45 Plane Hacks To Help Anyone Have A ‘Sky High’ Experience
By Larissa C
Who doesn’t love traveling? Traveling to exotic places is not just exciting; it takes us out of our everyday routines and opens our eyes to what the world has to offer. It is also the perfect opportunity to learn about a different culture and get to know more about another way of life. However, as much as we love traveling, some aspects of this experience are simply not that pleasing. For instance, sometimes, you have to wait at the airport for hours just waiting to be checked by security. Or, maybe you start feeling sick right when you get on the plane. Thankfully, there are different tips to avoid these dreadful situations and certain flight nuisances. For example, if you avoid certain foods, you won’t get sick or feel uncomfortable. In this article, we’re going to elaborate on 45 plane hacks to help you have a superb travel experience!
Always take a USB cable with you
Regardless of the length of your flight, you’ll probably need to be entertained on the way to your destination. But, how will you be entertained if your phone or iPad suddenly runs out of juice? We are telling you right now how important it is to always bring a USB cable with you.
Even if you don’t have a portable charger, you’ll be able to charge your device basically anywhere in the airport as long as you have a handy cable on you. Nowadays, there are USB ports in most airports, and you’ll also find these ports inside the airplane.
Pack efficiently
When it comes to traveling, packing is one of our primary concerns and can cause many people unwanted anxiety. Bringing lots of bags with you on vacation is certainly not that comfortable, not to mention that it can get quite expensive when you drag along multiple suitcases on an airplane.
If you want to travel comfortably and not have to worry about your stuff getting lost on the way, you can always rely on packing efficiently. You can follow many packing tricks, such as rolling up your clothes to save some space in your bag (the cat might not make it through TSA, though).
Wear many layers
Continuing on the topic of packing smartly, there is another trick you can do to bring more clothes that you have to have with you. Rolling up your shirts and pants or using other tricks to save space doesn’t mean that you’ll actually fit everything you want. In this case, you can wear many layers.
If you wear a jacket on top of a sweater on top of a couple of different shirts, you’ll get to bring more clothes with you. Just don’t make it too obvious, or airport security might mark you as a suspicious person!
Create seat alerts
Some airlines offer different types of tickets, and the cheaper tickets usually don’t allow you to choose your own seat. In that case, the airline will assign you a seat — but you may not be happy with this option, especially if it’s the middle seat.
The middle seat is far from comfortable, not to mention that it’s pretty awkward sitting between two strangers. A tip for you is to create seat alerts (there are many websites to help with that) and pay an extra fee to change your seat as soon as someone cancels their flight.
Make the most of customer service
Nowadays, you can do pretty much anything online. From purchasing plane tickets to rescheduling your flight, all you have to do is access the airline’s website. However, there are situations where it’s necessary to do things in person or on the phone.
For instance, if your flight is canceled, but you’re already at the airport, you’ll likely have to rebook your flight at the airline’s physical service desk. However, you’ll probably have to face a long queue before they help you. If you want to avoid this daunting line, you can always call customer service and rebook your flight on the phone!
Avoid liquids and ice
If you’re a shy or anxious person, one of your biggest fears is having to go to the bathroom while you’re on a plane. Sitting on a window seat or middle seat means that you’ll bother the people sitting next to you whenever you get up to use the bathroom — and that sucks if they are asleep!
If you want to avoid making multiple bathroom trips, we highly advise you to avoid drinking liquids before boarding the plane. Also, avoid the ice cubes served on the flight — you never know where or how they were stored before finding their way into your cup!
Protect yourself by keeping the air vents open
During a global pandemic, we certainly want to do anything we can in order to stay safe and healthy. There’s not a lot of air circulation in an airplane, but there is something you can do in order to avoid coming into contact with germs or other prejudicial viruses in the air.
If you keep the air vent (that one above your head) open during the flight, you’ll help protect yourself. Yes, it’s that simple. With that constant flow of air around you, you’ll create a barrier that will keep viruses and other nasty airborne germs away from you!
Wear comfy clothes
One of the most valuable tips we can provide you to help you have a perfect flight experience is to wear comfy clothes. They may not be as fashionable as you’d expect, but that should be the least of your worries when traveling on a giant airbus.
