Air travel can be stressful and tiring, so making your journey from either a 1 hour flight to 15 hours as comfortable and tolerable as possible, consider implementing some of these travel hacks.
1. Find Cheap Fares
Of course, the first step is to find a cheap fare to your destination so you're not breaking the bank before you even go on your trip! Google Flights is a great way to start your search. It' been one of my go-to sites to start my search because it includes a lot of great search options including how many carry-on bags you would like to bring on since most budget airlines will only allow a personal item with the base fare and charge you to bring a carry-on. Selecting this option will allow Google to already add on the fees the airlines charge onto the price you see in your results. Other options include signing up for newsletters from flight deal aggregators like Scott's Cheap Fights and Thrifty Travels. For international flights, try Momondo which yields results from various booking websites which sometimes offer cheaper fares than directly from the airlines.
2. Once You've Booked a Flight - Do This!
For international flights, some airlines will allow you to choose your seats even if it's in economy class. While others will only allow seat selection after check-in. So make sure to double-check your booking directly on the airline's website to see if they will allow seat selection and choose the best one for your needs.
3. Get Your Meals Quicker
If you are one of those picky eaters or have experienced the flight running out of the meal selection you want because your seat is towards the back of the plane and all the good selections are gone by the time they get to you, then you MUST do this. Pre-select your meals before your flight! This option is usually used by picky eaters or people with dietary restrictions. Options usually include vegan, kosher, low calorie, vegetarian...etc It's worth checking your airline's options to see if it's something that can suit your needs. By pre-selecting your meals, you will always get your meals first before they start serving the rest of the flight.
4. Carry On A Refillable Water Bottle
Let's face it, flying is dehydrating and there's nothing worse than feeling dry and dehydrated especially on a long-haul flight. Either fill your water bottle up at the airport or during your flight, ask the flight attendant to fill the bottle for you. This way you continue to stay hydrated without bothering the attendant or seatmates every time you request your water that comes in a little 8 oz cup!
5. Stay Warm With A Sweater
Planes crank up the air during flights and if you're sitting for long periods without movement, you will be cold! So always carry a sweater or jacket on board with you. I find that hoodies are the best because even if you don't want to wear it, you can use it as a blanket and use the hood part to cover your face/head when you need some shut-eye!
6. Essential Oils For a More Relaxing Environment
And to mask those pesky flatulent leaks. Yes, I said it, lots of people pass gas when in an airplane and sometimes you just can't hold them in! When you're in a high elevation, your body will start to create gas (air bubbles) which makes you gassy. Those with food sitting in their intestines will create smelly farts. So having essential oils with you and dabbing it on your wrist or behind the ears will prevent you and those around you from gagging over the smell of someone's gas. The easiest and most comfortable scents to use are peppermint and lemon. I find that those are more common and won't bother those around you. The scents are also very soothing!
7. Filling Out Your Immigration Forms
Make a note or take a screenshot of the address where you will be staying at your destination. Most of us will refer back to our booking email confirmations to grab this information but without Wifi, retrieving your email will be a little tricky. But if you already have it in a note on your phone or a screenshot, you can easily access this information. With that said, also take a photo of your passport so you won't have to go searching for it during the flight. And one last thing......always carry a pen with you on board! There's nothing more irritating than having to fill out your form at the airport, fighting for a pen or a flat space to fill out your forms.
8. Take Your Vitamins
It's true, vitamins and supplements do help keep your body healthy and immune system strong. Taking digestive enzymes, pro/prebiotics right before your meals will help prevent any discomfort such as gas which is common when flying. With that said always keep in mind the foods that cause these discomforts and avoid them right before your flight. Remember that vitamins and supplements only work if you are consistent with it, so start taking them weeks leading up to your flight for better results.
9. Get On and Off The Plane Faster
Travel with a carry-on bag rather than checking a bag is truly a time saver. Not only will you be able to travel more freely, but you will also learn that you don't need to pack too much. If you pack right, you can easily stow your carry-on bag overhead with ease when you get on the plane and sit down and relax while others are trying to shove their over-stuffed luggage in their overhead compartment. When you land, no need to stand and wait at baggage claim either! One of our favorite carry-on bags is the Osprey Farpoint 40L or the Osprey Fairview 40L (female version) which is the perfect size for all airline regulations including budget airlines.
10. Electronic Necessities
Battery pack - a must so your devices don't die on you! We love our Anker PowerCore 20100mAh when we travel!
Bluetooth headset - wireless entertainment is very underrated! We use the Bose SoundSport and TOZO T 10 Earbuds.
Corded headphones/ear buds - because airlines aren't up to date with current technology to allow bluetooth connection to their in-flight entertainment. To drown out any outside noise, get the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 or if you just need a nice clean set of ear buds, we like the Sony MDR-XB50AP/R.
Tablet - best for reading. The Samung Galaxy tablet or any of the Fire HD Tablets work great!
Phone - save your playlists for hours of listening.
What do you think of these travel hacks for easy air travel? What are some of the things you do make your flight more comfortable? Please share with us below!
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