I’ve always loved flying.  And yes, I know many people look at me and say, “you like being crowded into tiny seats for hours on end with people you don’t know and horrible food and having to pay for every tiny little thing?!”  And my answer (most of the time) is yes, I actually do.  There is something about getting on an airplane that is just magical to me.  First, you’re headed somewhere different which already gives me an amazing feeling.  And also – when else in your life do you just get to sit and do nothing but watch movies and tv shows for hours on end?  For me, that hardly ever happens, so give me a long-haul with a great movie selection and I’m game, tiny seats be damned.

I think though that learning to love flying is also a practiced habit, it’s years and years of experience on planes that allow me to love it now, even in economy which is usually where you’ll find me with a giant scarf and headphones.  And while flying is still a tough experience for a lot of people, there are a lot of little tips and tricks that can make it so much better.  I’ve learned over my years and years of flying that in order to enjoy it, you have to know how to fly better and that includes all the tips I’m sharing with you today in order for you to love flying on your next adventure!

Pick your seat in advance, even if you have to pay for it.

I’m a huge advocate of picking your seat in advance on airplanes, even for short flights.  And even if you’re flying on an airline that makes you pay to pick your seat, do it.  A great experience flying, especially on long hauls, is dependent on you being comfortable and your seat has a lot to do with that.  Along with this is realizing what type of seat you like to have when flying – some people like the aisle, some the window, some near the bathrooms, some near the front of the plane.

Personally, on domestic flights I prefer to be closer to the front and when flying alone, I prefer an aisle seat so I don’t have to climb over a stranger to get to the aisle.  On International long hauls, when Nick and I are usually traveling together we try to snag the sections of most airplanes that have just 2 seats instead of 3 by the windows.  Most airplanes have this configuration in the back and offer it at a premium price, which for us to not have a 3rd person in our row is totally worth it.  Also on long hauls, sitting in the back has its perks being near the restrooms and space to stand up and stretch, you’ll also usually board first in the economy group.  Also usually on large planes, they start serving food and beverages from both the front and back, hence you’ll be one of the first ones served when in the air.

Always have earphones.

I recently got to the airport for a short flight and had a little bit of a mini freak out when I realized I had accidentally left my headphones in my school bag instead of my purse.  Luckily Nick had an extra pair with him I could use, but truthfully earphones are your best friend when traveling and allowing you to actually love flying.  Whether it’s listening to calming music or watching something on your phone or iPad, your earphones will keep you sane and entertained while flying.  They are also a great hint to chatty seat mates that you don’t want to spend the whole fighting talking with them.

Work your way up to elite status with airlines and always collect your miles.

One thing that helps tremendously when you travel is if you have elite status with airlines.  I fly a ton every year with Alaska Airlines, particularly multiple trips to Hawaii and back for work, so my miles with them add up quickly and I gain their MVP Gold status every year.  With that elite status, it helps with flying tremendously with things like free first class upgrades (which I get often!), free treats when flying in economy and priority boarding.  It’s so worth it to collect the miles offered whenever you fly and try to fly on the same airline or their partners so you can hopefully try to get to elite status.  Being an MVP with airlines can help you enjoy flying way more than without it and makes the whole experience better from start to finish!

Bring entertainment with you – don’t rely on the airline.

I’m always shocked when I get on the plane and people around me didn’t bring any entertainment and relied on the airlines.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten on a plane that’s supposed to have amazing in-seat TV’s and find out the plane got switched and there aren’t any or they don’t work right or the collection of TV shows and movies is pretty dismal.  I always load up my iPhone Plus with lots of movies and TV shows to last me the whole trip.  I’m a fan of binge watching TV shows when flying and I’ll save some of the shows that I know Nick won’t want to watch for long haul trips. Lately, my go-to has been working my way through all the seasons available of Vikings.  And you don’t need an iPad or a tablet either, your phone is just fine!

For a cheap and easy way to stand your phone up on the airplane, check out this post!

Always travel with battery chargers.

My mom gave me a cute little Kate Spade battery pack for my phone a few years ago and I never travel without it.  There are so many times while flying and traveling in general that you can’t find a phone charger or you’re on a plane without power outlets (oh the horror!) and having a quick small battery charger is a lifesaver.

