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    • Don’t be gate lice. There is no sense standing in line when group 1 is called when you are group 5. You are slowing everyone down
    • Similarly, don’t stand up the second you get to the gate. You won’t get off any faster and just slow things down.
    • Keep your seat belt on at all times. When flying, you can suddenly hit turbulence. Even on the ground, accidents can happen.
    • Makes sure to leave electronics and liquids in an easily accessible and take them out before going through security. Slip on shoes are also very helpful.
    • Fly as early as you can. Delays tend to stack up during the day.
    • Use aerolopa.com to get a better idea of actual seat layouts and positioning near bulkheads, lavatories, doors, and galleys
    • Travel cards can offer great perks that make the annual fee worth it. Free checked bag, free pre-check, lounge passes, earlier boarding groups, etc.
    • Even if you are checking a bag, keep a change of clothes and other essentials in your carry on. Also, back a smaller bag inside that can be a personal item in case you have to gate check your bag.
    • If you lack status with the airline, you can often buy elite access that can offer shorter lines for security and check in. It also comes with even domestic first class.
    • Of you are a “passenger if size” you can easily book an extra seat in Southwest by using your name with “Xs” in the middle name field. You have to check-in in person, and they will give you a card to hold your extra's seat and let you preboard. After your flight, you can call and they will refund the extra seats fare.
    • When traveling to/from eastern Europe, always have your checked-in luggage wrapped. In those countries, especially in Hungary, there are many thieves among luggage handlers and there are many horror stories regarding in what conditions the passengers received their belongings at the end (if at all). While you cannot 100% eliminate risks, wrapped luggages are much less likely to be tampered with. It's also worth wrapping it when you care about the outer texture of your luggage (sometimes the cargo area of the aircraft is really dirty).
    • In the terminal building, find your gate first, so that you know exactly where to go when the time comes. Until then, go, find a comfortable seat somewhere else, far from the gates. At DXB I know a couple of cool locations where there aren't many people waiting, so there are plenty of free space plus much cleaner toilets nearby due to less frequent usage. However, I'll keep that information to myself, because I still wanna be able to enjoy those less crowded areas when I'm traveling.
    • Pay attention to the safety briefing and really think it through. You have to remember it in panic situations. Pay attention to every single little detail, because everything is said for a very good reason. (Just as an example: when they say "pull the oxygen mask towards you when it appears in front of you", you really have to yank on it (okay, maybe don't rip it off; I have no idea how strong to pull it), because the oxygen flow starts only when a safety "pin" is released, which can be done by pulling on the oxygen line.)
    • If your clothes are in your checked-in luggage, always have at least one set of extra clothes in your hand-carry.
    • Pay attention to the airline's guidelines when packing your luggage.
    • During an emergency evacuation do not reach for your belongings. Just do as instructed and leave the aircraft as you're told, ASAP. For this reason, keep your passport in your pocket and try to wear clothing that will be suitable outside as well to some extent. For example, wear your shoes and wear a sweater at least. (And pants as well, but I guess it doesn't need to be mentioned.) You will get your belongings back at the end (if they're salvageable, I guess).
    • Others already mentioned it, but it's so important, I need to reiterate: don't be an asshole. It is common sense, yet there are so many people not following this rule.

  • Many dumb takes here, but also some good ones. Here are mine roughly sorted by importance:

    • (Don't be a dick - obviously)
    • Choose a direct flight whenever possible. I usually would pick a shitty, more expensive airline over having a connecting flight.
    • If you are planning a connecting flight, try to allocate at least 1-1.5 hours for the connection. Planes are delayed all the time and the shorter the connection time, the higher chance you'll miss your flight. Your checked luggage can also miss your connection, pack some necessities in your carry-on. (anything more than 3 hrs is overkill though)
    • Noise cancelling headphones/earphones: this is where they work best, blocking out the fatiguing drone of the plane. Highly recommended. Headphones are more comfortable over longer periods than earbuds.
    • Window seats are better for sleeping asile is better if you tend to move around (but people passing by will disturb you by brushing up against you and you feel the floor flexing more as they walk)
    • Cheap airlines: you get what you pay for. You will be treated like cattle but they do get you from point A to B for less money. Be aware they will nickle and dime you every step of the way, bring water (bottle you can fill after security) and some snacks.
    • Luggage: carry-on is better than checked if you can avoid it but sometimes you can't. For cheap airlines double check the size limits for carry on. The sizes are not standard and cheap airlines try to trick you into paying fees. Sometimes they'll also take your carryon during boarding to check it in the hold when the plane is very full. You can try to avoid this by queueing and boarding sooner than others, or by bringing a smaller bag that fits under the seat.
    • If you do end up checking a bag you'll have to show up a bit sooner and usually wait a bit longer after the plane has landed. Place anything fragile in your carry-on! The luggage handlers throw your bag around like they are trying to break something on purpose. If you can't avaid checking fragile things, surround them with clothes and other soft materials. Also put a luggage tag on your bag, sometimes multiple people have the same bag.
    • Flights during the evening and afternoon tend to have a higher chance of being late/geting cancelled. The effect is slight and there isn't much you can do about it though. Just keep it in mind if you have a critical time/place to be somewhere.
    • On a long flight wearing your seat belt (even loosely) while sleeping means the flight attendant doesn't have to wake you if there is turbulance.
    • Wearing a mask is not a bad idea

    • Choose a direct flight whenever possible. I usually would pick a shitty, more expensive airline over having a connecting flight.

      I have to say, this is just a matter of personal preference. I cannot imagine myself enduring a 13 hour flight in one go, so I tend to pick an airline that happens to have connections in Dubai. It's about halfway when I'm visiting my girlfriend, and it feels really nice to walk around, stretch a bit, use a real toilet, etc.

      My girlfriend is the opposite, she prefers to come here with a direct flight because it's less of a hassle and she's able to rest on the plane all the way.

      Cheap airlines: you get what you pay for. You will be treated like cattle

      That's true for European low-cost airlines. Sometimes they would treat you worse than cattle.

      However, on AirAsia I had a much better experience, although I only flew once with them.

      Generally, in Europe they would mess with your hand-carry.

      With AirAsia, my experience was that no one gives a damn crap about your bags. Just follow their rules, and if your bag looks reasonable, no one will say anything.

      On a long flight wearing your seat belt

      I would suggest that at all times when you're seated, with one exception: don't wear it while boarding is still in progress and the seatbelt sign isn't on. While turbulence mostly can be predicted, in some rare cases it cannot be. But they remind you of that during either the safety briefing or the captain's first PA.

      Wearing a mask is not a bad idea

      Duh. I mean, why else would they be hanging right in front of you while the cabin is getting depressurized?

      Just kidding. I know you meant medical masks.

    • Lots of great tips, thank you!

  • A towel, [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy] says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

    Traveling with a towel in my carryon bag has saved my ass more than a couple of times. It's a towel, it's a pillow, it's a small blanket, it's a privacy shield, it's a surface to sling your fake watches to passerbys and earn enough for your return flight home.

    Want to freshen up prior to landing or during a connection at an airport? That towel will get you dry after washing up, brushing your teeth, etc. No silly paper towel, or Dyson hand dryer nonsense.

  • Don't fucking fly.

    Not bc climate change, but bc no human has ever gotten off a commercial flight. and been in the best possible condition to face whatever they were flying to.

    People are miserable, and concentrated in a small space they're doubly so. Add to that convincing security theatre puppets that my CPAP is actually medical equipment, and that no, the meds that make sleep possible are not prohibited (liquid max be damned).... Hell with that.

    I can get from my driveway to Chicago Union Station in two hours or less from my driveway. The LSL can have me in Albany ~12h later. Given that I was forced to make that trip quarterly in a past life, trying to fly WN would have forced me to go via BWI or ATL and taken the same damn amount of time all considered, with lots more stress.

    Train gave me a decent sleeper car for less than plane fare for the two of us, even on WN. I arrived ready to get to work, versus a lil jet lagged and angry at people in general. Yeah, train was a no brainer.

    Obviously not an option on all routes, but worked well for me.

  • Don't fly because airports have some kind of secret knowledge that they keep from us ordinary folk. Why do you think they call it "TERMINAL" parking? It's like they can't resist throwing it in our faces.

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