What is the point of looking elegant on a 10-hour flight when you could relax in comfort all the way to your destination? Traveling is an exhausting experience, and you should want to make it as comfortable as you can. Wearing light, soft clothes and flat shoes is the way to go!
Don’t drink carbonated beverages
Yes, we know that drinking a glass of cola is quite refreshing, especially on hot days. However, sodas are carbonated beverages (that is, they have carbon dioxide gas in their composition) and can make you feel uncomfortable when you’re up in the air.
If you consumed soft drinks, sparkling water, or other carbonated drinks before (or during) a flight, you probably know what we are talking about. These beverages “puff out” your stomach and make you feel bloated. And, that’s certainly not how you want to feel when you’re on an airplane sitting next to strangers
Follow this hack to get better seats
Sometimes, paying for a seat is necessary, no matter how expensive it may be to get a better one. No one likes sitting in the middle seat, after all. Also, nobody truly desires to sit next to a stranger either — so, if you want to avoid that, follow this next hack.
In case you are not traveling alone, you and your companion can select the aisle and the window seat. When you do that, the chances that a stranger will choose the seat between the two of you will decrease significantly. Great tip, right?
Sleep only when the plane has taken off
If you’re about to embark on a long flight, one of the best things you can do to pass the time is to sleep. Sleeping on the plane is also a great thing to do in case you’re scared of flying. However, it would be best if you didn’t sleep as soon as you get on the plane, and this is why.
Instead, you should wait until the plane takes off. This way, you can chew some gum or do whatever it is that you do to protect your precious ears during take-off. Trust us. You’ll prefer to wait a couple of minutes before you fall asleep rather than have to deal with a headache when you wake up!
Consider turbulence when picking your seat
Is flying actually necessary? If you need to travel thousands of miles, then yes. But does that mean that everyone can handle flights? Not at all! There is nothing worse than having to travel by plane for some of us, even if it’s a short flight.
In case you hate flying and turbulence scares the joines bloines out of you, you’ll undoubtedly want to follow this tip. When it’s time to choose a seat, keep in mind that the closer you are to the front of the plane, the less you’ll feel the turbulence.
Stretch before and during the flight
We suppose it is safe to assume that no one likes sitting in the same spot for hours on end. It’s also tough on your muscles and joints. If your flight is a long one, you’ll probably want to get your blood circulating normally so you can avoid swelling.
The best way to get your blood circulating is to stretch before you get on the plane, as well as when you are on the plane. If you don’t want to bother the person sitting next to you, you can always pick the aisle seat so you can get up and take a walk for a few minutes before returning to your seat.
We can all learn something from this family
When this family of four found out they had to take an international flight, they took matters into their own hands. They figured out a way to let their family sleep on the plane just like they would if they were in first class!
She booked a flight with Air New Zealand, which offers the option of converting an entire row of seats into a bed for families that want to travel economy. We think this is a genius idea, and now all we want to do is take a flight with New Zealand Air!
Don’t forget your headphones
If you are planning on staying entertained during your flight, one of the best ways of doing that is to read a book or watch something on your phone. For both of these activities (if you like audiobooks), you’ll need to have your headphones with you.
Headphones are perfect for those who want to block out the annoying sounds from the airplane. What if there’s a child who won’t stop crying the whole flight? You certainly won’t enjoy that — hence why we’re telling you not to forget your headphones!
Always pack some extra underwear
To be honest, there are few things that make us feel more comfortable than taking a shower and changing into some fresh clothes. While you usually can’t take a shower on a plane, you can always change your clothes.
If you have a long flight ahead of you, you can even freshen up in the plane’s bathroom cabin and change into some clean underwear and also change your socks. We assure you that you will feel much better once you do this!
Carry some dryer sheets in your carry-on
Depending on where you are going, your flight can take multiple days to arrive at your destination. And once you get there, you may not even have a lot of time available to freshen up. After spending so much time in your bag, your clothes may start to smell funny.
In this case, you can use this trick to always keep your clothes fresh. Dryer sheets will not only add a pleasant scent to your clothes but will also help keep the fabric softened. And, this is exactly what you need to keep your clothes in their best state!
Make a travel plan before you get to your destination
Instead of hiring a person to guide you, you can always be your own tour guide and make a customized list of all the things you want to do and all the places you want to see in your destination.