Sign up for Global Entry – now!

I’ll never stop singing the praises of the Global Entry system if you’re a US citizen.  Basically you are pre-screened by the government and deemed a n0-risk traveler so that you get access to the TSA Precheck system, which allows you to fly through airport security without having to remove everything you own.  We usually fly through our Precheck security line in under 5 minutes, seriously.

And perhaps even better, if you travel internationally a lot, when coming back through Immigration and Customs, you go straight to a kiosk instead of waiting in those long lines and saving a ton of time coming back into the country.  We’re able to make connections after an International flight that you never would make waiting in normal Immigration lines that sometimes take hours to get through.  Seriously, it’s a life saver when traveling and will make your time at the airport easier, hence your actual flight more enjoyable!

Bring your favorite type of airplane pillow with you always.

I’m pretty sure you can divide people into groups of personality types based on what type of airplane pillow they like.  Nick likes the wrap around the neck kind and he prefers one that he can blow up on the plane so it’s not one more thing to lug around.  Myself?  I prefer a standard little rectangular pillow that I can mold how I want to.  Whatever type you like, buy one and never leave home without it.  I also use mine as an armrest a lot when I’m not sleeping to soften the airplane armrests so your elbow has something soft to lean on throughout the flight.

Never travel without a scarf, or many scarves.

If you’d ask Nick what my biggest weakness is in life, he’d probably say my obsessions with scarves.  I love scarves and I wear them year round.  But what a scarf really is perfect for, is flying.  I never travel without one, even for quick, short trips, you’ll always find a scarf around my neck or in my bag.  Scarves can serve so many purposes when flying, from being a blanket when you’re freezing on an airplane to bundled up for added comfort behind your pillow to sitting on them when the airplane seat needs a little more cushion to be comfortable.  I usually wear a scarf when flying and have an extra in my carry-on bag below my seat just in case.  And when it’s too hot in airports to be wearing a big scarf (like in the image above), tuck it in the top of your carry-on bag and have it ready for when you need it.

Bring snacks and bottled water.

The food quality is unfortunately dwindling on airplanes these days and unless you know the food you’ll get is going to be good (like Alaska Air’s amazing fruit and cheese plate), bring your own snacks to have throughout the flight.  We always buy a few little things at the airport just to have in case we get hungry and the food on board is bad.  It’s also super important to stay hydrated throughout a flight so bring your own bottled water with you on board as well.  We usually grab a couple bottles of sparkling water and a one large bottle of regular water so we have options while in the air.

Ask at the counter about upgrades, you never know!

It’s always more comfortable to upgrade your seat when flying, even if that’s just upgrading to a premium economy or more leg room seat.  And while sometimes they’ll cost you an arm and a leg and it’s not worth the price, sometimes you’ll be surprised at what you can get when you ask at the counter.  Sometimes airlines offer a decent deal right before the flight to fill seats if you want to upgrade, especially is you’re flying on a slow day.  It’s worth asking – but always be nice!

More Travel Tips Posts

From my survey here on Land of Marvels a few weeks ago, one of the things you guys said you wanted more of was how I actually book trips, what I look for in flights and hotels and all things travel, so today we’re diving into that arena!  I’m hoping to do lots more of these types of posts in the months to come but today we’re starting with how I actually look at flights and how I choose options that we end up using for our travels.  My criteria for picking flights stems from a lot of different criteria and options that I look for when traveling, so here are my best tips for booking the best flights for your own trips and some ideas I’ve picked up along the way!

First, pick your dates.  If you’re flexible, great.  If not, then only search the actual days you need.

Before you can start searching for airfare for a trip, you need to have your dates that you’d like to travel.  We’re usually really specific on days we can travel, but if you’re flexible, you might be able to get a little better deal.  But if you’re not, don’t worry, there are still lots of ways to still get a great airfare deal.  If you’re specific to what dates you need, don’t even start plugging in other dates – it will just get more confusing.  Search only the dates you need and then ultimately, you’ll pick the best deal for those dates.

Then, start thinking about destination.  If you have one in particular in mind, do a general search.  If not, think about a few different options and then go from there.

