Why do long-haul flights leave us looking forward to a nap immediately upon disembarking? This uncomfortable feeling comes from the downsides of traveling, from missed sleep while switching time zones to enduring cramped seating and dry cabin air. While the drawbacks of flying are worth the reward, it’s important to take care of yourself after a flight. With the help of health experts, we’ve gathered five of the most important postflight self-care rituals. 

Rejuvenate Your Skin

We all want to look and feel our best during vacation, but airplanes can leave our skin dull and dry. This isn’t just a perception — it’s backed by science. As board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick explained to L’Oréal, the low humidity in planes is very drying, “which is why skin tends to look worse after travel.” Dr. Garshick recommends using a face mist immediately after your flight. Not only does the cool mist feel refreshing, but ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin can also counteract water loss. 

Dr. Garshick further recommends wearing a postflight face mask. If you don’t want to walk around the airport in one, apply it as soon as you get to your hotel. Sheet masks are most convenient for travel because they’re small and not messy to pack. Pro tip: Always give new skin care products a trial run before a vacation to avoid unwanted reactions. 

Finally, if you’ve just debarked from a sleepless red-eye flight, your under-eye area might seem a little puffier than usual. Dr. Garshick recommends using an under-eye serum that contains caffeine, which can soothe and smooth the area. Other methods to calm facial inflammation include using a cool compress, metal face roller, or gua sha tool.

Skip the Fast Food

“Sleep deprivation actually messes with feelings of hunger,” says cardiovascular surgeon Dr. David Greuner, who warns travelers to be mindful of the foods they eat after deplaning. Jet lag can make you feel hungrier than usual, but that doesn’t mean you should head for the nearest fast-food joint after collecting your luggage.

Choosing the right foods after landing can significantly impact postflight energy levels. Fruits and vegetables, which are packed with antioxidants and high water content, can help you rehydrate and feel refreshed. Light, protein-rich foods such as mixed nuts or yogurt can provide a quick energy boost. On the other hand, sugary, processed foods including sodas, fast food, candies, and sweets may fill you up initially but can leave you feeling sluggish, exacerbating the jet lag.

Banish the Booze

With the increased risk of dehydration and inconvenient bathroom breaks, overdoing it on boozy beverages during a flight can hinder our travel experience. However, some experts also recommend avoiding alcohol after your flight — at least during the first night. “Alcohol will also interrupt your sleep and could make jet lag worse,” registered dietitian Stacie Haaga explains. “Avoid anything you know causes you gastric distress or makes you feel bad,” she adds. Instead, enjoy a mocktail when you land and save alcoholic drinks for the next day — after your body has had time to rest and recoup some of its lost water content.

Go on a Nature Walk

After being cooped up in a mega-sized metal tube for five, eight, or even 18 hours — if you’re flying on the world’s longest commercial flight route from New York City to Singapore — you’ll likely need some stretching and fresh air. While this isn’t always possible, try to find a nice park, beach, or green space after check-in. Not only can the fresh air wake you up and help fight off jet lag, but walking outside also has many proven health benefits. Being outdoors can help calm you down by lowering your heart rate and blood pressure if you’re an anxious flyer. Walking also releases endorphins that can significantly improve your mood. 

Even if you enjoy flying, you probably feel stiff from the crowded seating on most flights. The primary muscles used in walking include the quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles, and hip adductors (along with the support of the gluteal and abdominal muscles). These are also the muscle groups that can get most cramped in the seating position on an airplane, so working them out right after the flight is a great way to feel better faster. If walking outside isn’t possible, head for your hotel gym.

Catch Some Z’s

Getting enough sleep is crucial to keeping your body running at optimal levels, and this is especially important during vacation, when we want to feel our best. Sleep might be tricky if you’re dealing with time zone changes, but strive to get the doctor-recommended seven hours per night. If you have trouble falling asleep during vacation, try to mimic your at-home nightly routine. Take a bath or a hot shower, meditate, read a book, or listen to relaxing music. Whatever prepares you for bed at home can help you unwind and fall asleep faster while away. 