If this is something that perks your interest, our tip is that you should start planning your trip immediately. Use the internet to look for cool places to visit, and don’t forget to download all the offline maps you can. But, if you fail to do this before boarding the plane, you can always use the aircraft’s wi-fi to download them.
Keep in mind that wipes are your best friend
This is another tip to help you stay safe on the plane. It’s safe to say that, in the past, thousands of people have boarded that same plane and sat on the same seat you’ll be sitting on. What does this mean?
Well, it simply means that there are thousands, if not millions of germs lurking on an airplane. Hence why you might like to keep some disinfectant wipes in your bag so you can clean your seat, the window, and other things in your vicinity.
Never forget to bring rechargeables
When you are traveling, one thing is for sure: you will be devastated if your phone or your camera runs out of battery. You’ll need your phone, so you can have access to a map, and you’ll need your camera to take beautiful photos.
In that case, our most valuable tip for you is to bring rechargeable batteries and a portable charger. Batteries can be used in cameras, but they can also come in handy in other situations (if you need a lantern, for instance). A portable charger will help you a great deal if you find yourself stranded with a dead phone.
Pack only the necessary items
Carrying multiple suitcases is certainly not something that you want to do. If you have to carry a bunch of heavy bags through the airport and to your hotel, you will be starting your trip on the wrong foot.
In case you want to avoid the nuisance of carrying multiple bags, you can always pack only the necessary and try to fit all of it inside a carry-on suitcase. Carry-on bags are much lighter, smaller, and easier to carry around than lugging a lot of bags around.
Always download maps before you travel
When we are visiting a new location by ourselves for the first time, the last thing we want is to get lost — especially if you’re traveling to a foreign country and you don’t know the language they speak there.
In order to avoid having any issues during your travel, you might want to download the maps of every place you plan on visiting. Just make sure to download them on different devices (iPad, iPod, laptop, etc.), so you’ll still have a map in case your phone runs out of battery.
Take a blanket in your carry-on
Yes, we know that a carry-on bag is not that big and that you have probably already packed a bunch of stuff in yours. However, this next tip is essential if you get cold easily or if you are traveling with a kid.
Adding a blanket to your carry-on is the best way you can avoid getting cold on the plane. If you follow our tip to leave the air vent open, you’ll undoubtedly need to warm yourself after some time — and that’s where the blanket will come in handy.
Make plans for your journey
Even if you are the kind of person who likes to live in the moment, you probably won’t enjoy arriving at a new place and having no idea of how your journey is going to begin. That’s why we recommend that you plan ahead of traveling.
When planning, take everything into consideration. From the moment you hop on the plane (plan what movies you’ll watch or books you’ll read) to the moment you land (decide if you’re taking a taxi or an Uber), make sure to organize your every step a few weeks in advance of your flight!
Don’t take any glass bottles in your bag
Let’s be honest: we all want to look great and smell fresh no matter where we are. These two things are even more important when you are going on a vacation or traveling on business. However, there’s an issue with flying on a plane.
Depending on the type of flight, you may not be allowed to take glass bottles. That is, if you’re thinking of bringing your favorite perfume, you won’t be able to do that. In that case, you can use these handy and portable fragrance bottles.
The perfect plane pillow
We all know how difficult it is to get some proper shut-eye on a long flight. It’s either the plane is too cold, too loud, or you don’t have room to even adjust your legs. How can we even think about sleeping if this is the case?!
This is how! This pillow is so genius that we are beside ourselves why we didn’t get our hand on one ages ago. You can easily strap and adjust this pillow to your headrest and voila! You’ve got your very own adjustable plane pillow.
Try to remain calm even when your patience is being tested
We know that spending hours inside the airport after spending what feels like decades inside an airplane is not a pleasant situation. And, we also know that when we’re tired, even the most trivial problems are enough to make us unleash our anger.
However, there’s nothing good about being stressed out. It is prejudicial to both your health and to your appearance! That’s why we’re here to remind you that, even if you have to wait a while in a long line, try to keep your cool. Everyone in the airport is doing their best to get work done!
Follow this tip to avoid long lines
We all loathe them. Most of us dread having to spend time in them. We are talking about long lines. Basically, we are confident that you don’t know a single person who would say that they like waiting in long queues. That’s why we’re enlightening you with this tip.
