#1: Water Bottles

Bringing a water bottle is a must, but always ALWAYS bring them empty. Either you hold up the security line emptying it, or trying to chug it all, both are extremely annoying. And although your hydro flask might be your emotional support water bottle, the lighter the carry-on the better, so think twice before deciding to pack that 32-ounce hunk of metal. If you do decide the hydro flask is a must, make sure you switch the top out from the straw lid to the twist lid. With the difference in pressure up in the air and the plane cabin, the instant you pop open the straw, water will shoot everywhere, and who wants to be the person who got strangers on the plane wet. Although buying a water bottle at the airport might seem helpful, they can be overpriced. The easiest thing to do is bring a smaller bottle reusable or not, and fill it at one of the many bottle filling stations throughout the airport. To take it a step further, you could ask for it to be filled at places like Starbucks because sometimes that fountain water can taste a little funky.

#2: What to Wear

There is no denying the airport is gross, those surfaces have some of the worst germs known to man. So when dressing to go into the warzone of germs it’s best to have all parts of the body covered. Layers are also helpful because you could be traveling from a cold place to a hot one or vice versa so my go-to outfit is jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie over top. Also don’t wear your favorite piece of clothing you never know what could happen to them. As for shoes, closed toed, easy to put on are best such as sneakers or slip on vans. In case of an emergency with the plane you don’t want something where your feet are exposed to injury and when you go through security that isn’t TSA they make you take off your shoes so you don’t want to be scrambling around trying to find a spot to put back on your shoes.

#3: Carry-on Packing

When bringing a carry-on the best choice is a backpack; they are big enough for loads of stuff but small enough to fit under the seat in front of you when on the plane. The carry-on is where all the easy access stuff should be, such as phone chargers and snacks. Bringing small snacks through security is allowed, and it’s better than spending money on the over priced airport snacks. Any books or school work is good for a carry-on in case you want to access it during a long plane ride as well as any electronic devices. I also recommend bringing sleep stuff such as an eye mask or neck pillow, the inflatable ones are convenient because they take up less space in a bag. As for things to not pack, certain liquid amounts are not allowed and should go into checked baggage and just leave any scissors or pocket knives at home.

#4 Checked Bag Packing

Checked bags are for everything that doesn’t fit or can not go in a carry-on. When packing clothes it’s best to roll them rather than then fold to save space and for shoes but put them in separate compartments or use item separator bags to keep them from touching the clothes because the bottom of shoes are disgusting. As for toiletries you can pack full size things unlike in a carry-on but it’s also best to separate them from clothes in an airtight ziploc just in case anything leaks then it wont go onto your other items. Anything you think you might need during the flight should not be packed in this bag as well as anything that goes against TSA regulations such as certain batteries or aerosol cans.