10 Items To Make Air Travel More Manageable.

I currently live in Toronto, Canada, where spring means giddy celebrations when any of us see a flower bud and people optimistically putting on shorts way before it’s warm enough to wear them.

For me, it also signifies something completely unrelated to the weather—spring conference season! In the space of just six weeks, I’ll be flying out to three separate learning and development events to share sessions and work in the Articulate booth. Connecting with loads of other people in my field absolutely recharges me. But all the air travel involved before and after? Not so much.

These days, the air travel experience leaves a lot to be desired. That makes it all the more important to find ways to make it at least a bit more bearable. Everyone is going to have their own secret flight comforts. Here are a few of mine.

Hydration drink mix packages

Scurrying around airports and hanging out in dry airplanes is a recipe for dehydration. These awesome little single-serving drink mix powders, though, are a great way to avoid feeling jet-lagged and draggy. Just add them to a glass of water and you’re set. There are a number of different options on the market these days, but I’m particularly fond of the HydraLyte Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade flavours since they’re not too sweet.

A small, shelf-stable, and filling snack

When traveling a lot, you’ll inevitably miss a meal you’d been counting on. Maybe a delay meant you couldn’t pick up lunch between your connecting flights. Or the delay left you stuck on the tarmac when you thought you’d be eating. Or you were asleep when they did the meal service on your flight. Or maybe the meal service schedule didn’t align at all with your hunger schedule. Regardless, you’re hungry at a super inconvenient time.

That’s when always having a filling little snack in your bag will help out in a pinch. Protein-heavy ones like energy bars or beef jerky tend to work for me. But really, just pick anything you find filling that won’t get demolished in your bag.

Cozy compression socks

Tend to find that your ankles and feet swell during longer flights? Compression socks may help. But as someone who once accidentally bought incredibly scratchy ones, it pays to be picky and prioritize cozy choices. I’ve had good luck with a pair of plush Comrad socks. They don’t seem to make the exact model anymore, but they’ve still got lots of other good-looking options.

Timeshifter app

Most of us know that if you slowly shift your sleep schedule before your trip, you can avoid some of the worst symptoms of jet lag. But the Timeshifter app takes that idea way further. You feed it your flight times, and then it gives you a multi-day schedule to acclimatize to your new time zone in advance, including when to sleep and wake up, when to have caffeine or skip it, and when to expose yourself to bright light or avoid it. And since it reminds you of all those tasks, it’s much easier to follow the schedule. I’ve found it incredibly helpful.

Compression cubes

YouTube is full of videos that debate whether compression cubes actually save space. But if you’re like me and giving your suitcase a sense of order makes your packing and unpacking experience less stressful, then they're totally worth it. I like the TRIPPED Travel Gear ones because they’re both pretty and sturdy. Admittedly, though, they’re way too expensive in Canada. I got mine in the US.

Second-hand cashmere

Cashmere is cozy, light, takes up minimal space, and looks polished while feeling pyjama-y. Perfect for travel! The only drawback is that it’s super pricy. But I’ve had excellent luck picking up second-hand cashmere for a fraction of the cost at my local vintage stores and online sites like Poshmark. These sources tend to have higher-quality cashmere, too.

A travel bag with a luggage strap

There are lots of points where trying to juggle a personal item bag and a suitcase makes travel awkward. But a bag with a luggage stap is a complete game changer. You just securely slip your travel backpack or tote bag onto your suitcase’s telescoping handle and everything becomes simplier. And thankfully, it’s now a lot easier than it used to be to find bags with luggage straps at affordable prices. Just remember: wider luggage straps are often more stable.

A compressible travel blanket (or scarf that can do double duty)

You may have noticed a common thread in many of my recommendations—staying warm. That’s because I find planes and airports uncomfortably chilly. If you feel the same way, then you likely have at least one of those polar fleece travel blankets kicking around that you bought at the airport in a pinch because you were cold. They’re decently warm but pretty bulky to pack.

I have two alternatives that I find work better. First, Rumpl makes a sleeping bag-like travel blanket that’s super warm but rolls up into a relatively tiny tube. I love mine. Second, a super wide scarf can be both a fashion accessory and a solid plane blanket.

Programs that get you through security and customs faster

This one is definitely a “your mileage may vary depending on your airport” recommendation. If you typically just fly domestically and/or only fly in and out of smaller, calmer airports, feel free to skip ahead.

In my case, I fly out of the busiest airport in Canada. And I fly internationally for most trips. That means getting to the airport at least 3 hours early, waiting in tons of lines, and potentially getting so delayed in them that I end up worrying I’ll miss my flight. And then when I return, I have to groggily wait in a customs line and try to coherently answer questions about my trip.

Neither end is fun, so I applied for a Nexus card a while back, and it has saved me so much time and stress. It—and other similar programs like Global Entry in the US—just makes you go through one big background check and interview. If you’re approved, you get expedited security and customs clearance for as long as you’re in the program. Added plus: you may also get TSA PreCheck benefits too!

The wait lists for these programs are long, not everyone is eligible, interview locations are disappointingly limited, and the benefits may not help you at the main airports you fly out of. But all the fuss can be worth it if you’re in a situation similar to mine. So check your local program out and see if it might make sense for you.

Credit card with A+ airline rewards

This is my most expensive and most “mileage may vary” suggestion. If you can fly the same airline all the time, consider getting one of the affiliated credit cards for that airline. And no, don’t pick up the free one. Consider one of the affiliated cards with pricy annual fees.

Why should you pay for a credit card in this day and age? Because some of the expensive airline-affiliated cards give you excellent travel benefits that outweigh the cost of the card. Think perks like access to airline-specific lounges, flight upgrades, additional frequent flier program points, Nexus fee reimbursement, and one of my favourites—early boarding. I get so anxious about finding space for my carry-on in the overhead bin that this alone has probably been worth the cost for me.

I can’t possibly recommend these expensive credit cards to everyone. But it's likely worth investigating if you’re near an airline’s hub city.

So those are a few of my own comfort secrets when I’m flying. What are yours?

Photo credit - Anugrah Lohiya