Top Travel Tips from a Jet Setter

If you follow me, you know that I travel all the time.  I don’t think I have been home for more than 3 weeks without traveling this year.  Yes, a lot of it is for business, but I also love to travel for fun! Being that I spend almost as much time at the airport as I do my own home, I have picked up a few “tricks of the trade” along the way.  Here are some of my top travel tips to help you have a smooth travel day. We all know that having a smooth travel day helps the trip go better, and it also helps you get back to reality on the way home.

But first, Coffee …

Travel tip numero uno: I almost always travel in the mornings, which means I need to make sure I have my coffee.  Not only are most airport coffees trash, I also don’t like having to wait until I get through security to have my caffeine fix for the day.  I also like to bring some paper towels so I can wipe down my coffee cup and clean it up before I go through security … no you cannot bring coffee through TSA security.

Pro Tip: for more information on what you can bring through TSA security checks, check out the TSA Instagram, it is one of my favorite accounts to follow!

Back it Up

Let’s take a quick step back before I get to security.  One thing I like to always do exactly the same, no matter what, is where I keep my travel docs.  I am major OCD about this travel tip! I always put my passport, itinerary, and any other travel docs I need in the same zipper of the same bag.  This way I always know where everything is and can get to it quickly. I am not known for getting to the airport super early, so it’s nice to be efficient and know where everything is once I get there!

Pro Tip: curbside check in!  I swear this was made for me! Make sure you have some cash to tip these glorious people who check your bags for you so quickly!  It’s the easiest way to get your bags checked, it’s very convenient, and only costs you a tip! 

Pro Pro Tip: If you travel internationally often you have to have Global Entry, it’s TSA pre check and it’s the best money I’ve ever spent to help make my travel days run smoothly … again I am not known for getting to the airport on time.

Carry on within the Carry on

If I can help it, I try not to check a bag at all and just bring a carry on.  When I am traveling internationally or on longer domestic flights, I also like to pack a smaller bag in my carry on.  I call this the carry on within the carry on (COWICO), it’s like the inception of carry on luggage. Within this little COWICO I keep all of my in flight essentials, and I take it out of my carry on when I sit down to keep under my seat.  Inside this magical bag are things like socks, slides, pajamas, toiletries, a scrunchie (pro tip I got from Fergie … the Dutchess not the singer), vitamins/meds, and travel money.

Pro Tip: I like to get on and off the plane feeling fresh, so I always try to dress my best while traveling.  However as soon as we are in the air, I change into comfortable in-flight clothes (pajamas), wash my face, and sleep as much as I can.  Then about an hour before landing, I change into “Francy” clothes and put on a fresh face for the day.

Stay Healthy!

You do not want a cold or sickness you caught on the plane to follow you on your trip, or even back home where you have to recover from a trip!  My best travel tip to stay healthy is to make sure you are drinking lots and lots of water! I even like to keep my skin hydrated from the outside by bringing fresh spray to freshen up my face when it starts to get dried out from airplane air.  Speaking of the nasty air on the airplane, I also like to bring a scarf. This scarf has many uses on the plane, you can use it to keep your head warm, as a pillow, or drape it over your face to protect you from the airplane air and help you reduce your chances of getting sick. I also generally don’t drink on the plane, especially for long flights!

Be Prepared

Make sure you are prepared for anything.  I like to bring liquid IV powder, small snacks like protein bars, and some kind of energy boost supplement I just need to add water to.  I always bring 2 power banks so I can charge my phone in a pinch as well. You never know when you might get stuck in an airport, or even worse on a parked plane.  You never know when you might need a snack, portable charge, or energy boost.

Acclimate to Your Destination

If you’re changing time zones, try to acclimate to that time zone you’re headed to the day before you leave.  I usually like to arrive early in the morning wherever I go, so I make sure I stay up and exhaust myself the night before.  This way I can sleep on the plane and wake up like it was morning, since it will be morning wherever I am landing. This helps when traveling back home as well! Booking your flights based on when they land rather than when they take off will help acclimate better.

I hope these travel tips will help you on your next big trip!  Speaking of trips, where are you headed? I’m looking for inspiration and new places to travel to next year!

For tips on how to get over the travel hangover we all know as jet lag, check out my blog, How to Recover from Jet Lag here!

Kristin Francy Insurance and Financial Services Agent