Tips for Traveling by Air

Do you remember the days when traveling was easy and fun? I sure do, fondly, I must say. That's how old memories always are... Here's one of my memories... Mike and I were still living apart. Our visits were always jam-packed with fun and romance, and the trip home was never welcome. We'd always put off my return until the last minute. No, I mean, the very last minute. I would show up to the airport to check-in and run to the gate 15 minutes before flight time.

Baby, times have changed. Between long lines, new rules, extra security, and flight problems, flying is not what it used to be. That said, I thought it would be nice for me to share some of my travel resources.

Planning your trip
For years and years I used Travelocity to plan my trips. I guess those years have passed. I have found better and brighter tools for travel... I am starting with my favorite resource and will include my take on each:

Resource	Summary	Why I love it
Kayak	My planning resource	Flight searches are easy and flexible. You can search only one airport, or compare prices for multiple airports. You can set parameters that constrain take-off/landing windows, airlines, days +/- your planned trip dates, flight duration, number of stops, and price. If you find a segment you like, the results can be narrowed to those that include that segment. It searches airlines, other travel sites, and consolidators. It does not search Southwest, but no one does. They also put out a nice blog.
SeatGuru	Flight seating information	Sometimes it is hard to know which seats are good. This site lets you choose the airline and aircraft (part of the flight info as you are in the booking stage), then gives you a run-down about each seat. If you hate those seats that don't recline (I do) or get a lot of bathroom noise (yuck), check this site as you book tickets online.
Farecast	Fare prediction resource	Not sure if you want to purchase tickets now or wait? Farecast gives predictions for most major cities on based on pricing trends.
Yapta	Fare tracking resource	Once you have purchased tickets, you can set Yapta to watch those fares and notify you if they fall. Sometimes you can get money back or get a voucher. This notification service is a handy way to track the price for the flight you've booked.
Vayama	International travel resource	If you are planning a trip abroad, Vayama is a great (and fun) resource. You can search for flights by a map (I love it!), search through deals, and restrict to low-cost carriers.

Packing
You have your tickets and are getting ready for the flight. Easy, right? Not necessarily. All the rules and regulations make packing a bit of a trick, too.

Be sure to check in advance the baggage policy for your airline. Kayak put the list together that I link to here, but be sure to check with the airline for updates. Most airlines have limitations for the weight of your baggage. Weigh your bags at home! It doesn't matter how stupid you feel when you do this, you will feel much more stupid at the airport as you repack your bag in front of a huge line of people because you exceeded the limit. Many airlines are charging a surcharge if your bags weigh too much -- that $50-$75 would really hurt. Also be advised that some airlines are limiting the number of bags. Double-check what is allowed before leaving home.

Make sure you know what is allowed in your carry ons. This changes, so be sure and check before each and every flight. Also be sure to check what is not allowed on board. It sounds easy, and we all think it is obvious, but we are human and we forget. Years ago I got bagged at the Kansas City Airport for having scissors (a nice pair of Fiskars) that I used to open boxes for a training. They had to be thrown away.

If you are traveling with children or have a medical condition, make sure to know what is allowed on-board.

If you or someone you are traveling with has a food allergy, check in advance what foods will be available on board. To be on the safe side you should bring your own food. I'd also recommend bringing sanitizer wipes -- those tray tables are the most germ infested part of the plan -- and plane sheets to protect your little one from unsafe seat ickies.

Bring you own headphones. Many airlines make you purchase headphones if you want to enjoy that in-flight movie. The jacks are standard size, so your own will fit and will probably work better. If you are disturbed by other passengers, get an MP3 player and load it with songs. It will make the flight so much more relaxing.

Load up on magazines to read on the plane, then leave them behind for someone else. There's nothing worse than having nothing to do on a flight. If you don't like magazines, bring a book or games.

Traveling
I have a few more tips related to day of travel and tracking flights.

Check the status of your flight prior to leaving for the airport. I know this takes extra time, but it may save you time in the end. Flight delays and schedule changes have become the norm. Use the carriers website or reservations line.

Parking at the airport? Check the airports website for information about which lots are open. If you're counting on using the closest lot and it is closed, you may just miss your flight.

Always, always, always program your phone with the phone number for the airline. This is your hot-button to flight information and if you run into trouble you may be able to re-book faster by calling -- even inside the airport -- than dealing with a counter agent. I can't tell you how many time this has worked out for us.

If your flight is canceled, try getting seats on an earlier flight; you may have a better chance. Signing up for flight notifications by email or SMS may also give you an early heads-up (thanks, Kayak).

Hydrate on the plane! Planes are very dry. Be sure to drink water, use hand lotion to keep your skin from drying out, and use lip gloss to keep your lips from cracking.

If you are not the traveler, but will be picking up the traveler (or you just care), be sure to track the flight. I use FlightStats. It is free and you can even have it send you updates via text message if you are driving into the airport.

This advice is all mine, not a compilation from other sources. I'm no travel professional, I just get on planes for work or fun like everyone else. The items above are not comprehensive. I have gone back and added more as I have been typing. I will probably think of other things later and will try to add them to this page.

If you have hints, tips, or comments, please speak up! Everyone is a treasure trove.

Fly safely!