If sticking to your routine still doesn’t do the trick, the doctors at Johns Hopkins University recommend a low dose of nonprescription melatonin. Your body naturally produces melatonin around two hours before bedtime to prepare your body to rest, but sometimes (especially if your circadian rhythm is thrown off), your body needs a little boost to get things rolling. Taking melatonin before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster and leave you feeling more refreshed to start enjoying your vacation.

Note: All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Daily Passport may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.

Checking a bag on your next flight? Despite their unpopularity, baggage fees likely aren’t going anywhere soon. These dreaded fees have become a major revenue driver for U.S. airlines, to the tune of nearly $5.5 billion in 2025, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. And in recent weeks, we’ve seen increases in bag fees across the board, with airlines saying the hikes are necessary to counter soaring fuel costs. Find out how much you can now expect to pay for checked bags — or better yet, how to avoid checked bag fees altogether.

Fuel Prices Are Making Bag Fees Worse

With major disruptions to the global oil supply, the war in Iran has caused fuel prices to spike around the world. Airlines have been particularly hard-hit, as jet fuel prices have doubled since the war began at the end of February 2026. While airlines have already hiked fares and cut flights, they’ve also looked to bag fees as a way to cover their rising costs.

In late March, New York City-based JetBlue was the first to raise checked baggage fees, by $4 and $9 for a traveler’s first and second checked bag, respectively. Back in 2024, the carrier was also the first to introduce peak and off-peak pricing for checked bags. Passengers flying in off-peak periods can expect to pay $10 less per bag than those flying during high-demand times such as summer, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. (You can find the full list of peak dates on JetBlue’s website.)

A week after JetBlue increased fees, United Airlines followed suit and increased bag fees by $10 for the first and second pieces of checked luggage — and a whopping $50 per bag beyond that. The increase applies to tickets purchased on or after April 3, 2026.

Alaska, American, Delta, and Southwest have also raised their bag fees. (As on United, these increased fees apply only to new bookings.) Interestingly, American Airlines announced that, for tickets booked on or after May 18, 2026, passengers who book a basic-economy fare (as opposed to Main Cabin) will have to pay $5 extra for baggage on top of the newly increased fee — a first for U.S. airlines.

Not counting Southwest, which only began charging customers for checked bags last year, this is the first time since 2024 that the major U.S. airlines have raised their baggage fees. Back then, Delta also blamed the increase on rising costs. Southwest, for its part, was long known for its generous “bags fly free” policy, which allowed most passengers two checked bags free of charge, but the airline abandoned that long-standing practice in March 2025, saying it was leaving money on the table. It was the last major airline not to charge for checked bags, which the airline ultimately didn’t view as enough of a competitive advantage as it looked to reduce costs and boost profitability.

What Checked Bags Cost on U.S. Airlines in 2026

As of April 2026, travelers on most U.S. domestic flights can expect to pay $45 to $50 for their first checked bag and $55 to $60 for their second piece of luggage. That’s up to 28% higher than at the start of the year.

Pro tip: Try not to wait until you check bags at the airport to pay the fee. If you plan ahead and prepay online before check-in, several airlines offer a discount on baggage fees.

Below is a list of checked bag fees for domestic flights on the largest U.S. airlines. Fees can vary considerably for long-haul international flights, so be sure to check your airline’s website when traveling outside the U.S.

• Alaska Airlines: $45 for first bag; $55 for second bag
• American Airlines: $50 for first bag ($45 if prepaid online); $60 for second bag ($55 if prepaid online); basic-economy fares pay $5 more (starting May 18)
• Delta Air Lines: $45 for first bag; $55 for second bag
• JetBlue: $49 for first bag (off-peak); $59 for first bag (peak); $69 for second bag (off-peak); $79 for second bag (peak); save $10 by prepaying online 24 hours in advance
• Southwest Airlines: $45 for first bag; $55 for second bag
• United Airlines: $50 for first bag ($45 if prepaid online); $60 for second bag ($55 if prepaid online)

Note that bags — both carry-on and checked — are priced variably (and often cost even more) on ultra-low-cost budget carriers such as Spirit and Frontier. Check your airline’s website during booking, and look for any discounts you get for paying bag fees in advance. 

