Our Top 10 Tips and Tricks to Make Your Flight More Enjoyable
Written by Kaelie Piscitello
Travel is all fun and games until you actually have to board that plane. While I love to travel, I have to admit I do not love flying. Turbulence always has me convinced that the plane will crash, and airports can sometimes feel like an alternate reality.
With that, I have found some tricks over the years that make my experience much more enjoyable and affordable as someone fresh out of college. Not everything will go your way at the airport, but you can improve your experience with the following hacks!
It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask for a Seat Change…
While I loved my trip to Japan, I was terrified of the 24-hour flight that lay ahead of me. I researched and read that the easiest way to get a free seat upgrade was to politely ask the flight attendants at the gate if there were any open window seats.
The article I read said that oftentimes, the person at the gate will show kindness and give you a free upgrade with the seat change. I had a long travel day ahead of me and figured I had nothing to lose, so I gave it a go.
It worked! The window seats in economy were all filled, so the woman working at Logan Airport kindly upgraded me to a window seat in premium economy. That extra legroom made all the difference on my first ten-hour flight.
I asked for another window seat during my layover, and while the worker did not upgrade me, she gave me a row all to myself. In short if you don’t like your seat, you should try kindly asking for a different one.
This tip works best for solo or partner travelers looking to book a cheap flight. Even if you do not get the upgrade, you might still get a more desirable seat.
Book One Month Out
There are all kinds of tips and tricks out there that will tell you when the best times to book a flight. However, Expedia’s Air Travel Report recommends booking domestic flights 4-5 months in advance on a Sunday.
Those who purchased flights 4-5 months early last year saved about 10% more on average than those who did not. If you have some flexibility with your flights, Expedia also recommends booking them for a Thursday departure, as the prices tend to drop on those days.
Bring a Backpack as Your Personal Item
While some airlines technically do not allow this, only one person working in check-in asked me to check my small case over all my years of travel.
If you’re not flying with a budget airline, consider this strategy to potentially save on baggage fees. You might just find that you won’t need to check any bags at all, saving you a significant amount of money.
However, you must prepare to front $20-$30 in case someone makes you check your luggage.
Pack an Empty Water Bottle
Bring your own water jug to save money on a plastic bottle at the airport. Nowadays, all airports have water filling stations, and security will let you through with an empty container.
However, do not forget to empty your thermos or drink your beverage before approaching the security area.
Don’t worry about finding a place to refill your water. Bubblers are usually located near the restrooms, making it easy for you to fill up while waiting for boarding to begin.
Use Flight Tracking Apps
I always check Google Flights and Sky Scanner when deciding which flights to purchase. Both offer the same function: allowing you to rank flights by “best,” “cheapest,” and “fastest.”
These tools list different deals, and sometimes, one site has slightly cheaper options than the other. But regardless, the value they provide is undeniable. Flight organization apps like these will help you make the most informed decision about what airlines offer the best deals, reassuring you that you’re getting the best possible deal.
Always Have a USB Cord On-hand
A USB cord is one of my top five travel must-haves. If you have an iPhone like me, you could easily forget it. While many planes, buses, and train seats offer USB-specific charging jacks, they often lack a USB-C jack for iPhones.
Additionally, some airport charging stations will only have USB ports to accommodate passengers who might have forgotten to purchase a converter. Therefore, it’s crucial to come prepared with a versatile USB cord that can charge your phone.
Dress in Layers
You never know what the airport’s temperature will be. Sometimes, the air conditioner runs, and everyone feels cold; other times, people feel too hot. You can also quickly become sweaty walking across the airport to your terminal with heavy bags.
Remember, a zip-up hoodie is not just a fashion statement. It can also become a pillow or blanket during your flight! Dress for your destination’s weather, but always make sure you have an easily removable top layer.
The Bathroom is Your Friend! (On Long Haul Flights)
Don’t feel bashful about getting up and doing light stretches in the plane bathroom, such as reaching for your toes.
Yes, it’s cramped and disgusting, but you’ll have more room there than you will in your seat.
Do some laps around the aisles for good measure and stand next to your seat during the break from food services. You will get some weird looks, but those people should join you and stretch, too.
Stretching promotes blood flow to your joints and muscles and prevents blood clots. It also feels good to break up the long hours.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Jet Lag
Okay, so this will vary from situation to situation, but I recommend starting with the time of day you’re going to arrive. For example, if I know I will arrive in the evening after a long flight, I know I want to stay up for at least the second half of my flight so I can feel tired when I get to my hotel.
If I know I will arrive in the morning after a redeye, I will stay up all night before I leave and have a glass of red wine at the beginning of my flight. These two tricks always help me sleep through as much of an overnight flight as possible.
I combine my strategies to fit the travel timeline for mid-day arrivals or long travel periods of 15 hours or more.
Avoiding jet lag is much easier than you think. You just need to do some preparation before you leave to know what will help you feel more (or less) alert when you arrive.
Have Patience
Just like you feel cranky from traveling, so do the young children, the flight attendants, the guy next to you who has hogged the armrest for hours and fell asleep on you, and the guy who pushed you out of the way at the bag pickup. Just take a deep breath and try to have some grace.
Remember, the journey is as much about your attitude and response to challenges as it is about reaching your destination. If you can relax and trust the process, you’ll get where you need to go with less stress.
At the end of the day, you will get there eventually (even if it doesn’t feel like it). So, take control and decide how you’ll respond to the challenges at hand.
