
The 7 Habits Of Highly Experienced Air Travelers
Lots of people think of themselves as highly experienced air travelers. Perhaps youâre one of them.
But itâs a difficult thing to measure objectively. What makes an experienced air traveler? Time spent abroad? Number of countries visited? Air miles? Buffet breakfasts consumed?
Or should it be more like friendships formed, languages learnt, postcards sent?
The answer is that itâs all of these things â and more â but for todayâs post, weâre going to focus on the useful tactics, routines and habits that you can use yourself.
How To Be An Experienced Air Traveler
It doesnât take much to quickly be seen by friends and colleagues as a travel pro. Here weâve chosen tips that you can easily replicate when you next fly.
1. They never check in at the airport
Thereâs a great scene in the movie Up in the Air when Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a seasoned air traveler, is rolling his eyes at his young colleagueâs oversized luggage at check in.
Ryan Bingham: You know how much time you lose by checking in?
Natalie Keener: I donât know. Five, ten minutes?
Ryan Bingham: 35 minutes a flight. I travel 270 days a year. Thatâs 157 hours. That makes seven days. Youâre willing to throw away an entire week on that?
Only rookies do this. Thereâs no upside. You should check in and claim your seat online as soon as it becomes available. This also protects you from getting bumped on an overbooked flight.
2. They have a favorite airline
Regular business travelers know how to play the game. They pick their favorite airline, sign up for the allianceâs frequent flyer program and always book with that airline if possible, even if itâs not always the cheapest fare. They commit to getting premier status and revel in the significant perks. âYou should maximize the amenities,â says Airport Planner Annie Lindseth. âA frequent flier number is essential, but you may also want to consider credit cards that provide airline points. Many of these cards provide airport lounge access, free checked bags, and other convenient features. Hereâs a Forbes review of the best airline miles credit cards if you need to compare available offers.â
3. They never check essential belongings
Keys. Money. Jewelry. Electronics. Medication. You only need to lose a checked bag once to learn this the hard way. If you canât go a day without it, or if itâs a sentimental item and irreplaceable, it doesnât get checked.
4. They breeze through security
You donât see experienced air travelers struggling with belts, coins and keys when they go through security. Instead, they put all their fiddly belongings, including cell phones, wallets and jewelry inside a bag, purse, carry-on, jacket â whatever â until theyâve passed through security.
5. They board as soon as they can
If you leave it late to board on a busy fight, there might not be room for your bag in the overhead luggage. This means your bagâs going to sit at your feet for the duration of the flight. Why chance this? Thereâs an exception: if youâve checked in with an aisle seat and donât have any luggage with you, you can board the plane last. Experienced air travelers tend to opt for aisle seats: âYou donât have to hop over anyone to use the restroom and you can stretch out your legs in the aisle to get a good sleep. Yes, you might get clobbered a few times during meal and drink service, but itâs SO worth it,â says Nelson Wang, founder of CEOLifestyle.io.
6. They travel with lifesaver items
What are lifesaver items? A water bottle, a snack bar, sleep mask and earplugs, a universal adapter, battery pack and compression socks for flights longer than five hours. If youâre flying long-haul, hydration is very important. As Layla Shaikley, the cofounder of TedXBaghdad and software company Wise Systems points out on Quora, âBetween 30-64% air humidity is whatâs recommended for comfort, but airplanes can be beneath 10%. Natural moisture in your skin and body evaporates.â
7. They know how to get rid of jet lag
This is a biggie because jet lag is a productivity killer. Some people swear by not eating on the plane and then adjusting to a new time zone by feasting at the next mealtime once they land. Others by going for a barefooted walk outside to âgroundâ their body with the earth (not always convenient). And then thereâs the folks for whom a stiff drink and some chewable melatonin hits the reset button. The key is to find out what works for you.
Flight delays happen, but that doesnât mean you have to accept them. You may be entitled to as much as $680 in compensation if your flight was delayed, canceled or overbooked within the last three years.