10 Things Smart Travelers Do Before a Flight That You Should, Too

Have you ever noticed certain people when you’re at an airport who just seem to have it all together and they glide effortlessly through the painful travel process without any issues whatsoever?

We all want to be like them and today we’re going to get ten tips that expert travelers do before their trip to get prepared to everything goes off without a hitch.

Take a look and keep these in mind next time you’re about to go out of town.

If you lose your passport or it gets stolen when you’re out of the country, you’re gonna have a hell of a time dealing with all the headaches that are coming your way.

That’s why it’s best to make a copy of your passport and keep it on you at all times. And keep your passport in your hotel safe when traveling.

And please, remember to have it on you when you’re initially headed to the airport, okay?

It’s best to let your bank and credit card companies know before you leave for a trip so you don’t have any hiccups when it comes to your finances.

Banks sometimes block transactions that don’t match your normal patterns to fight credit card fraud and it’s best to get ahead of any potential issues by letting your financial institutions know when and where you’ll be traveling before you leave.

You don’t want to get sick on your trip, do you?

Hell no! That’s the worst!

That’s why you should carry hand sanitizer with you and use it everywhere you go. That includes the airport, train stations, taxis, museums, etc.

And bring some sanitizing wipes too to wipe off surfaces.

Jetlag can really take it out of you if you’re crossing a lot of time zones, so the best thing to do is to change your watch immediately when you get off the plane and go about your day like you normally would as far as eating, working, sleeping, etc.

It can be tough but this is the best way to fend off jet lag.

Photo Credit: Unsplash, Joyce Romero

If you are sitting down for a hours on a long flight, this could lead to complications like the formation of blood clots.

The best way to combat any circulation issues while flying is to wear a pair of compression socks on the plane.

Your feet (and your body) will thank you!

I personally think anyone who goes to the airport without their devices completely charged is NUTS.

But it happens all the time…and you don’t want to be like them.

So charge your phone, tablet, laptop, and everything else all the way before you head to the airport so you’ll be able to entertain yourself while flying.

Photo Credit: Pexels

If you’re a regular traveler, you probably already know that it’s totally worth it to pay the small fee to be a part of the TSA PreCheck Program.

And if you’re not in the loop, how does a shorter wait time in line and a less-invasive security check sound?

We thought you’d be into that idea…

There are certain things you never want to check and you always want to keep in your carry-on bag, just in case.

Those items include medications, keys, money, your passport, electronics, and jewelry. You just don’t want to take the risk of checking those items in case something goes wrong, your luggage goes missing, etc.

Keep it on you!

Photo Credit: Unsplash, Gabrielle Henderson

This is a great idea because the food at airports is usually very expensive and not very tasty and if you pack nuts, fruits, veggies, and even a salad in a bag, you can eat on your own schedule.

Go ahead and file this one under “Airport Hack.”

When you’re choosing your seat on an airplane, consult a website called Seat Guru before you make your final decision.

The website shows every plane’s specifications so you won’t end up selecting a seat next to the bathroom, one with less legroom, or another seat with any number of issues.

You never know, so why not take an extra few minutes to pick the best seat you can.

Photo Credit: Unsplash, JC Gellidon