Sometimes I have a specific destination in mind that I’m searching for, other times I’m looking at a few options and then going with the best one.  If you have a specific destination in mind with your dates, go ahead and just do a general search to start with on a search engine like Orbitz just to see options.  If you’re looking at a few destinations, do the same thing and then narrow down until you think you have the best destination for your dates and travel needs.

Search your favorite airlines first.  Then do a broader search to check pricing differences or timetable options.

I personally always do a general search on Orbitz before anything else, just to get an idea of cost and timeframes available from all the major airlines.  However then I go back and search my favorite airlines that I know have routes to my destination as sometimes, regardless of price, it’s important to fly on airlines you have loyalty with.  For example, all domestic travel within the USA I fly with Alaska if at all possible as I have elite status with them.  For international, I usually try to stick with Delta for long hauls, Norwegian Air is we’re headed to their hubs in Europe like London or Stockholm since they have incredible prices and fly the Dreamliner aircraft from the US or if those don’t work, I’ll try to stick with a partner airline of Alaska Air.  Once I have an idea of general prices and flight times from Orbitz, I can make an informed decision if it’s worth going with another option or an airline that I have loyalty with.

Look at different airport options.

Another thing I always look at when booking a trip is determining what airports are best to fly in and out of.  For example, sometimes it’s worth the time and effort for us to fly to LAX to catch a really cheap Norwegian Air flight versus leaving from Portland or Seattle which are closer for us.  Or another example, sometimes it’s cheaper and easier to fly into London Gatwick instead of Heathrow.  Check all the airport options both from where you’re leaving and where you’re headed.  Also look at time spent getting to and from the airports you fly from and into.  If we leave from LAX, it takes us a lot more time and energy than if we leave from Seattle.  Weigh all the options and then decide which is better for you time wise and financially.

Look at cost of tickets vs. cost of extras.  Is it worth it?

One thing I see a lot of people do when traveling is try to get the cheapest possible flight out there, regardless of airline.  By doing this though, it brings up a lot of other issues and here’s why: when you’re only looking at price, you’re not taking into account all the other things that are important when flying.  So you’re getting an incredible price for your ticket but are they making you pay for your bags and for water and for an inch more of space?  All those extras that budget airlines charge for really add up and often times when you weight the prices of the extras versus your ticket, you’re not always getting a deal in the end.  On another note, also think about the fact that by choosing the cheapest ticket available, you’re not building up loyalty with just one airline, meaning in the long run, you’re not building a status with them or building up miles that you could use for free travel down the road.  It’s often better, in my expertise, to pay a little more and go with an airline you’re loyal to or that doesn’t charge you for every tiny thing.

Direct is always better – even if it costs more.

I always try to fly as direct as possible, even if I have to pay more for it.  And if I have to connect, I always try to do it in my own part of the country and then fly on direct to my destination.  For example, if there isn’t a direct flight to my destination from Portland or Seattle which are my easiest airports for my area, then I’ll connect to LAX or San Francisco and fly direct on from there.  I’d much rather do a short flight in the US in airports I’m familiar with, so that when I get on my long haul to wherever I’m going, I step off that plane and don’t have to connect again.  And if you can go totally direct from your home airport to your destination, even better.  Not having to make connecting flights and figure out timing saves a ton of hassle and is well worth a bit of extra money.

Pick a seat – and if you have to – pay for it.  But do your research too.

One of the things I always recommend – if you have to pay to pick a seat – do it!  A lot of major airlines are doing this now and while I think it’s a really stupid thing they charge you for, it’s well worth the small cost to do it.  Especially on long haul flights, it’s imperative that you get a good seat in order to have a good flight.  Over the years I’ve realized which are my favorite seats on an airplane, but if you don’t have the experience of flying a lot to know, there are ton of amazing websites now that can give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Some of my favorite seats on economy long haul flights are the last rows on the Dreamliner planes where it’s only 2 seats instead of 3 by the windows, exit rows on long hauls (but confirm they recline) or paying a little extra for seats like Delta Comfort which give you more leg room and little bit comfier of a ride.

More Travel Tips Posts