which directly leads to high turbulence. Best to only book during the morning then.
If you’re looking for cheaper flight fares, then it’s best to look for flights on certain days. International flights are usually cheapest on weekdays versus the weekend.
Middle Seats Are the Worst
Most of us know that amazing feeling of getting on a plane and finding out there’s no one sitting next to us. But it usually feels like we must leave this miracle up to chance, and we sit there impatiently while everyone boards, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Fear not – we have a little hack that’ll increase your odds of having an extra seat next to you.
The catch is that you need to fly with a plus one to get this trick done. While most of us pick seats directly next to our traveling companion, this is a mistake. One of you should always book the window seat and the other the aisle seat of the same row. That decreases the odds of someone sitting between you since no one likes the middle seat. And if things don’t work out, you can just swap with the middle guy and still get to sit next to each other.
The Truth About Airplane Blankets
Many of us have become hyper-aware of germs in recent years. But we still want to fly comfortably. But there’s one flight comfort you should forego if you’re not looking to get sick during the trip (and who is?). Here’s our protip: skip out on that blanket flight attendants offer passengers at the beginning of the ride. To put it mildly, those aren’t guaranteed to be the cleanest pieces of cloth you’ve touched.
Instead, bring a warm sweater, wear long pants, and wear socks or bring a pair in your handbag. If you have space in your carry-on or backpack, you can also just pack your own blanket. There are some thin but effective ones out there made specifically for those of us on-the-go with limited space.
Never Ask the Flight Attendant for Ice
On every flight, there is a point when flight attendants walk around and take everyone’s drink order. When you’re thirsty, a glass of nice ice-cold refreshing water sounds like the perfect choice, right? Well, think again. Flight attendants revealed some industry secrets and said there’s a reason why they wouldn’t order any drink with ice themselves. Apparently, the ice is made from the plane’s water tank that is hardly ever cleaned.
It’s probably best to take their advice since they’re the experts there. Next time you’re asked for your drink order, opt for a drink with no ice.
Don’t Sit in the Back if Turbulence Bothers You
Flying can be fun and exciting, and of course, the adventure of visiting a new destination is thrilling. But sometimes, the anxiety can get the best of you, especially if there is a ton of turbulence. A rough flight can lead to overwhelming stress and other problems like nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. A plane’s intense shaking can induce panic even if you’re safe. But there is a way to help reduce this discomfort.
Turbulence is felt the most in the back of the plane, so avoid seats there at all costs if this is usually an issue for you. Ideally, choosing a seat above the wing of the aircraft is ideal.
If Your Phone Is About to Die, Do This
You arrive at the airport, go through security, get to your gate and sit down. You pull out your phone to start listening to music, and it won’t turn on because your phone is dead. The despair hits; how can you handle a long flight with no phone or music? Before you let the panic take over, look for a charging center! Most airports have them in each terminal so you can charge up your electronics before your flight boards.
If it’s an older airport and you can’t find a charging center, try looking for a TV. Most have USB ports that you could plug your phone into instead.
Scan and Digitalize Everything
It’s always important to have scans of your essential documents. Dealing with a lost document could be a nightmare, and having a copy on your phone could save you lots of trouble. And even if you don’t lose anything, having scans of your essential documents is super helpful. You don’t always want to carry your passport around while traveling in a foreign country, as it might be better left locked inside a safe or your suitcase at the hotel.
But you’ll likely need those documents to get into bars, clubs, or casinos. So make sure to have a scanned copy on your phone or a printed copy in your wallet.
The Only Packing Hack You Will Ever Need
You’ve heard of the advice to pack light, but what about packing smarter? There are a few techniques to help pack your suitcases most optimally. Start by rolling all your clothes; folding them regularly causes them to be bulkier. If you have shoes, you can roll up and place any smaller clothing items like tank tops, underwear or socks into the soles of the shoes to optimize space as well.
Another great tip is to keep the heavy and oversized items like sweatshirts and towels at the bottom of the suitcase before packing other stuff; it will take up less room this way.
Use Air Tag to Keep Track of Your Luggage
This is a genius creation that will dramatically decrease any worries or stress you have associated with flying. One of the biggest worries is losing your checked suitcases during travel. You check your luggage and trust they will arrive safely and sound at your destination. If they don’t, all you can do is file a claim and wonder where they went. Well, now, with these trackers, you’ll have their location on your phone!
It’s truly a game changer, and if anything does happen to your luggage, you’ll know exactly where they are!
