I have done lots of research to benefit me on my travels, whether that would be through cost cutting secrets or advice flight attendants want you to know.
Booking
When booking your flights here are some hassle free tips and tricks to save you time and money!
1) Book on quiet days
The best times to travel are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This is because they’re generally quieter, but also, you’ll often find it’s much cheaper. You will also find that booking your tickets on a Tuesday will save you some money as airlines often release weekly sales early Tuesday mornings, and therefore other companies try to match and beat these deals.
2) When flying in pairs or more book aisle and window seats
More often than not, when booking seats, people won’t chose to book a middle seat between two filled seats unless there are no other spaces. This benefits you as you’ll get the whole row to yourselves, meaning more leg room, more storage space, no random stranger falling asleep on you, and no awkward encounters when clambering around people to use the loo. That’s a bonus if you ask me!
3) Seat Guru
Before booking your seats, you must check seat guru. This is a site that allows you to check the best and worst seats to book, why. For example, green seats are the best seats as they’re usually towards the front, have more leg room, and are away from the toilets. Red seats on the other hand, are usually towards the back, have little room to recline and are right next to the toilets, which could definitely be the worst place to sit on a long haul flight!
4) Wing seats
If you’re someone who is scared of flying, hate turbulence or just wants a more relaxing flight, seats near the wings are for you. They are more central and therefore less likely to feel the full effect of turbulence. You will still feel it, it would mostly be lessened. It’s also the classic holiday picture, so might as well take some pictures whilst you’re there.
5) Book early morning flights to your destination
There are several reasons for this. The first would be that it can be cheaper, as people don’t usually want to fly that early. Another would be that it’s often quieter, for the same reasons. And thirdly, you wont be wasting a full day of your holiday. Say you’re flying from London to Barcelona and you’re booked in from the 10th to the 16th. Flying at 3pm on the 10th wastes a pretty much full day that you could’ve spent exploring Barcelona as you’re still paying for that nights accommodation.
6) Book late night flights when returning home
Similar to the point above, if you book a morning or midday flight, you’re wasting a days holiday. Leaving at say 10pm gives you basically a whole other day as you won’t be worrying about waking up on time to catch flights and check in. The only thing that may me a reason to book earlier flights is having to carry luggage around everywhere.
7) Use Skyscanner for cheap flights
If you go on the skyscanner website and select ‘everywhere’ and select ‘cheapest month’ if will come up with the cheapest flights to destinations. You may need to scroll and hunt for your chosen destination or when the best time to travel for you, but it will save you some money.
8) Use a VPN when booking
A VPN (virtual private network) is any travellers best friend, whether you’re travelling for business, pleasure or are a digital nomad like me (or at least trying to be!). A VPN essentially protects your devices when using unsecured networks, like airport WIFI for example. It stops hackers being able to access your information, and protects all your data, because the worst thing you want is your computer being hacked simply for sending an email. It also allows you to change your location. Have you ever been somewhere but you can’t watch your favourite shows because it says it’s not available in that country? This means you can still access everything you need to from anywhere. It’s useful for booking flights for this feature. It’s a little known fact that flights are actually cheaper to book in some countries. Say you’re flying from London Gatwick to Barcelona and in the UK it says the cheapest is £137, if you change your location to Bulgaria but keep the flight locations the same if could change to £75 cheapest so you could save lots of money over time.
9) Subscribe to soarfare
Soarfare is a website that lets you earn points to spend on future flights so they are cheaper and you’ll often get better deals. They also have a feature that allows you to break up the cost of your flights so that you don’t have to pay it all in one big hit.
Checking in/security
1) Always check in as soon as you can.
Airlines allow you to check in online 24 hours before the flight, and you’ll usually get first dibs on the best seats on the plane. It also means you’re guaranteed to get a place which, if you check in late, you might miss out on a place on the flight entirely as they often over book flights. If this ends up being the case, if you give up your seat on one flight, the airline may upgrade you or give you access to perks like first class lounges.