How To Avoid Checked Bag Fees

The first answer may seem obvious: Try to fit more in your carry-on bag. That task becomes easier with these clever tricks — such as rolling your clothing instead of folding it — that promise to save valuable space and help you avoid checked bag fees altogether. (Plus, you won’t have to worry about the airline losing your luggage while on vacation.) If you do manage to fit enough in your carry-on but don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding overhead space, most airlines will let you check your bag at the gate free of charge.

Another option is to look for fare options that include a checked bag, like premium economy or even first class — the math on the cost of the upgrade might work out better if you were planning to check bags anyway, and these tickets come with other perks like extra legroom and priority boarding.

Lastly, most major airlines offer co-branded credit cards that waive baggage fees for the cardholder and up to nine passengers traveling together on the same reservation. Though these credit cards typically charge an annual fee, the savings on bag fees for even just one or two trips could be substantial. For instance, when Southwest announced checked bag fees, the airline noted that those with a Rapid Rewards credit card, along with up to eight additional passengers traveling on the same reservation, would still be allowed to check one bag for free.

The same goes for those who hold elite status (what Southwest calls “A-List”), which is similar to other airlines that offer anywhere from one to three bags free, depending on your status tier. Even if you don’t have elite status yourself, if you’re flying with someone who does, their benefits extend to those on the same reservation.

Having access to Wi-Fi in the air is increasingly a high priority for travelers. Getting online is now so much a part of our everyday lives that many of us are loath to put that on pause, even for a few hours in the sky. Many passengers are willing to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi, yet the speeds are often excruciatingly slow. So, what’s the problem — why is airplane Wi-Fi so bad? And do certain airlines provide better Wi-Fi than others? Read below to find out.

Growing Demand for In-Flight Wi-Fi

Due to the widespread use of smartphones, airlines have seen the demand for Wi-Fi grow substantially over the past decade or so. Instead of a relatively small number of business travelers checking emails, carriers now have to contend with a much higher number of passengers expecting online access for a much wider range of activities. 

According to in-flight Wi-Fi provider ViaSat’s 2023 Passenger Experience Survey, connectivity during a flight is now less of a “would like” and more a “must have,” with 83% of respondents saying they’d rebook with an airline for better Wi-Fi. They also found that free in-flight WiFi is now second only to the cost of the ticket in influencing booking decisions, beating factors such as legroom and in-flight catering.

Challenges Connecting in the Air

Getting everyone connected is a costly business, partly because of the challenges created by being 35,000 feet up in the air and traveling at speeds over 500 mph. There are two main methods of supplying in-flight Wi-Fi to passengers. The first is the air-to-ground system, and the second relies on the use of satellites.

With air-to-ground systems, antennas underneath the plane receive a signal from ground-based towers and relay it to the onboard server. Gogo, a popular in-flight Wi-Fi provider, uses this type of system and offers complete coverage of the contiguous U.S. An advantage of an air-to-ground system is low latency — that is, how long the signal takes to travel. However, these signals typically have very limited bandwidth — typically around five megabits per second, compared with about 30 megabits per second for mobile broadband. As dozens of passengers try to share the already limited bandwidth, that can have a significant impact on the quality and speed of the connection.

The other method of getting connected is the satellite system. It’s more expensive than an air-to-ground system, but satellites are capable of carrying far more data, resulting in faster speeds for users. Although coverage is greater, the number of satellites can still place limits on bandwidth. Traditionally, latency has been more of an issue as the plane’s antenna must reach a target more than 22,000 miles above the Earth. As the plane is moving at a high speed, the antenna’s position has to be adjusted constantly to maintain contact with the satellite station. However, the rollout of Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency offering is set to improve speeds even further. 

How Does Wi-Fi on U.S. Airlines Compare?

While passengers have dealt with slow speeds in the skies for quite some time, things are looking up, and U.S.-based airlines are investing millions of dollars to improve their offerings. ViaSat has been enabling JetBlue’s FlyFi for more than a decade, and best of all, it’s free for all customers. However, the customer experience isn’t consistent across all routes. Service is best over the contiguous U.S., while the system’s “extended coverage” over the Caribbean, Central America, and the Atlantic is available only on certain plane types. 

