My Best 6 Travel Tips
Traveling can be a super fun and adventurous activity. It can also be stressful, at times. Keeping some tips and tricks tucked up your cashmere sweater sleeve can help! As someone who frequently (well, not as much now, but used to) fly’s and mostly fly’s alone, knowing how to entertain yourself and stay organized and comfortable during those sometimes long days and flights is a blessing. I am sharing in this post my best 6 travel tips and experiences.
Go Mobile
As I write and edit this post I am prepping to fly down to Florida. While the point of this trip isn’t for fun and relaxing, I plan to make the best of it. I have already checked into Friday’s flight and always chose a mobile boarding pass – when prompted. This is my first travel tip. It prevents the possibility of losing or misplacing it, and have those few moments of stress while rummaging around your perfectly packed carry on bag. Before mobile boarding passes were used by every airline, I almost always would put away my boarding pass after getting through security, always forgetting I needed it to get on the actual plane. Then I’d have to scramble and mess up my tote bag or backpack to pull out the crumbled piece of paper. Go mobile and safe yourself the headache. I always take both a screenshot of my virtual boarding pass, and add it to my Apple Wallet app, just in case.
Avoid Long TSA Lines
Security can be the most annoying, stressful, time consuming and frustrating part of flying. My next travel tips helps you avoid the long lines and longer wait times, followed by sorting through your possessions and shoes. I signed myself up for the TSA Security Pre-Check last year, and it was the best $80 I’ve ever spent. It lasts for five years, and only takes a few minutes. I went into my local (CAK) airport and just had to fill out a few forms and get fingerprinted and I was done. This allows me to go through the (always short) TSA Pre-Check line during security. I get to leave my shoes on and everything in bag. Avoiding the annoying unpacking and repacking process. Plus, I hate the idea of walking around in my socks on the dirty airport floor. If you are someone who wears sandals and goes barefoot for this process, please leave. TSA Pre-Check is also great because I never show up more than an hour to forty five minutes before a flight anymore, the lines are never long and I am usually done within a few minutes. You can learn how to apply here.
Cheap Airline Hack
If you often fly airlines such as Spirit or Frontier or make you purchase a carry on bag, there are ways to get around this. A lot of times I would take advantage of the super cheap last minute flight sales these companies have and would deal with the less-than ideal conditions. Another one of my pro travel tips, if you do purchase a ticket with Spirit, select your seat when you buy your ticket, and try to get one of the seats in the first two rows. They are around $50, but they are twice the size as the usual seats and there are only two per-row. As a non-people person, this is a positive for me. I only have to make small talk wtih one stranger, rather than two. Plus, you get on and off the plane quicker and you’re closer to the bathroom, if needed.
Sadly I learned my lesson though with Frontier. I bought a front seat, thinking it would be the same situation, but there was no difference, and still three to a row. I paid for extra leg room apparently, but I noticed no difference. Keep that in mind..
Carry-On Essentials
Anyway, on these airlines you are permitted one free personal item. A personal item is something like a purse or backpack. You are (supposed) to purchase a carry-on bag if you want an additional item brought into the cabin with you. I never have done this, and I always have two bags. I have never once been stopped or questioned, so just a little tip. However, do keep in the mind the two bags I typically have is a purse and a duffel, tote bag or backpack. Nothing huge!
What I like to keep on hand in my carry on is simple, small essentials. An empty re-usable water bottle is great. After going through security I fill it up at a water fountain or a lot of airports have a water bottle filling station now too. I try to avoid buying plastic water bottles as much as possible. I always keep a travel sized pack of Clorox or baby wipes, to wipe down the seat and tray table. They are often not disinfected between flights.
Keeping a mini travel sized face mist, like these options, are also a great idea! The air on planes is so dry and for long flights this feels so refreshing to mist on every few hours. Just make sure its under the size limit for security! Wireless headphones, such as AirPods or these similar option, are also a huge help. Being able to walk or move around while listening to a podcast or music without a cord getting tangled up and tugging is such a nice option. My boyfriend bought me mine and they are the best gift! They also make watching movies or pre-downloaded podcasts and Netflix during the flight a lot easier.
Keep Comfortable
I don’t know about you, but as someone who is always cold, planes are the worst place to be. If I don’t wear layers or bring a coat I am always freezing! Bringing a blanket scarf with me is now something I always do. This cashmere one is super soft, warm and cute! I throw it on while in the airport and then lay it over my legs when on the place. Wearing fuzzy socks is also one of my pro travel tips! I usually wear ankle booties or sneakers with fuzzy socks underneath to keep my toes warm.
Easy snacks such as Belvita Bars, Cliff Bars or pretzels are something I like to keep on hand as well. If you are over 21, and like to drink for your flights, the mini alcohol bottles you can buy at any liquor store are a great way to avoid the high costs in-flight. Just make sure to keep it out of the flight attendants view. They do not allow you to bring your own anymore, they want you to purchase theirs. If I bring one, I will get a bottle of juice from the stands before boarding my flight and just pour it in pre-flight. Always keep a pain-relief with you, such as Advil or Tylenol. Bringing gum to pop your ears if the altitude varies and a good old travel pillow are key travel items to keep on hand.
Stay Organized
To prevent the constant rummaging through fully packed bags, I try to keep all of my in-flight essentials. Such as the items mentioned above, separated. I usually wear and keep a smaller cross body bag inside my carry-on. In the cross body I keep my essentials that I might want during the flight, aside from my laptop or iPad. My ID, phone, headphones, gum and such I keep in the small purse so I can have them handy both in the airport and on the plane. When I am on the flight, I pack the purse into the carry-on when I have all of pieces out or want to take a nap. This helps me keep organized and prevent the annoying messing up of my carefully packed and chock full carry on bag.
Have a travel tip you find helpful? Leave me a comment below this post! Be sure to check out my NYC Travel Guide as well, if you are planing on heading that way soon.
XO,
Tori