Although we cannot confirm that this is something that will 100% work, you can try taking a left turn whenever you have to choose between one of two lines. Apparently, statistics point out that people tend to go to their right when they have to choose, so this means that maybe you’ll end up in the shorter queue!
Use binder clips to cover razorblades
No one wants their hairy beast to make an appearance during a vacation, and that is why you may want to bring a razor blade in your bag. However, we are almost certain that you didn’t save that plastic cover that works as a protection for your blade, did you?
In this case, instead of having to buy a new razor blade, you can simply use binder clips to protect the tip of your blade. This way, you won’t risk cutting all your stuff up if you decide to bring the razor blade without a cover.
Keep a copy of all your documents
We are 100% sure that you don’t want anything to go wrong with your travel. Unfortunately, there are so many things that can happen from the moment you get to the airport. One of every traveler’s main concerns is their documentation.
In order to avoid any issues with your documents, make sure to make a copy of everything before you leave. Make a copy of your ID, Social Security card, driver’s license, passport, flight tickets — everything! In addition to bringing a physical copy, you can also scan your documents and save them in a cloud folder.
Bring company, if you can
If you’re traveling for work, you probably won’t have a lot of time to have fun — thus, it won’t make a difference whether you’re traveling alone or with someone. However, if you’re traveling for leisure, it’s always a plus to have company.
While lots of people befriend strangers during their vacation, we would like to remind you that this can be potentially dangerous, especially if you’re a woman traveling alone. Instead, ask your group of friends if there’s anyone interested in tagging along!
Drink water (if you’re having a long flight)
We know that one of our earlier tips explicitly told you to avoid drinking lots of liquids during your flight. However, that tip only applies if your flight is a short one and you’re too anxious to get up. In case you’re embarking on a long flight, you should certainly drink lots of water before you board.
Yes, we know that this means that you will have to stand up multiple times to go to the bathroom. However, it’s better to face your anxiety than to spend 10 hours on a flight without drinking water and risk getting dehydrated, which is twice as likely to happen when on a plane.
Bring permitted drinks
Depending on the type of flight (domestic or international), you may not always be allowed to bring certain liquids on the aircraft. However, we may have a way of helping you quench your thirst without having to pay an absurd amount of money for a bottle of water or coffee.
Apparently, frozen water and coffee are two drinks that can get through airport security, for they are not forbidden by the TSA — if you follow certain rules, that is. If you put the liquid inside small containers and then put them inside small, clear bags, they will be cleared. Also, frozen water bottles are perfectly acceptable. Who knew!
Visit not-so-popular places
When we travel to foreign countries, we search the internet for the places where we should visit. However, most blogs usually recommend visiting cliché and well-known attractions, like the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The thing is: there are so many amazing places that are not advertised!
If you want to visit places that are not quintessential tourist sites, you can rely on websites like Atlas Obscura to learn about hidden places that you can experience in most countries. Alternatively, you can try to befriend locals and get them to show you around their country.
Another tip to save money on the plane
If you have ever traveled before, you know very well that buying food or drinks on an airplane is not always affordable. Airlines tend to charge a lot of money even for basic items, like bottled water or different teas. But don’t worry — there’s something you can do to avoid this.
Instead of buying tea or coffee on the plane, you can take instant coffee powder or tea bags, or even instant soup powder, in your carry-on. When you get on the plane, all you have to do is ask for hot water, and then you can mix your coffee or soup or tea powder and make your own beverage!
Never forget the snacks!
If you want to eat questionable food, there are two places in the world that you are likely to get just that: Hospitals and airplanes. Food in either of these places basically sucks, and that’s why we recommend that you take some snacks on your flight to perk you right up!
Not only is airplane food questionable, but it is also on the pricey side. Hence why you should always bring some snacks with you. If you can’t eat them on the plane, you can at least eat a few at the airport before boarding.
Book flights online
Most of the things that we do nowadays involve technology in one way or another. Want to buy food? You can use your phone for that. Do you want to buy a house? Just download the right apps, and you’re halfway done. The same thing is true for flight tickets.
Instead of having to wait long minutes on the phone trying to buy a ticket or having the hassle of buying at the airline’s physical shop, you can simply use the internet. Download the airline’s app or go to their website, and you’ll be able to buy your tickets in under 10 minutes!