2) Choose the left check in lane
The majority of people are right side dominant, this means that subconsciously when choosing which lane to check in, they’ll go towards the right meaning long queues, long waits and very frustrated travellers. Therefore the left lane will often be much quieter and checking in will be a breeze!
3) Bring empty bottles
Hopefully you know that liquids over 100ml (3.4oz) cannot be taken through airport security, and it’s therefore a very good idea to take an empty reusable bottle as there are water fill up stations on the other side, as well as cafes and restaurants who will fill the bottle for you. But I bet you didn’t know that you can take frozen liquids through security! This means you could freeze your favourite drink and take it with you onto the plane so you don’t pay the hiked up airport prices for your little taste of home. This probably won’t be such a good idea if you’re flying from somewhere really hot or have a long trip to the airport, as it may have thawed out by the time you’re going though security and therefore no longer be classed as a solid.
4) Identify your luggage
Take photos of your checked in luggage and/or tie something to your bag to make it easily identifiable so you can get to where you need to be much quicker, and you’ll be able to chase down anyone who mistakes your bag for theirs! Another thing to do is mark your bag as fragile. This has several benefits: easily identifiable, they’ll take more care of your bag, and it’ll be unloaded first.
5) Hygiene
Security can be a very dirty place as so many people pass through every day. Make sure that you wash your hands or sanitise before and after going through security, that way you protect yourself and others from anything that could spoil the trip.
6) Toilets
Something I learned from a flight attendant is that you should always go to the toilet before going through security. This is because the toilets are hardly ever used so are quieter and usually cleaner due to lack of use. The toilets after security usually have huge lines after people having waited in line for so long and having downed their drinks to avoid the 100ml rule.
Food
1) Boiled sweets
Bring boiled sweets or chewing gum onto the plane with you as sucking on these will prevent your ears popping when taking off or landing. I have done this ever since a family holiday to Florida had me crying in pain when they popped halfway to my accommodation (granted I was 8 and a bit of a wuss but I’d much rather be safe than sorry!) and my sister had a similar reaction.
2) Instant oats packets
These are one of the best things to bring on any trip, whether that be a road trip, flying abroad or by any other means. You can go to cafes or ask flight attendants for a cup of boiling water or bring a flask (not when flying however). They weigh practically nothing and are small enough to transport without using up vital carry on space and they will provide you with enough sustenance to get you through hectic travel schedules.
3) Carbonated drinks
Before and on flights, avoid carbonated drinks. I know they’re good for bursts of sugar and taste good, however they will leave you bloated and potentially full of trapped gas, which won’t be pleasant for you or your fellow passengers. It’s also good to avoid alcohol for the same reason, instead stick to water, tea or other still drinks
4) Pre flight meal
Before you fly, make sure you eat a meal that is high (but not too high) in protein, low in salt and low in simple carbs as this will also reduce the likelihood of indigestion. Simple carbs are high in sugar and are used up much quicker than complex carbs like pastas which are turned into energy slower. It’s also good to note that you shouldn’t eat too much before flying.
What to bring
1) Ziplock bag
Ziplock bags can be turned into make-shift tv screens in cars and on planes. They can be hooked onto airplane trays or though the headrest on the back of a car seat and with a phone or tablet inside to that you don’t need to worry about holding a device for the duration of a movie and save you the hassle of trying desperately to prop up a device on moving transport.
2) Extension cable
Extension cable are a necessity when travelling, and can be very beneficial for long haul flights. You may not be able to use these on the actual plane, however on a long haul flight – after using phones, power packs, laptops, etc – charging these before your next flight or long airport transfers.
3) Photocopies
Photocopy your insurance details, passport, boarding pass (if you have a physical one) and make several copies. If you lose your passport, you can use a photocopy to get home. Some accommodations also require you to show passport identification and will also accept photocopies. Copies of insurance will come in useful if you need to use it, especially if the information is on a device that is then stolen. Similarly, take photos of these and store boarding passes in the ‘wallet’ option in your phone.