Delta, meanwhile, has reportedly invested $1 billion launching Delta Sync, an initiative to bring fast, free Wi-Fi to all passengers thanks to the airline’s partnership with T-Mobile. The rollout is well underway, and Delta hopes to achieve 90% connectivity (based on total available seat miles) by the end of 2024. Southwest Airlines has also recently upgraded its entire fleet with the latest-generation hardware, promising speeds up to 10 times faster than before, for a flat fee of $8 per flight. Alaska Airlines offers satellite Wi-Fi fast enough to stream entertainment on most flights for $8. 

United Airlines offers some flights with upgraded speeds (starting at $8), but still has a mix of providers depending on aircraft, and that includes slower air-to-ground systems. Similarly, American also has upgraded high-speed satellite Wi-Fi on most routes (starting at $10), but some planes still feature the older system as of mid-2024.

In February 2024, Hawaiian Airlines announced that it had become the first major carrier to adopt Starlink’s high-speed broadband system. The system will be deployed across the Airbus A321neo aircraft in the fleet and is being offered as a complimentary service to all passengers. Overall, as airlines try to keep pace with demand and expectations, the future of in-flight WiFi looks a lot more promising.

Visiting another country often requires lots of preparation leading up to the trip, from applying for a travel visa to learning the basics of an unfamiliar language. One of the most common tasks is exchanging your money for foreign currency. When abroad, it’s helpful to have local currency on hand for making purchases, especially as many restaurants and shops abroad still don’t accept credit cards, and in case of emergency. However, exchanging currency comes with potential risks — even experienced travelers often fall victim to predatory practices. So, before you head to the airport to embark on your next journey, here are six common mistakes people make when exchanging foreign currency and how to avoid them.

Exchanging Money at the Wrong Place

High-traffic areas with many tourists are among the worst places to exchange currency. This includes airports, train stations, hotels, and exchange kiosks located near public squares and other popular areas. Many of these locations take advantage of tourists who wait until the last minute to exchange their money, and they charge fees as high as 20% for each transaction. Many tourists assume those fees are standard and don’t even realize they’re being taken advantage of until it’s too late.

The best place to exchange currency is actually back home with your bank. Some banks, such as Bank of America and Citibank, will even waive fees for exchanging money, while others impose a more modest 1% to 3% transaction fee and offer reasonable exchange rates — far less than many dedicated kiosks overseas. We recommend calling your bank first to check if they have the currency you’re looking for, as not all banks carry every type of foreign currency. 

If you can’t exchange money at your bank or are already abroad, check with your home bank if there are any in-network ATM locations overseas. Again, the fees for doing so will be far less than going to a kiosk at the airport or hotel. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple to find an in-network ATM overseas. You may end up having to settle for withdrawing money from an out-of-network ATM and paying whatever fees they impose, but they are usually still lower than dedicated exchange kiosks.

Failing to Research Exchange Rates

Do a little research about exchange rates beforehand to ensure you don’t get ripped off like less knowledgeable tourists. If you know the current exchange rate, you can walk into a currency exchange center and ask for a more favorable deal. If they refuse, then just take your business elsewhere. Companies like Bloomberg and Reuters provide helpful resources that are frequently updated and will keep you privy to the latest rates.

Exchanging Too Much Currency

It can be tempting to load up on foreign currency so that you don’t have to worry about running out and needing to withdraw more overseas. The downside, however, is that you may end up with extra cash at the end of your trip that you have no use for. Sure, you can exchange that currency back into U.S. dollars, but then you’ll likely be subject to the same fees that you already paid when you made the initial exchange. Try to develop a realistic budget for your trip abroad and avoid overdrawing too much cash from the get-go.

Not Being Aware of Fees

In addition to the upfront exchange fees that people warn you about, there may be several hidden fees that you won’t know about until it’s too late. These can include service fees, conversion fees, and other sneaky charges. Be sure to clarify what fees you’ll be paying before actually handing over money, and don’t believe anyone who tells you that their fees are the lowest in town — this is likely just a deceptive marketing tactic.

Throwing Out Your Receipts

No traveler wants to return home from a trip only to realize more money was withdrawn from their bank account than expected. Incidents like this are why it’s essential to hold onto any receipts from foreign currency transactions — that way, you have proof if you need to dispute any charges with the bank. Only throw out your receipts once you’ve returned home and confirm that everything appears correct in your bank account.

