Ya know, just what the airlines won’t tell you.
1. Don’t check a bag if you don’t have to.
Yep, you might have to resist packing your fourth pair of shoes for your five day trip (which I totally used to be guilty of too). Not only will this save you from waiting in line to check your bag, but you don’t have to wait at the baggage carousel either. Oh, and did I mention this could save you $50+ in checked baggage fees? (As an airline employee, I probably shouldn’t be encouraging that, but this goes out to my fellow millennials trying to save a buck.)
Learning how to pack light enough to avoid a checked bag on longer trips takes getting used to (what if I want to wear these totally impractical shoes for one dinner??), but I promise I’ll write a post on that one soon.
Bonus perk: Your bag won’t get lost if you’re carrying it. (Well, hopefully.)
2. If you have to check a bag, get a hardsided suitcase.
Did you know that there’s a pretty good chance there’s a dead body on your flight? Commercial airlines transport more than just luggage under the plane — everything from vital transplant organs, live aquarium fish, to yes, dead bodies. And although I want to emphasize that this is extremely rare, things can leak, and they’re right next to your luggage.
The worst story I heard was a leaking body that wasn’t properly prepared, but it’s also not unheard of for the lavatory to leak into the cargo hold. I promise this has an EXTREMELY LOW chance of happening to you (my ramp supervisor friend said this should seriously never happen) and if it did, you would be entirely compensated for everything that it ruined, but my point here is that a hardsided suitcase is going to protect your stuff better. The more possible scenario here is that your bag gets left out on a rainy tarmac longer than intended.
Also, avoid light colored bags. They won’t stay that way. RIP, my mint blue bag.
3. Pay attention to flight connection times before booking.
It’s a fact of air travel that your flight can get delayed, and if you have a connecting flight to make, bring on the stress. I personally avoid connecting flights as much as possible, but if you don’t live by a major airport it may not be an option.
When you’re looking at flights, it’s tempting to choose the shortest layover time — why wait around 1.5 hours when 45 minutes is an option? But if your first flight gets delayed, you’ll wish you gave yourself more time when you’re full sprint between the two furthest gates at the airport (funny how it always seems to work out this way). The airline will definitely work with you to rebook on a new flight if this does happen, but sometimes that new flight might not be until the following day. Better safe than sorry my friends.
4. Download your airline’s mobile app.
Time to delete that fitness app you’ve never used and free up some space on your phone! I can’t speak for every airline, but I can’t imagine not having my airline’s app when traveling. Not only is it necessary for watching all the free movies (like Mamma Mia 2 for the 12th time) and tv shows during my flight, but it’s how I skip the check-in kiosk, track my flight status, and figure out where my next gate is if I have to take a connecting flight.
I’m not sure which other airline apps have this feature, but my personal favorite on the United app is the “Where is my aircraft currently?” button. Although your flight may be showing an on-time departure, click this button and you might find out that your plane hasn’t even left the last destination. You might spot the delay before you even get notified of it. This is super helpful for figuring out exactly when you should start heading to the airport, because no one wants to sit at the airport all day for a flight delay.
Note to self: More on how to track your flight status without just relying on the airline notifications coming soon.
5. Be prepared for disruptions during bad weather seasons.
We’re working on our weather controlling machine, but for now, airlines can’t control the weather. So if you’re traveling during the winter or spring, there’s a fair possibility that weather disrupts your flight. Depending on the situation, the airline probably won’t provide accommodations or reimbursement for weather-related issues, aside from allowing you to change or cancel your flight.
Sometimes you gotta look out for yourself, so here’s a few pointers:
- Book early morning flights (more options to get to your destination if you start early)
- Book direct flights (bad weather = delays = missed connections)
- Book refundable hotels if possible (contact the hotel immediately if you know you’re going to be late, you don’t want to pay for a room you never made it to)
- Be aware of the weather in other locations (just because the sun is shining in New York doesn’t mean bad weather won’t trap your plane in Denver)
As always, feel free to leave a comment below or slide into my DMs if you have a question about anything I’ve just shared. Happy travels!
Leave a Reply