16 Air Travel Rules I Live By

Growing up with an overly-nervous mother, I developed a bit of worst-case-scenario-centric thinking.

Specifically when it comes to travel, in particular, air travel. The basic assumption when I get out of the car at the airport is that anyone I run into will have their worst day.

We’ve all been there: someone that feels their flight is going to take off sooner than yours cuts you at Starbucks. If you’re an aisle seat person, getting hit with every bag for the entirety of the boarding process. The gate attendant dealing with the same question for the 57th time that day.

If you had the chance to read my first letter of the year, I mentioned my word of the year: wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi is a concept that motions us to constantly search for beauty in imperfection and accept the more natural cycle of life.

Taken individually, wabi and sabi are two separate concepts:

• Wabi is about recognizing beauty in humble simplicity. It invites us to open our hearts and detach from the vanity of materialism so we can experience spiritual richness instead.

• Sabi is concerned with the passage of time, how all things grow, age, and decay, and how it manifests itself beautifully in objects. It suggests that beauty is hidden beneath the surface of what we actually see, even in what we initially perceive as broken.

Together, these two concepts create an overarching philosophy for approaching life: Accept what is, stay in the present moment, and appreciate the simple, transient stages of life.

Trying to adopt this thinking, I try to find patience and extend some grace to people, especially when traveling in the air. We’re all stuck together on this tube in the sky.

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Bring cash. Use the skycap? Tip. Take a shuttle from the parking lot? Tip. In a cashless world, paper still goes a long way. And if you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll be remembered.

Dress smart. There’s a happy medium between a 1950’s double-breasted suit and sweatpants & hoodie. I always feel better and less stressed when I’m dressed in a nice pair of pants, a button-up, or a blazer. Bonus reason: you never know who you will be seated next to.

Bring hand cream. This stuff is great and usually ships within a day from Amazon. Especially in the COVID days, we’re using so much hand sanitizer on top of the fact that there’s no humidity in the cabin, your hands will feel like sandpaper.

Reciprocal recline. Reclining is ok, but only if the person in front of you has done so first.

Save your back. If you can’t lift the bag over your head when you’re packing it at home, check it. And if you are able, help others when they need a hand. I can’t express enough thanks to those who assisted my wife when she was pregnant and traveled without me on several occasions. Related: don’t overstuff your carry-on. If it doesn’t close easily, size up and check it.

Skip arm day… The middle seat gets both armrests—hard stop.

…but don’t skip a workout. I’ve found that getting in just 30 minutes of movement before I leave for a flight keeps me in a better mood, puts a pep in my step, and I get to my destination without the stress of needing to work out. I opt for resistance training or a quick spin. Do whatever works for you.

It’s a commute. Remember, you’re on the plane to get to another destination. There’s no need to empty your entire carry-on and personal item into the seat pockets. You won’t look at or use 99% of it. Plus, you have to put it away when you land, which holds up everyone else.

Drink… water—lots of it. The complimentary bottle isn’t enough. I recommend bringing your own water bottle and filling it at the airport or buying a large one to bring on the plane. You’ll thank me.

Hair of the dog. There’s nothing wrong with a drink or two, but don’t be that guy that’s howling at the flight attendant to bring you a sixth gin and tonic on a two-hour flight. Keep in mind: Dehydration can compound drunkenness and feelings of altitude. It also makes for a worse hangover.

Pack your own food. Another one I learned from my parents, albeit for different reasons. Airline options aren’t great, if even good. Make the decision easy when the flight attendant comes by and brown bag it.

Let separated couples/families sit together. If a couple gets put in different rows, and you’re a single gent who doesn’t care which seat he’s in, offer to move so they can sit together. It means a lot to people, especially those that aren’t regular travelers or nervous fliers.

Converse…only when welcome. It’s really easy to figure out if your rowmate is looking to engage in conversation. Make sure you read the room.

Chill out. Keep your sounds to yourself and listen to music or movies at a reasonable volume. While I think everyone should listen to Andrea Bocelli’s angelic voice, not everyone wants to. Invest in a decent pair of headphones. Your 20-year-old iPod ones just won’t cut it in the air. These Bose QC35II’s are my favorites.

Get some reading in. Bring a book (a Kindle is great, too) and get in some reading time. We’re usually so consumed by the day’s events that finding time to read for even just ten minutes is quite the challenge. Tip: Try reading during takeoff and landing because you can’t have that laptop out anyway. That should give you a solid 30 minutes of book time.

Just be nice. Treat everyone you come into contact with courtesy and respect. We’re all hungry and tired and want to reach our final destination. There’s no need to treat take out our feelings on people that have to deal with thousands of travelers each day. Remember, it’s the flight attendants, gate agents, customer service representatives, and pilots that have to turn around and deal with another flight after you’ve landed.

I’d love to hear from you. What are your go-to air travel tips? What’s the one thing you do every time you fly? Drop a comment below.