4) Adapters
Not everywhere uses the same outlet, and therefore it is important to remember to take adapters to use at your destination but also on a plane and in the airports, especially if you have connecting flights and layovers.
5) Antibacterial products
Planes can be super unhygienic at the best of times, but since the outbreak of Coronavirus, antibacterial wipes, spray and/or hand gel is an essential thing to bring. It has circulated over the years that certain parts of the plane are dirtier than others, and since the boom of TikTok, many flight attendants are sharing inside secrets about the cleanliness of planes. Now, this isn’t me saying that you will catch diseases and viruses from a plane or that the staff don’t do their jobs, just that some parts are cleaned more thoroughly than others and it’s good practice anywhere you go to be mindful of bacteria. Cleaning the wall if you have a window seat, seat belt and buckle, tray and latch, arm rest and buttons on the ceiling yourself will simply give you peace of mind.
6) Luggage trackers
If you’re worried about losing your luggage or have quick change overs for connecting flights, purchasing trackers like tiles allows you to see where your possessions are and be able to know when they’re at baggage claim and also whether someone else has accidentally taken your bag too.
7) Change of clothes
In case your luggage is lost or you’re travelling between drastically different climates, bringing a change of clothes is super important. You never want to be caught short of clean clothes, For example, if you’re travelling to escape the UK winter to bask in the heat of the Aussie summer, you’re not going to want to be stepping off that plane in a woolly hat, coat and warm clothes! Similarly, if your luggage is lost, you do not want to be wearing the same clothes for several days or buying lots of new clothes straight away. Bringing clothes will give you enough time to sort out what you’re going to do.
8) Dental Hygiene
Always bring a toothbrush onto the plane. This can be useful for several reasons, the first being dental hygiene of course. On a long haul flight or a red-eye, you don’t want to be going to sleep without sparkly teeth. Another reason being, it can help with jet lag if you follow your nightly routine on the plane. Set your clock to the time zone of your destination and follow your routine along with those times like you would at home, even if the plane is full of life or it’s bright outside.
9) Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil has many uses. It acts as an insect repellent if sprinkled around a room or mixed with coconut oil and applied to the skin like an ointment. It can also be used as a decongestant, aid in the ability to urinate when lightly inhaled, relieve itching when applied like an ointment and ease nausea – especially travel sickness. (Disclaimer: I am in no way a medical professional, these are just some ways I use it or my family do. Do not ingest essential oils!!)
Other useful tips
- Set alarms for when to board so you don’t miss your flights
- Download itineraries before you go (keep an eye out as I’ll be posting some soon!)
- Download checklists so you don’t forget anything (keep an eye out for my shop going live as I’ll have some available for purchase)
- Check airport lost and founds if you’ve forgotten anything – after 90 days, anything unclaimed is up for grabs, this can save you some money as airport prices can be very high
- Some airline can provide you with basic mediations on board, but always best to bring your own
- Download airline apps to track flights and sometimes earn rewards!
- Check airport maps ahead of time – especially if you have quick connecting flights to catch!
- Put suncream on before you board or step off the plane as you may forget and don’t want to get sun burnt
- Make sure you have a bag that follows the regulations for all flights you might catch as not every airline has the same cabin bag allowances
- Talk to your neighbours, they may be able to provide you with helpful information about your destination (or you can do the same)
- Wear comfy clothes to travel in – you don’t want to be wearing anything too constricting that will make your fight uncomfortable
- Wear your bulkiest/heaviest clothes – that way they don’t take up all the space and won’t impact your weight allowances
- Always carry a pen for customs forms (and for playing games like hangman when you’re bored)
- Bring portable locks for extra security at your accommodation
- If you want to keep batteries fresher and longer lasting, apparently storing them in a fridge does this
- Download ‘FOURSQUARE’ – people share tips, ratings and reviews for places, and it’s common for people to comment WIFI passwords so always check the app for your location as you may manage to nab yourself some much needed wifi rather than using up lots of your precious data (and giving yourself a huge phone bills!)
(This post is not sponsored, all opinions are my own honest thoughts)