I Fly A LOT

Keeping up with my different reservations and check in dates and times can sometimes feel like another part-time job. Right now I’ve got a lot of travel coming up soon, and I love it! I love the anticipation of travel, and the excitement of packing correctly and starting the journey to whatever the destination might be. The thing is… you have to MAKE an airplane comfortable.

I want to enjoy the journey as much as I can. That takes thought and planning—it doesn’t just happen.

So let’s talk about making air travel enjoyable nowadays.

Choosing An Airline

I start with Southwest (www.southwest.com). Every time. Not only do I have their credit card, but I’ve racked up a ton of miles with them, Companion Pass several years, and enough travel credit to keep me flying for quite a while. That’s because of how flexible and straightforward this airline is. They don’t pretend to be fancy, but their all-inclusive price appeals to me on several levels: I don’t have to pay extra for a seat, or for any luggage. If I need to change or cancel, there is no penalty and I accrue travel credit. Overall, it makes it easy for the airplane to be comfortable, because we don’t have to worry about the additional costs. 

What if you don’t like Southwest, or they don’t serve your local airport? That sucks, in my opinion, but you need some alternatives:

Regional companies

If you’ve got one or more of the smaller companies (JetBlue, Allegiant, Spirit) servicing your local airport, you might do very well to stick to these companies. They all offer “no frills” pricing that can be extremely inexpensive, and if you’re just on a “puddle jumper” of a short flight, they will absolutely be worth it. Long-haul, though, their seats and trays and lower quality service don’t appeal to me. 

International companies

There are absolutely times when the large airlines (American, United, etc) are the best alternative for you. Sometimes, in fact, they are quite inexpensive. Many of my people live close to Philadelphia airport, and have found great prices on the non-stops to Vegas through the years. On these behemoths, you have the opportunity to upgrade your airplane service level to have a more pleasant and comfortable flight, but be prepared to pay for that service—and all of your luggage and seat choice, too.  

Choosing A Time Of Day

For some itineraries, you don’t have a lot of choices for your flight times. When you can choose, however, consider some of these factors into that decision:

Morning

You are the least likely to face flight delays if you fly in the morning, because flight delays become harder to overcome as the day passes. Another benefit is having part of a day available to you at your destination. Big Brother Bob, for example, caught an early flight out of Philly recently, and was here before lunch having a full day of fun.

Noon

I love a flight around 2 pm personally. It gives me the chance to sleep in, have a nice breakfast at the hotel, and leave at check-out time to get to the airport. It is probably the least stressful time for me to fly, because I haven’t woken up at dawn to make a flight, and I still get home at a reasonable time. 

Evening

This is my “Disney Flight Time”. I want to maximize my last day of vacation, so I will choose a late flight heading home. This gives me an additional day of vacation, but still gets me home in time to sleep before going to work the next day. The problem with this time is the effects of the day—flight delays stack up—and the chance that a flight cancellation will add another night to my travel, causing me to need another day off. 

Overnight

Just shoot me. Unless you can sleep sitting up without moving for hours, I would avoid doing an overnight flight. Yes, I’ve done them, but the wear and tear on my body hits hard the next day, making me virtually useless. Best part about them is that you do have the entire next day to start your vacation…but I still don’t think it’s worth it. It’s VERY difficult to make an overnight airplane flight comfortable…

Should We Do A Stopover?

Not my choice, but I know some people prefer to stop midway through a flight. Let’s check out the good and the bad…

Pros

Sitting in one position for six hours cross-country is pretty painful, and a stopover gives you a great chance to stretch your legs. It will make your next airplane a lot more comfortable. You can also grab a decent meal or snack while you’re waiting for the next flight. These flights can be slightly cheaper, since they are not as popular as the non-stop. And, of course, you can use a real toilet. That’s a plus.

Cons

We’re back to the chances of flight delays and missed connections. You don’t want to get stuck in some city overnight without a plan. It also adds considerable time to your entire trip, no matter where you stop. Finally, the entire boarding and deboarding process is kind of a pain in the neck—why do it more than once? 

What’s In Your Carry-On?

Now this totally makes a difference if you’re on Southwest, where you don’t pay for luggage. If you’re an avid reader of the blog, you might remember when I got stuck in Dallas overnight with nothing but a jacket and my iPad. Since then, my carry-on has become extremely important to me, and it includes everything I might need if I get stuck again.

Overkill? Heck yeah. 

If you can bring a carry-on without paying for it, I strongly suggest you use the “Patti method” and be prepared for any eventuality, including an extra outfit, deodorant (trust me…), some serious snacks and things to relieve the stress and the boredom. Making an airplane comfortable becomes less important if the plane never comes…

What’s In Your “Personal Item”?

No matter the airline, you are allowed a “personal item” no larger than the under-seat storage space in front of you. Since I always have a carry-on bag, my personal item is fairly empty, with just a book and my iPad. 

If it’s all you’ve got on you, however, make sure you pack it correctly and full! Don’t forget a snack or two, in case your stopover is so late things in the airport are closed, or you get stuck. You’ll need a jacket that can double as a blanket or pillow, and for sure things to get you through the night—minimally your electronics. 

How Did THAT Get Through Security?

Every summer I take students to FBLA Nationals in another city. For many of my kids, it is their first flight. Last summer, I had a kid who didn’t clean out his backpack before the trip. He had an unspent gun shell. Not kidding. TSA was shockingly good about it with a great attitude, and lots of forgiveness.

Don’t be like that kid. Please. 

Here is my absolute best suggestion for what you should take through security that so many people don’t think of: An empty water container. Why spend $5 on a bottle in the terminal when you can simply refill your Hydroflask after you pass through TSA?

Other than that, be careful with TSA. Not because you are trying to “sneak things on”, but because you don’t want to have to throw something out. Sweet Husband once lost a great Swiss army knife because he didn’t realize it was in his bag and couldn’t take it through security. You certainly don’t want your one bottle of hair product being confiscated, do you? 

Most Important Thing To Bring…

I forgot a bathing suit last time we went to California, so I bought one.

In Florida last summer, Lee Lee didn’t bring their hair product, so we bought it there.

Sunscreen in St. Thomas is extremely important, so we just bought it on the beach.

Trouble with your stomach in Mexico? The shop in the lobby will have relief for you.

Need some groceries in your condo in Florida? There’s a delivery app for that, too.

No matter where you are going, chances are extremely likely you will have the means and ability to get it at your destination. Unless you are going to a deserted island–in which case the bathing suit is optional anyway—you will be able to find and buy whatever it is you forgot. It might be a bit more expensive, but you can get it. 

There is one thing that is absolutely required for travel, however, that you can’t buy in any store in the world. 

Patience   

I love to travel, obviously. Through all of my experiences, using different means of travel and going to a wide variety of places with different habits and cultures, I’ve found that this is the single thing that makes a flight delay or a forgotten item not that big a deal: Patience.

Pack extra, for your travel mates who forgot theirs.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS FAR

Thank you for reading all about how to make an airplane comfortable!!

Hey, since you’re here! You may as well check out some other tips, like holiday travel, here, or traveling for Halloween, here! Or, check out our other topics here! Either way, I appreciate you!

Please leave a COMMENT about any tips you may have!! Or comment with YOUR story! Where’re your next trip going to be? Let me know!

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