Your portable charger will be your best friend
We don’t want to get started on how a phone’s life span is extremely short nowadays. People are constantly changing their phones, especially because their phone’s battery stops working properly way too soon. Luckily, someone invented portable chargers, and now we cannot travel without them.
Your portable charger should be one of the first few items you pack in your carry-on. We can assure you that you don’t want to travel anywhere without one of these, for they’ll save your life when your phone hit one percent, and you haven’t even arrived at your hotel yet.
Arrive at the airport earlier
Whenever you have a flight to take, you are advised to arrive at the airport a few hours ahead of your boarding time. Some people like to go against this advice and get to the airport less than an hour before their plane is supposed to take off.
We definitely advise against this. Major setbacks can occur, and then you’ll lose your flight and maybe miss an important appointment, or simply lose your money (because you’ll have to buy another ticket). That’s why we would like to remind you once again that you should get to the airport 2-3 hours ahead of your flight!
If you can, give up your seat
After reading this heading, you are likely wondering what in the world we are talking about. The idea of giving up your seat does sound kind of absurd, but this decision may be one of the best you can make.
Sometimes, when a flight is overbooked, the airline calls customers in order to find a passenger or two who might be willing to give up their seats and rebook their flight. If you have availability and can rebook your flight, there are chances you may get better seats or free drinks and snacks as a courtesy for helping out the airline.
Pack your bags strategically
Let’s say that you are going to travel on a flight that will make an overnight stop somewhere. Instead of spending the night at the airport, you prefer to book a hotel room for the night. In this case, you shouldn’t unpack your bags in a haste.
Keep in mind that you will be boarding another flight in just a few hours. You certainly won’t appreciate having to unpack your bags and then pack everything once again. Instead, you should pack already thinking of this layover and separate all the things you’ll need once you get to the hotel.
Always clear your browser
One of the things that every traveler does is check the airline’s website multiple times in hopes of buying tickets at a lower price. However, every time you access a website, your browser will save data — and the airline’s website will recognize that data!
While this may sound harmless (and it kind of is), the airline may increase the prices of your flight because they can see that you have been searching for it multiple times before. Thus, our tip for you is that you clear your browser’s cache and cookies before and after your search for a flight.
Jogging can help with jetlag
No matter what you do, there is no way for you to prevent jet lag. If you are traveling to a place where the time zone is considerably different from what you are used to, you’re going to feel the effects of this unavoidable travel buddy the most.
Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to reduce the effects of jet lag. First of all, you can start by trying to go to bed a little later or earlier than you’re used to. Another thing that you can try is to go for a jog as soon as you get up in the morning or before you go to sleep.
Protect your suitcase
While we tend to think of only the positive aspects of traveling, it is also crucial for us to keep in mind that there are so many things that could go wrong during our travel. When you think of these things, you will always stay prepared.
For instance, if you stop to think that maybe there is a possibility of you getting caught in the rain, you can adequately protect your suitcase. You can try to do a DIY suitcase cover, or you can simply buy one off the internet.
Use TVs as chargers
Let’s imagine this: even though we have told you a couple of times that you should always bring one or two portable chargers, you forgot to bring one, or maybe yours broke on the flight. In this case, here’s a solution for you.
Until you can purchase a new portable charger, you can make the most of the TV in your hotel room. If the TV has a USB port, you can use your USB cable and connect your phone to the TV. While it won’t charge your phone as quickly as a charger would, it’s better than nothing!
Label your fragile luggage
While you should always try to find hard suitcases for your flights, those cases are not always affordable. If you can’t afford to get one of those expensive suitcases for your travel and you’re carrying fragile items, you might want to label your cases.
If you put a “fragile” label on your suitcase, airport staff will likely be more careful with your luggage. There are also bigger chances that they’ll put your suitcase above other cases instead of putting them at the bottom of the plane.
Book early morning flights
Lots of us have flight anxiety, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re scared of flying and turbulence makes your fear go through the roof, you might like this tip. Late-night flights tend to deal with less turbulence!
Yes, we understand that night flights can also enhance your anxiety. While these are the best flights for those who hate turbulence, you can also try to book an early morning flight. Because the winds are still calm and it’s not that hot yet, these flights will be much more smooth.