My Ultimate Travel Hacks That Make Flying Feel Effortless

One of the most important things I learned in the first 10 years of my career that made me feel like a badass was how to travel. Before I learned these skills, I was a terrible traveler. TERRIBLE. I was anxious, I was always the last one in or out of the plane and boy, oh boy did I look like a hot mess. I am pretty sure people drew straws when it came to who had to travel with me.

Perhaps this skill comes naturally to some but for me, it was like pulling teeth. I did not come from a family that traveled more than two hours from home for our yearly camping trips so when my boss told me I was going to Chicago for the first time I was ecstatic and also terrified.... mostly terrified. The last time I had been on a plane I was eight and I was going to Disney World. I was 25 which meant it had been 17 years since I had been on a plane and I was not going to be traveling with my parents. I would be lying if I told you that I did not cry when the plane took off.

I was traveling alone and had NO idea what I was doing. LITERALLY, NO CLUE WHAT I WAS DOING. I was, however, pretty sure that I needed to leave my Mickey Mouse fanny pack at home but how would I be sure? Over the past few years, I have racked up a few more trips across the U.S. to places like Chicago, New York, California, Saint Louis, Las Vegas, Orland and so much more. Throughout my travels, I have learned a thing or two that I would love to share with you.

If you do not travel on flights often the only piece of advice, I can give you is to keep your car clean. If there ever is an impromptu dinner and you get asked to drive, you do not want to have to make a mad dash to your car to toss all your junk in your trunk and wipe down your dashboards with paper towels from the bathroom. Also, always keep an unopened air freshener in your car – you can open it up and suddenly your car feels so much cleaner. I still struggle with this but I also transport two dogs and a toddler on a regular basis. For a few years I drove an hour and a half every day to and from work so I basically lived in my car and you can tell. I have made it very clear to my boss and coworkers that I cannot make any guarantees that my car will be clean if I get nominated to be the driver and that I am always more than willing to drive their clean cars if they just do not want to be the driver. I have no problem being the taxi but I can guarantee you will have to sit on dog fur and cheerios.

When it comes to traveling, here are some of my favorite tips, tricks and hacks. Including my favorite travel sweatshirt!