Using Your Credit Card

If you don’t have cash handy or a debit card to use, then you could use your credit card for a cash advance. However, this is almost always a terrible idea. You may end up paying more in fees than you actually withdraw due to the high-interest rates and exploitative charges associated with cash advances. That said, it’s usually safe to use your credit card to make international purchases — just check with your bank beforehand to confirm what percentage they impose on international credit card transactions. Many banks offer credit cards that waive any foreign transaction fees, which makes them a handy alternative to exchanging currency abroad. 

Packing for a trip is a lot like playing a game of Tetris — just when you think it’s going well, you make one silly mistake and need to start all over again. This can be especially frustrating when it comes to smaller carry-on bags, which many people rely on for shorter trips or to avoid those hefty checked bag fees. But often, travelers fall victim to the same packing mistakes and end up with too much clothing to fit in their carry-on, leaving them to pay extra for an additional suitcase. Looking to avoid that scenario on your next trip? Here are eight clever carry-on packing tricks.

Note: All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Daily Passport may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.

Wear Bulkier Items on the Plane

Even if the weather doesn’t call for it, try to wear your bulkiest items on the plane, thus freeing up valuable space inside your carry-on. If you’re traveling from somewhere warm to a colder climate, wear your down jacket to the airport — it might be uncomfortable at first, but you can always take the jacket off on the plane. This tip also goes for boots, sweaters, or any other item that may take up too much room in your carry-on. Instead, stick to thin fabrics when packing.

Bring Samples of Your Favorite Cosmetics

You’ve probably got a favorite shampoo or preferred brand of foundation, but those big bottles can take up valuable storage space. Instead of carrying around full-size products, shop for travel-size containers or, better yet, head to your local beauty store for free samples of your favorite products. Free samples offered at retailers such as Sephora often come in tiny packages that are perfect for maximizing space (and are also small enough to pass TSA regulations).

Use a Vacuum Sealer

It’s not just your clothes that add bulk to your suitcase — pockets of trapped air between articles of clothing can also add volume. Enter: vacuum-sealed storage bags. Vacuum sealing reduces the volume of each bag by up to 80%, allowing you to pack five times as much in any given carry-on. If you’re in the market for such a product, then this compact electric pump from Wanalit is an affordable and effective option. 

Avoid Denim

You may need to leave that denim jacket or your favorite pair of jorts back home if you want to pack efficiently. As a material, denim is quite bulky and heavier than most other fabrics, which means you’re potentially adding unnecessary weight to a heavy carry-on that you’ll be lugging around the airport. If you want to bring a pair of jeans, try wearing them on the flight to free up storage space.

Roll, Don’t Fold

Rolling up clothing instead of folding it has a number of advantages. First, rolling often means fewer wrinkles, so your clothes are ready to wear the moment you unpack. Second, the tighter the cylinder, the more space you’ll be saving — you can even use rubber bands to keep each roll of clothing tight. If you’re especially pressed for space, roll up a few shirts and tuck them into your shoes. Another handy trick frequent travelers swear by? Packing cubes. These expandable compression packing cubes allow you to squeeze even more into your carry-on. 

Store Chargers in an Eyeglass Case

Have a spare eyeglass case lying around? You can use it to store any loose charging cables for your phone, tablet, or other device. This helps lessen the amount of clutter in your carry-on, and also keeps those chargers organized so that you can easily access them once you reach your destination. Eyeglass cases are also perfect for storing jewelry, medicines, or any other small, loose items.

Pack Hats Upside Down

If you’re traveling to the beach with a big sun hat, be sure to pack the hat in the carry-on upside down. This allows you to store extra items inside the open portion of the hat and maximize the room you have available. Doing this also helps the hat maintain its rigid structure so that it doesn’t get squished by the rest of the items inside your carry-on.

Zip It up First… Then Add More

If you’re still struggling to close your carry-on because it’s packed to the brim, try this method: First, remove a few items and zip up the bag. Once the bag is completely closed, unzip a small opening that’s just a few inches wide and stuff whatever you can into whatever limited space is available. Repeat this process elsewhere around the entire edge of the bag until you’ve utilized all of the available space and can’t fit another item inside.