11 Insider Travel Hacks According to an Airline Pilot
Ahhhh, summertime: warm days, cool drinks, and more often than not, a fun vacation to look forward to.
You might be gearing up for adventures of your very own this season!
With summer travel in full swing, I asked my dad, a retired commercial airline pilot, for his top travel hacks. After flying for 40+ years and visiting well over 160 countries (there are 195 in the world), my dad had a wealth of knowledge to share. đ§đžââď¸
Here are his best insider tips along with a few from yours truly (found in the Aviothic Tip boxes):
1. Check into your flight the day before departure.
Avoid checking into your flight when you arrive at the airport.
Why? Because, as we all know, airlines notoriously overbook flights especially this time of year; but what people donât know is that sometimes, those passengers who are the last to check in are the first to get bumped.
Do yourself a favor – download your airlineâs app and check in 24 hours before departure; enable notifications too so you can receive alerts on important flight updates.
Speaking of whichâŚ
2. If youâre an iPhone user, text yourself your flight number.
Your flight number contains your carrierâs two letter airline designator followed by 1-4 digits (no spaces). When you text yourself that (and, while youâre at it, text any loved ones who may be picking you up), itâll appear as a link in your messages.
When you click it, select âPreview Flightâ where youâll receive valuable information like updated departure times, gate number, flight time, baggage claim number, etc.
It’s continuously updated with the latest information whenever it’s clicked. This is a game changer, especially if youâre flying through another city and have a short connection window or if your flight is delayed (from another city) and you want to see a real-time ETA of its arrival.
*Post-Publish Caveat: I traveled recently on Air Europa and texted the flight number to myself but the link didn’t appear. Upon further investigation, it seems the hack doesn’t work 100% of the time (possibly due to an issue with Apple’s data detector with certain carriers). As an alternative, you can simply google your flight number (regardless of the airline you’re flying) and it offers the same information that Apple’s preview mode otherwise would.
3. Enroll in Traveler Programs
Always sign up for frequent flyer miles with your airline carriers, regardless of how often you fly with them. Many airlines are part of alliance programs, allowing you to easily transfer miles from one to another (that are part of the same program).
Saving those miles over time can benefit you immensely, allowing you to fly free or upgrade your flying class, depending on your intended destination.
AVIOTHIC TIP: While youâre at it, sign up for Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck), CLEAR, and Priority Pass. A separate post is coming soon about the benefits of each program.
4. When Packing, Roll Your Clothes
When packing, roll your clothes like a burrito vs. folding them because:
- It allows you to maximize space.
- As a result, it saves you precious inches so you can pack those extra pair of shoes you love or that cozy sweater you donât want to be without.
- You can more easily see what youâve packed, which makes finding certain items much easier.
5. Take a Laundry Bag
Walking around for hours in the sweltering summer heat will probably leave your clothes smelling to the high heavens.
The last thing you want to do is place your sweaty clothes next to your clean ones in your suitcase.
Be sure to pack a laundry bag to keep your items separate and smelling fresh.
6. Always Opt for a Carry-on
Too many people take trips to Europe with jumbo sized suitcases and find themselves struggling to carry it up the 7-floor walk-up of their Airbnb, fit it in a storage compartment on the train, or push it up a cobblestone street (that happens to be on a 45 degree incline).
While not always possible, do travel lightly and try to opt just for a carry-on. Believe me; youâll thank yourself.
AVIOTHIC TIP: If you plan to do a lot of shopping on your trip, bring a packable tote like this one from Tumi (I have it and love it for those trips when I have a lot of overflow).
7. Invest in an Apple AirTag for your luggage
Sometimes you have the best of intentions – you take a carry-on but the airline has other plans for your bag, maybe due to:
- It exceeding size constraints or
- There’s limited overhead space
Enter: The AirTag.
Give yourself some peace of mind by placing an AirTag in your luggage. In the event the airline loses your bag, your AirTag can help you track your suitcase much better than any info even the airline can sometimes provide you.
8. Screenshot All of Your Travel Documents
I hate to admit it, but sometimes, sh!t happens.
Keep a picture of your passport, driverâs license, and travel credit cards on your phone (and a hard copy in your suitcase too). Itâll come in handy in the event of a precarious circumstance (e.g., you lose your passport, wallet, etc.).
9. Register with the US Embassy
Itâs always a good idea to register with the US government when traveling abroad using their STEP program; hereâs what the website says:
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Benefits of enrolling:
- Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
- Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
- Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
10. Opt for Ziploc Bags
Some airports overseas have stringent regulations around liquids (I’m looking at you, Copenhagen and Heathrow Airports).
I’ve seen them force passengers to squeeze their products into plastic baggies and toss others that don’t fit (me included!).
If youâre flying internationally, trust me, just use a plain old Ziploc bag so you don’t find yourself in the same predicament.
What can I say? Rules are rules.
AVIOTHIC TIP: Stock up on minis from retailers like Sephora, Ulta, and Target. Or, you can always go the eco-friendly route by getting small travel-size refillable containers.
11. Moisturize Like Your Life Depends on It.
Even on next-generation jets like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350, cabin humidity levels rarely top 20 percent (and are only around 8-10 percent on conventional aircrafts).
To avoid looking prune-y after your flight, pack a light moisturizer and apply it frequently.
And of course, drink plenty of water.
Hope you found this helpful and gathered a few tips you can use for your next trip.
Big thanks to my dad for all of this great information!
xoxox