Why You Should Mark Your Luggage as Fragile When Checking in
Do you ever want to pack something fragile in your suitcase but are scared it will be damaged while traveling? Maybe you want to buy a nice dish from a country you’re visiting or a fancy perfume, but you’re unsure of how you can be confident that it won’t be harmed while tucked away in your luggage. A fantastic trick to prevent this is marking your baggage as fragile while checking in.
By marking your luggage as fragile, the cargo crew is supposed to handle your suitcase with extra care. It is added to the cargo compartment last, so it’s on top of all the other bags, which also means it comes out first!
Why USB Ports Are a Lifesaver
Traveling and going to the airport can be a very stressful experience; most want to ensure they are as prepared as possible. But sometimes, things slip your mind, and simple mistakes are made. When you arrive in a new country and do not realize that the wall plugs are different, you might freak out. How will you be able to charge your phone? Here is a quick fix: check if the TV in your hotel has a USB port.
You can then use the USB port to charge your phone until you find a correct adapter. Don’t let the anxiety of traveling get the best of you; solutions will be found!
Noise-Cancelling Headphones Seriously Change Everything
Have you ever been on a flight, and there are crying babies preventing you from falling asleep? It’s never fun when all you want to do is nap, and there are loud background noises that make it impossible to relax and doze off. You can avoid this frustration with noise-canceling headphones. They are a lifesaver, especially on long flights. You’ll be able to fall asleep without distracting noises or listen to your favorite music clearly.
Noise-canceling headphones are worth the investment; it changes your entire flying experience into something enjoyable. Plus, they are small and can fit into any carry-on, even your pocket.
Protect Suitcases Against All Kind of Weather
Traveling around with your suitcases can be worrying if the weather is horrible. Especially if it is raining and you are walking outside, you don’t want the water to seep into your luggage and bags and ruin your belongings. If you ever find yourself in that situation, there is a simple and fast solution, even if you don’t have a waterproof suitcase. Believe it or not but the answer is garbage bags!
Yes, garbage bags are the solution. You can use them in several ways. One is to cover your bag and suitcase with a garbage bag and make holes where the wheels are. You can also line the inside of the luggage with the bags, so there is a barrier when the water seeps through. Last but not least, you can move all of your stuff into a garbage bag and then place it in the suitcase, so there is an extra layer of protection.
Travel Like a Local With a Sim Card
What is the ultimate way to be prepared for traveling abroad? Make sure you buy an international sim card! The last thing you want is to arrive at your destination with no service at all, no way to contact anyone, and no navigation. It could quickly turn into a nightmare. That is especially why it’s so essential to make sure you have cell service and access to data beforehand! Now you can get around with no problem.
Step off the airplane completely prepared and confident without worrying about finding an overpriced cellphone shop at the airport you’re arriving in!
Why You Should Always Go Incognito When Booking Tickets
Before you book your plane ticket, here is the best way to ensure you get the best price. Whenever you visit airline or flight booking websites, they track your cookies and how many times you search for a particular flight on their site. Therefore they can hike up the flight price because they know it is of high interest to you. The only way to combat this is to browse in private or incognito mode.
By using private browsing, you will likely get a way cheaper flight than the original price. So try it next time you’re ready to book!
Genius Way to Get Drinks Through Security
Remember all of those times you had to throw out perfectly good and fresh water? Or what about the times you chose to chug down an entire bottle just to get it emptied for security and then spent your whole flight in the tiny airplane bathroom? Yeah, neither of those situations is ideal. But say bye, bye to those inconveniences because we’ve found the most fantastic loophole out there.
Just stick your water bottle in the freezer the night before your flight. Frozen beverages aren’t liquid and are therefore allowed through security.
Here’s How to Skip the Lines Like a Pro
One of the most frusturating things in life is waiting in long lines, especially at airports. Ever since the pandemic, the lines have only gotten worse. Now if you are waiting for your flight in the airport and its suddenly cancelled, dozens, if not hundreds of people are trying to change their flight all at once. This could take hours and become super overwhelming. But there’s actually a hack most people don’t think about to skip this hassle.
Instead of waiting at the ticket counter for hours, step aside and call the customer service line for your airline. Explain the situation and they will be able to rebook your flight right there on the phone.
Power Strip to the Rescue
Here is a simple but genuinely life-saving tip. Sure, you could bring a portable charger and charge your phone that way, but eventually, even the portable charger will need to be plugged in. You could search and scour the airport for an outlet and when you finally find one, take turns charging your phone, laptop, and Bluetooth earbuds. But let’s face it, there is an easy peasy solution, and it is just to bring your own power strip.
This is a full-proof way to ensure you always have enough outlets to charge everything you need. Plus, you could even make a friend by offering an outlet to them!