8 Smart Travel Tips That Flight Attendants Wish Passengers Knew

Flight attendants get to learn the ins and outs of air travel very quickly. We often wish that our passengers had the same knowledge base to go off of. What we assume is common sense often isn’t! With that being said, here is a list of things flight attendants wish their passengers knew when traveling.

Tip #1: Be smart when booking your flights

Before you even step foot into the airport, you have tons of decisions to make about your flight. Here are some questions I would ask myself before booking:

• Can I get there with one flight? Sometimes it will be more expensive, but having one nonstop flight instead of two (or three) flights with long connection times makes for a less stressful travel experience.

• How long is my connection time? If you do have to book flights with a stopover, make sure your connection time is at least one hour (an hour and a half would be even better). Also, double-check that you’re arriving and leaving out of the same airport on your connection — I’ve seen people make this mistake before when a city has multiple airports!

• Can I book the earliest flight of the day? This is a useful tip if you’re flying during holidays or other busy times. Taking the first flight of the day will give you more rebooking options if your original flight cancels, delays, or overbooks.

• Do I have to check a bag? If you don’t absolutely have to, I wouldn’t. Checking a bag is more expensive and they do get lost more than anyone would like to admit.

Tip #2: You have most of the information already at your fingertips

I highly recommend downloading your airline’s app before getting to the airport. It should have all of the basic information you need, including your boarding pass, gate number, seat number, and in-flight entertainment options. Some airlines (like United) have even more features, like being able to track your checked bag, check on delays, and rebook without having to talk to an agent.

You should also be able to see your airplane’s amenities, including:

• Whether it has outlets
• What kind of food or snacks are going to be served
• Whether there is live TV / entertainment / wifi
• A seat map to see if anyone is sitting next to you, etc.

Apps really are treasure troves of information!

Tip #3: Come prepared — we don’t have everything you need

No, we don’t carry baby formula, or tampons, or eye masks (unless you’re flying business). While sometimes we do have blankets and headphones, we often don’t get restocked correctly so they won’t be there every time you fly. Make sure you’re taking care of your own needs — bring a sweater and some extra snacks. As much as we would like to, we aren’t able to magically conjure up the things you need at 35,000 feet. For your own comfort, flight attendants wish passengers would come prepared.

⇉ A Flight Attendant’s Guide to Long-Haul Flight Essentials

Tip #4: Delays happen — here’s how to handle it!

Delays are unfortunately a fact of life. When you think of all of the moving parts that go into getting a plane off the ground, it’s amazing that delays don’t happen more often! Here are some helpful tips to deal with them:

• Bad weather is a common cause of delays. This doesn’t always mean that the weather is bad where you’re going! The weather could be great at point A and point B, but if your plane is coming from point C where there is a hurricane, you’re out of luck. Plane routing is a snowball effect.

• Keep track of where your plane is by checking your airline’s app. Remember, the plane has to land, deplane, get cleaned, and get re-crewed before you’re able to board. Find a comfy spot, grab some snacks, and charge your phone while you wait.

• If you have an unmissable, extremely important event (think: weddings, cruise departures, etc.) I would suggest flying in a day or two early. It’s always better to be there beforehand than to get delayed and miss out!

Tip #5: No, the plane isn’t falling out of the sky

Turbulence is common. It’s even more common during certain seasons or flying from certain destinations (Denver comes to mind). It may be a bit frightening, but know that the plane is perfectly capable of handling any in-flight bumps.

Tip #6: It’s easier to get drunk on the plane

Okay, you might not actually be getting any drunker on the plane vs. the ground. But you will probably feel like you are! There have been so many times I’ve seen someone, enticed by the endless free alcohol in business class, make a fool of themself. Stick to a couple of drinks max, especially if you’re going to be taking any kind of sleeping pills. The only thing worse than being sloppy drunk on an airplane is being hungover on an airplane (trust me).

Tip #7: Don’t walk into the lavatory barefoot

Please don’t do it. That’s not water on the floor.

Tip #8: Be nice!

I (and most other flight attendants) will go to the ends of the earth for a nice passenger. If you have any special requests or know you’ll be particularly needy on a certain flight, it never hurts to be extra kind to the person assisting you. Flight attendants are people too, and we respond well to a simple “please” or “thank you.”

Thanks for reading this post on things flight attendants wish passengers knew! With these tips and tricks, you’ll be better equipped to deal with all the stresses that come with air travel. Feel free to check out my flight attendant tag for more posts about life in the friendly skies. Happy travels!

xoxo Niki

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