Unlocking the Secrets of Savvy Air Travel
Friends, globetrotters, countrymen, lend me your ears, or rather eyes, for I’m about to let you in on the secret handshake of the travel world: becoming a savvily informed air traveler. You’re on this blog because you want to outsmart those cunning airline algorithms, snag the best seats and be as comfortable as humanly possible in cabin pressurized environments more accustomed to pretzels and clouds than human beings. Wink-wink, let’s begin our insider’s guide to optimized air travel.
The Booking Finesse
First things first, long gone are those days when we needed Gandalf-esque magic to find the best flight deals. Modern-day wizards are travel comparison websites and they help you find the cheapest flights faster than you can say “Open Sesame”. SkyScanner, KAYAK, and Google Flights- these are the Frodos of our quest. Use their ‘Everywhere’ and ‘Cheapest Month’ features to zero in on the most wallet-friendly flights. Insider tip: Clear your browser cookies before every search, because airlines and flight aggregators have a knack for hiking prices on repeated searches.
Timing is Everything
Contrary to the naysayers, there IS a perfect time to book flights. Anytime between 3 months to 30 days prior to your departure, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays being the cheapest. The phrase “The early bird gets the worm” clearly wasn’t coined by an air traveler, or they would have added, “But the too-early bird gets the most expensive worm.”
Join the Mile High Loyalty Club
Much like real life, air travel too rewards loyalty. A frequent flyer program is essentially a game of Monopoly where the more you fly, the more you collect and the more benefits you reap. Priority booking, access to lounges, free baggage allowance, and even upgrades to that coveted First Class cabin can be yours if you pledge allegiance unabashedly to one airline alliance.
Aisle or Window? Positioning Matters
Let’s delve into the great debate of aisle vs window seat. Short flights? Go for the aisle. Not only do you get a bit more legroom, but you also escape the “excuse me” dance with fellow passengers. Long flights? Window seats are your friend, offering a leaning spot for that mandatory flight-induced slumber, plus you get a great view that you can Instagram out to your heart’s delight (once you’ve landed, of course).
Comfort, Thy Name is Preparation
A comfortable flight isn’t just about scoring the right seat, it’s also about coming prepared. A pair of noise-cancelling headphones can drown out the baby, or the adult, throwing a tantrum three rows behind. Water hydrates, hydrates, did I mention hydrates? Your skin and your body will thank you. A set of comfy clothes, because no one on that flight cares about your fashion quotient. And lastly, download a few episodes of your favorite show. There is no friend as loyal as Netflix on a long-haul flight.
Inflight Etiquette – The ‘Fly’ in the Ointment
Here’s where your second-grade lessons on etiquette come into play. Respect your fellow passengers’ space, avoid hogging the toilets, don’t recline your seat during meal times, and keep noise to a minimum. What happens in the plane doesn’t stay in the plane, it goes onto someone’s Twitter rant.
Et voila! You are now a little bit more informed, and a lot more prepared for your next leisure air travel. Be sure to drop by the blog again for more insights into the wondrous world of travel. Safe travels, my fellow airborne wanderers!