I want to start this blog out with stating that I am by no means a professional traveler. I took my first international trip over Winter Break this year and prior to three years ago I took 1 flight every five years or so. The other day I realized that in 2015 alone I took 14 flights, for a number of reasons, including conferences, to and from school and home, exploration trips, etc. I’m writing this post from 33,362 ft. up on my 3rd flight in 8 days and I realized I’ve learned a lot from the frequent traveling, so here are the top things I’ve learned as a ‘Frequent Flyer’!
1. Always budget more time than necessary. I love airports, so I’d rather get there with an hour to kill. When I flew home last winter break, I set up a Disney movie on Netflix and had 10 little kids gathered around my computer and made friends with the moms. It was wonderful and it’s less pressure and stress on you if security takes longer than you expected.
2. Pack your suitcase well. I’d HIGHLY recommend rolling your clothing to save space. Pinterest is a GREAT resource for packing trips. It’s much less stressful if you know you have everything you need and know where everything is. Don’t forget to move liquids and your toothbrush into your purse/personal item so they are easily accessible for security and a quick freshen up after your flight.
3. Know the practices of those you’re traveling with. It is SO much easier flying with people who also understand how traveling really works. The last trip I took was with a great group of friends including my Her Campus writer pal Sav, and it was so nice how we had it together. Barcodes out, at the airport an hour before, IDs ready to go and strategic snacking were just some of the ways we succeeded. On the other hand, a year or so ago I flew with my family and it was SO stressful because they were worried about being late or distracted by airport things.
4. Wear layers. I’m freezing on the plane right now, ten minutes before that I was so warm and at the start of the flight I was freezing. You never know what you’re going to be feeling. Scarfs are my favorite way to layer, which brings me to…
5. Invest in a cotton blazer and travel scarf. I recently discovered travel scarves (scarves with multi uses and POCKETS! That’s right SCARVES WITH POCKETS) and they’re perfect to keep your passport or wallet secure and somewhere you won’t misplace it. Cotton blazers are perfect for flying because they roll up nicely, don’t wrinkle easily and make for a comfortable and professional look.
6. Pack your own snacks. It’s not worth it to spend $3.99 on a cliff bar you could buy for $0.75 at home. You can bring your own power bars and prepackaged snacks. Bring a refillable water bottle and know that you can always ask a fight attendant to fill it up for you on the plane if you don’t have time at the airport.
7. Don’t pack nail polish. Unless you ABSOLUTELY need it. I’ve never been able to keep a bottle of nail polish secure through transit. Make sure all liquids are secure and in a plastic bag. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
8. Download music in multiple places. Most flights have some sort of entertainment system (usually a tv) but often it’s not working, they don’t provide headphones or don’t have one all together. I also thought I downloaded music in my Apple Music on my iPhone and then realized it took up so much space and didn’t all download properly. Luckily I had Spotify downloaded on my phone. I am a huge believer in Spotify subscriptions and love the fact that you can download whichever playlist you’d like on your cell. It allows you to choose how much space you allot to music on your phone and what you’re in the mood for. I like listening to soundtracks because they tell a story (I’m currently listening to the Hamilton soundtrack, which I have had on repeat since November!). Another few of my favorites are Into The Woods, Les Miserable and Something Rotten.
9. Make nice with your neighbors but feel free to put your headphones in. I really enjoy talking to the people I sit next to. Usually it’s sweet older ladies or people your own age who want to talk. On shorter flights, I’m happy to chat if we’re only going an hour or so but it can be exhausting to keep the chatter up for longer than that. I’ve learned its OK to say you’re feeling airsick or have a headache and close your eyes/put your headphones in. People won’t be offended and when you’re traveling you need all the peace you can get.
10. Shop around for flights and fly JetBlue if you can. I’ve never had a delay or issue with their flights, think their flight attendants are usually nice AND they give full sized snacks and drinks, which is awesome! Expedia is a new useful site for booking flights, but when you have an airline you like, browse their site every once in a while. I’m flying now because I got a round trip ticket for $80 (usually around $200 give or take) so I’m surprising my family! Deals run all the time and if you find a good price ticket it’s priceless to surprise your family or friends that you don’t live by.
11. Take a deep breath and know it’s just for a few hours. The worst time I’ve every had flying was coming back from Israel. I flew back to the states and my flight from Newark to Detroit was delayed and then cancelled. I had to stay in the airport for 6 hours after a 14 hour journey in 4 airports and I was on the edge of a breakdown. Then I realized that it’s okay! Also, it doesn’t matter what you look like or act like in the airport because everyone is traveling and understands! (I’ve done yoga in the corner, changed in the bathroom, etc.) Just remember, you’ll get where you need to be eventually and are lucky to have these opportunities to travel. Traveling can be stressful, but it’s so worth it!