The first and most important rule - be nice to everyone you encounter. You never know which flight attendant is on the last leg of a 72-hour shift or on the flip side what flight attendant can get you upgraded to first class. BE NICE OR DO NOT GO.
Be prepared for the worst in all situations. Not just like "oh this stink" worse but "dear god, save me, I am so screwed" kind of worst. Your flight will get canceled, your hotel reservation did not get booked, your luggage with all of your presentations will not show up, etc. What can go wrong will. Leave time to accommodate the bad situations and it will make your life so much less stressful.
Invest in a good carry-on suitcase with the wheels that spin in every direction, not just forward and backward.
Try not to check a bag unless absolutely necessary. You can typically get through a week by taking a few key pieces (hello black dresses) and accessories to change it up.
Put a tag on your bag that you cannot miss. It is so much easier to grab your bag from the carousel if you can see it coming a mile away. Make sure it is tied on really tight so that it does not fall off. Make sure you have your name and information on your suitcase in three to four locations. Get a TSA approved lock for your suitcase and do not lose the key, also do not pack the key in the suitcase.
Pack as much black clothing as you can. No sweat stains, no-spill stains, basically black is foolproof when traveling (but please...avoid powdered sugar donuts and deodorant that stains).
Have a suitcase packed with all the essentials that you just leave packed 24/7 and refill when you get home from your trip - that way you do not forget your Q-tips, razor or toothbrush. It is also helpful to make a packing list with all the items you typically take with that you can use so you do not have to rack your brain on what you are forgetting. I have a packing checklist that I use that my dad actually used to use when he traveled.
Anything you need to get through the day should stay in your carry-on (medications, toothbrush, etc.). I am just going to say it again… always assume your luggage will get lost and you will not be able to access it for 2-3 days.
A lot of hotels will provide you with free items like toothbrushes and razors if you do forget them. It is not silly to ask.
Have a set idea of where you might go for meals or an agenda so that you can look up the places and make sure you have appropriate clothing. Make reservations if you can, I like to use phone apps that allow you to book reservations ahead of time. If you are not familiar with the area, ask around at your office to see who has gone out to eat/entertain in the cities you are visiting. Use Facebook and Yelp to get recommendations. When dining with clients it is always a good idea to have set plans that you know are foolproof plus a few back-ups. Always ask about food preferences ahead of time (vegetarians and people allergies love it when you think to include them in planning).
Do not wait until the last minute to pack.
Check-in for your flight in advance. Download the app. Make sure you have the notification turned on. I am a nervous nelly so I always print a copy of my boarding pass as well. Just in case.
Pro Tip… do not count on the app to update you if you have a flight that is changing. I may have missed a flight once because I was only checking the app and did not know that they do not always put the updates there. The airline was fantastic and got me on another flight but make sure you can see the main board by the gate for all updates.
Sign up for frequent flyer programs and hotel loyalty programs. A free weekend in Hawaii - hell yes! Free cookies at check-in - hell yes! I do not travel that often so I am only at "free bottle of water in your room" status but I will take it!
Wear socks and slip-on shoes. Airports are gross. Athletes foot is gross. Enough said.
Avoid wearing extra jewelry and a belt when you are getting on the plane. It could get lost or you might forget it and that would be the stink. Also, do not wear anything real expensive. It would be tragic to lose your diamond bracelet on your way to a conference.
Keep a spare phone charger on you at all times. I repeat AT ALL TIMES. If you do not need it, I can bet someone near you will and you will be a HERO.
Charge your computer and your phone to 100% power before leaving the house, not before getting on the plane – before leaving the house. If you plan to charge up at the airport, I will bet you any money that all of the charges will be taken.
Parking in a garage? Take a photo of your parking space so you do not get lost when you get home. Take the time to think through how you are getting where you are going. I cannot tell you how many times I have rushed through a parking garage just to forget how I even got to the check-in desk which made finding my car after a week-long trip and late-night meetings a nightmare and also very embarrassing and a little scary as I roamed the dark parking garage at 2 a.m.
If you are in the parking garage and its dark call someone and have them stay on the line with you until you get to your car. Stay aware, stay safe. It does not hurt to keep pepper spray on your keychain.
Bring headphones. When your headphones are in it is a signal to everyone around you that you are off-limits. If you have headphones in and someone bothers you, it is always okay to let them know you are off-limits. There have been so many times where I just wanted to check out and the friendly family in my row wanted to chat. These are the times that my headphones have been a savior - was I listening to anything - nope - were my headphones in - you bet they were. “Oh gosh, I cannot hear you I am listening to a really interesting podcast.”
Keep a couple business cards on you - you never know who you might sit next to on the plane. Networking on a plane could land you an awesome client or job down the road. Sometimes they might just be a local from the city you are going to and know about all the best restaurants and things to do and see. Networking is never a bad thing.
Bring cash and some change. Bring quarters, dollar bills and fives. Tip the taxi driver, the baggage guy, the waiter at the coffee house, etc.
Keep enough cash on you to carry you through a day if your cards got locked. I cannot tell you how many times my credit card company has locked my account because I was in a different state and it was flagged as a security issue. Dearest pilot - can you just wait to take off for a quick sec while I make a call to my credit card company?
Be safe, have scheduled check-ins with someone from home. Turn on your location finder and make sure someone is checking in on you.
Share your flight and hotel information with your team members and family. You do not have to give them the phone number to your hotel room, but your general travel information should be shared.
Always include some extra time in your travel plans. Assume you will get lost or your taxi driver will get lost, etc.
Paper is heavy. If you have a lot of paper that you need to take (conference reports, presentation decks, etc.) you should try to ship them to your hotel ahead of time or arrange to have them printed in the city you are traveling to. I never realized why my suitcase was so heavy until I was talking to another co-worker and she told me she had shipped all her presentations to the hotel. Next level genius. Also, the company either has to pay for your suitcase or for shipping.
Always bring presentations in printed and digital format and assume that the venue that you are presenting has the most antiquated software. Keep a PowerPoint and a PDF in case they do not have, gasp, PowerPoint. Have a connector for a PC and a Mac.
Make sure you can turn your cell phone into a private hot-spot if needed.
Airport wi-fi is not private. It is not secure. Understand the risk of using the airport network before logging on. Some companies will not let you use open networks and you can rent a secure wi-fi unit.
When you are traveling, and your standard workday ends, and you do not have any more client meetings - it is okay to check out the city or grab a quick drink. Just because you are traveling does not mean you are not human - do not forget to take a break. I remember my first business trip I thought I had to work the whole time I was traveling, and by the end of the week, I was so exhausted I was stumbling through my client presentations. If you are not with clients and you have put in your hours, it is okay to take some time for yourself.
If you travel on a weekend it is okay to ask for comp time - what is the worst that happens - they say no?
Keep a bottle of water, energy drink, and protein-packed snacks on you at all times (fruit leather and beef jerky are two of my favorites because they do not crumble in your bag and they are quick). You will save so much money if you do not have to buy the expensive airport snacks.
Understand what you can and cannot get reimbursed for when traveling. I once was on a week-long trip and my flight got delayed due to weather two days in a row. I was unaware that the company would cover dry cleaning so by the time I got on my plane home I smelled ripe.
Find out how often you are going to be traveling and where you are traveling. Some companies will cover the cost of TSA pre-check and a passport if you meet certain travel requirements and let me tell you - it does not suck to skip the line. The company will not cover it - get it anyways - it is SO worth it.
Take care of yourself - eat healthy meals and snacks and drink lots of water. Yes, Cinnabon is tempting but it is probably not the best choice.
I strongly recommend melatonin. I keep it in my suitcase, and it is been great to combat time changes and the nights where I cannot wind down after a busy day of traveling. Take it about an hour before you plan on going to bed, assuming you will not get a late-night call and get pulled into anything after you take it.
Always, and I repeat always, set a wakeup call. I have had so many nightstand lamp outlets that just do not work and been down to the wire on my battery life - thank goodness my phone did not die, and I miss a meeting or flight. You can call the front desk at just about every hotel and they can set a wake-up call for you.
Write down your expenses in real-time. What did you buy, who was it for and what did you spend on the tip? If you can file your expenses in real-time (or each night) - I highly suggest doing that. I cannot tell you how many receipts I have lost for a cup of coffee. It might not be a lot, but it adds up.