Choose your seat when booking. If you wait until you get to the ticket counter and the flight is overbooked, you could be bumped to a later flight.

For the most legroom, choose an emergency exit row (no children allowed, however).

If you didn't order alternative meals (vegetarian, kosher, children's etc.) when booking, do so by calling the airline 24 hours before departure.


If you call your bags "fragile" at check-in, they'll be on top of the heap and come out first at the other end.

Add a colored ribbon to your checked luggage so you can spot it faster at baggage claim (Just don’t use red, because most people do).

Be sure the destination tag on your luggage is accurate before it gets whisked away.

If you know your carry-on won't fit overhead, check it at the gate instead of stuffing it under the seat and limiting your legroom (also a good way to ensure your bag isn’t accidentally placed on the wrong plane).

Taking gifts? Leave them unwrapped for security checks.


Natural remedies for motion sickness: hold a lemon; inhale essential oil of ginger; take a ginger root supplement.

To reduce ear pressure problems, munching on chewy sweets before takeoff often works.

To cope with dry air in flight, moisten a paper towel and breathe through it. Also use lip balm.


If you book a round trip and miss the first flight, notify the airline so the return leg won’t be canceled.

At your destination, call the airline to confirm your return flight and provide a phone number where you can be reached.

If you want to extend your stay, some airlines will let you change your flight for an extra charge. Call them.


Keep a copy of your ticket's back page separately in a safe place. At the hotel, leave your ticket in the safe.

If you lose your ticket, report it immediately to the issuing airline, using the ticket number from the photocopy you (hopefully) made.

Bring your own headphones. Most airlines charge for headphone rental.