Air Travel Tips!
Getting down to the nitty gritty:
BOARDING
· Always give yourself 3 hours minimum from your flight time to get there.
· If you’re a frequent flyer, live close to the airport, travel lightly with no check-in, you may have become pro needing less time to successfully board your flight. Teach me your ways!
TRAVEL WEAR
Comfy clothing:
· Trust me, you’re going to thank yourself for not wearing the tight skinny jeans or super tight dress shirt and tie. Wear your comfiest pants, tee, and bring a light sweater/jacket in case the airplane gets cold.
Flying for a business meeting?
Women:
· Bring travel flats that can easily be stored in your bag. Save your feet until the meeting to wear your heels.
· Avoid wearing any light colors to avoid any beverage/snack spills, dirt, etc. that you may not be able to hide so easily should this happen. Men, this is for you too.
Men:
· Choose a simple/sleek carry-on bag that looks both work-appropriate and also spacious enough as a weekender bag. You will thank yourself later when you run into a potential business partner looking “effortlessly sleek”.
TSA
· Get in the habit of having your boarding pass and ID in hand. Guaranteed/given you will always need to show this to someone to get through check-in, TSA, boarding, customs, etc.
· I love wearing a light jacket that has many pockets. This is my Columbia jacket.
· I also may wear my Patagonia fleece; it has a side arm pocket that fits my passport and boarding pass PERFECTLY.
· TSA does not like your passport being presented to them in a sleeve/folder, etc. To avoid any negative vibe or interaction, have your boarding pass and ID facing upward in the same direction when presenting it. Sounds very specific, but trust me, when you make this a habit, traveling becomes so quick and smooth, you’ll feel like a pro!
· Does the TSA checkpoint stress you out? Feel the pressure of unpacking any electronics, taking off shoes/belts, making sure you don’t slow down a line?
· My first answer is to not worry. You are not there to make everyone comfortable. That is their own responsibility. You are there for yourself. Take your time you need. Of course, take care of your loved ones that may be joining you, but you get the point!
However, here are some helpful tips to make TSA checkpoints stress-free:
1. Wear shoes that are easy to take on/off.
2. My go-to: CROCS “Cleo Sandal”.
3. Try to minimize the amount of metal jewelry you have so you don’t have to take off/put back on so much.
4. Get ready to also unload your electronics in a separate bin.
5. Put your laptop/ipad/electronics in an easy reach compartment in your bag so when you unload at TSA, it is quick and easy. Backpacks nowadays almost always come with a compartment specifically for your gadgets!
LOW-WASTE
· Bring a reusable water bottle to fill up at the airport once you get through TSA. Airports will most always have water fountains; even the newer ones that are motion sensored and upright. Love those!
· Bring stainless steel/silicone/bamboo straws. These are so handy when you want to sip on a sodapop or smoothie on the go! Plus, that’s one less straw in the ocean.
· Bring a cloth napkin. You’ll never know what you have an unexpected booger, tear, bbq sauced face, sweat or foggy glasses coming at you. Just trust me on this one.
· Bring snacks in silicone bags (yes, these exist!) These are allowed through TSA.
WHAT TO PACK
These are items I always remember to pack for every flight:
· Flight documents
· ID/Passport
· Cell phone/charger
· Headphones
· Hand sanitizer/wipes
· Ibuprofen
· Allergy medicine
· Eye drops
· Toothbrush/paste
· Deodorant
· Biodegradable face wipes
· Croc sandals (I always wear these on my flight with socks. They are so comfy and since my feet swell with the air elevation, these are perfect).
· Reusable water bottle
· Stainless steel straw
· Interchangeable/versatile clothes — dependent on the duration of travel; I like to mix and match and be able to combine outfits for multiple uses.
· Undergarments, always double the amount of days of travel!…Because running out of fresh undies is just bad.
Thank you for reading! In no way am I a “professional” at packing..wouldn’t that be something?! I am simply speaking from experience and sharing what has continued to work for me over the years of travel. Cheers!
xx,
The Annemazon
