Flight attendants spend thousands of hours in the sky each year, so who better to ask for tips when it comes to air travel? Their hospitality and breadth of experience ensure the safety and comfort of passengers during each journey. And with so much time spent in the skies, it should come as no surprise that flight attendants are privy to some insider info that the average flier may not be aware of. To find out the scoop, we reached out to Linzey, a flight attendant at a major airline, and asked for some tips and tricks that promise to make any plane trip a whole lot easier. (The conversation that follows has been lightly edited for clarity.)

What are your go-to flight essentials for staying hydrated and avoiding jet lag?

I bring a 50-ounce water bottle with me every time I fly (for work and personal travel). You just need to fill it up in the terminal before your flight. My skincare routine is also important to me — I am constantly reapplying hand lotion and lip balm during flights. To avoid jet lag, try to adjust to the time zone you’re going to as quickly as possible.

Any other tips for surviving long flights?

Like I said, stay hydrated! I also bring my own little snack bag, so I don’t have to pay airport prices — and I get to eat what I like if I don’t love the onboard options. The other non-negotiables for me are noise-canceling headphones, hand lotion, lip balm, and a sleep mask. I also like to have a few movies or shows, playlists, and books downloaded for entertainment if I’m not trying to sleep during the flight. I’ve even brought easy card games like Uno when traveling with a friend.

What are some airplane etiquette tips that you wish more people followed? Any passenger pet peeves?

Honestly, I wish people would just be considerate of others. As for pet peeves: Please don’t touch or grab me. There are so many other ways to get my attention.

Is there anything that passengers can do to make your job easier?

If you bring a carry-on bag, make sure it fits the size requirements ahead of time. If you can’t lift it above your head and into the bin, you should check it. We aren’t allowed to lift bags and put them overhead for you, which is why I’m stressing this so much. We can help you guide it into the bin, but you still have to be the one to lift it.”

Otherwise, look at the drink and snack options in the seatback pocket before we get to you and know what you want to order. And if we ask you to do something, it is almost always safety related — so please don’t argue with us.

Do people request free upgrades? Are they ever successful?

All of the time. I don’t give out free upgrades. If you want to upgrade, you can talk to the gate agent before boarding starts and learn your options.

What do you think are the best seats in the economy cabin?

I personally prefer a window seat with extra leg room, like an exit row. I think the “best seat” is wherever you are the most comfortable.

Do you have a favorite time of day to fly?

I prefer early morning or late night flying because people typically seem to be more relaxed during those times.

Should I be worried about turbulence? How do flight attendants deal with it?

No! It honestly doesn’t bother me at all. The one kind of turbulence you have to be more concerned with is clear air turbulence because there is no warning for it — which is why you should always have your seatbelt on when you aren’t up for something, even if the seatbelt sign is off.

What are the most popular beverages on planes? Any that people should avoid or that flight attendants don’t like serving? 

Water, sparkling water, ginger ale, and Coke are probably the most popular drinks, but it really depends on the route. Certain drinks are more common in specific regions or time of day. In terms of beverages worth avoiding, anything with a high sodium content or that causes you personally to bloat. 

As for beverages we don’t like serving, definitely Diet Coke and Coke Zero. They take so much time to pour because they fizz up so much so it just slows the rhythm down a bit. 

What do flight attendants usually eat and drink in the air?

It really depends on the flight attendant. For food, I bring bagged salad kits (with grilled chicken, tofu, or smoked salmon), baked potatoes (toppings of choice), carrot sticks, pickles, fruits, cottage cheese, oatmeal, granola bars, protein shakes, and usually whatever leftovers I have. For drinks, I drink through my 50-ounce water bottle a few times, and I bring my own coffee and tea. I also bring electrolyte powders and usually have a Coke Zero at some point. 

I also asked a few of my friends:

Flight Attendant No. 1: I pack fried rice, noodles, stir fry, burritos, yogurt, cereal, and oatmeal. I drink water and my own coffee and hot tea. Sometimes I also drink Coke Zero and seltzer water.

Flight Attendant No. 2: I drink more water when working than when I’m not. For meals, I often bake a pizza before I leave for a trip or eat chicken wings that heat up well in airplane ovens. And I always have oatmeal and ramen packed, as those can be made with boiling water.

Flight Attendant No. 3: Chicken and rice, popcorn, gummy bears, and lots of water and sparkling water.

Flight Attendant No. 4: I meal prep for every trip, so I bring all my food. My last couple trips I brought “egg rolls in a bowl,” which didn’t need to be reheated. The trip before that, I made sweet potatoes stuffed with chickpeas and kale, which did need to be heated. (I use a tin from the plane and reheat in the oven.) For breakfast, I usually do overnight oats, yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, or a bagel with cream cheese or avocado. For snacks, I bring pickles and fruits, nuts, and popcorn.

Is it better to check my luggage or bring a carry-on? 

It depends on the person and on the trip you’re taking. I never check bags, but I know I can lift my bag and put it in the overhead bin, and I know my tote bag fits under the seat in front of me. If I needed to check a bag for a longer trip, I would absolutely do that and just bring a small backpack with my essentials for the plane.

Any tips or tricks that we didn’t cover?

If you have a great flight attendant, please let them know! And fill out the quick survey or feedback to the company and let the company know when someone is doing an awesome job. It really means so much to us when we get positive feedback, and it takes 30 seconds of your time.

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Dealing with airport security is the best part of the travel experience… said no one ever. The reality is, nobody likes taking off their shoes, walking through body scanners, and being told that they need to toss that tiny bottle of toothpaste because it was an ounce over the limit. But one aspect of airport security that puzzles many travelers is why we need to take our laptop out at these checkpoints. Why can most items simply be scanned by the X-ray machine, while laptops and other large electronic devices require an added step that slows down the entire process? As it turns out, there’s a logic behind this decision. Let’s take a look at why you need to take your computer out of your bag at airport security.

Your Laptop is Blocking Your Luggage

No, it’s not just the TSA adding an extra screening step to keep travelers on their toes. It’s imperative to remove your laptop at airport security for one simple reason: The battery and other mechanical components are too dense for many X-ray machines to penetrate. This is especially true when it comes to the older model scanners that many airports still rely on. The components of a laptop essentially create a solid barrier, which can be used to obscure other items packed into the same bag. This could mean knives, smaller firearms, or any other potentially dangerous items packed by people looking to cause damage or harm.

By requiring passengers to remove their laptops, TSA agents can look behind this “wall” to see if there are any prohibited items hidden in the laptop bag. If you’re pulled for secondary screening, some TSA agents might actually make you turn on the computer to show it’s working — if a laptop doesn’t boot up, that might arouse suspicion. These rules primarily apply to standard laptop computers, whereas tablets such as iPads are thin enough for the scanner to see through.

The Benefits of a TSA-Approved Laptop Bag

To avoid the hassle of removing your laptop, it may be worth investing in a laptop bag designed with TSA-approved specifications in mind. These include a designated laptop section that can completely unfold to lie flat on the conveyor belt, no additional pockets within that laptop-only section, and no dangling metal fasteners that could potentially obscure the X-ray scanner from seeing all that it needs to see.

Word of caution: Even if you purchase a bag that you believe to meet these requirements, TSA agents can still ask you to remove your laptop for any reason. But if you want the best shot at getting through security without the extra hassle, check out the approved laptop bags at retailers such as Amazon.

The Future of Airport Scanners

While there are still many hoops that travelers need to jump through at TSA checkpoints, some good news may be on the horizon. Many airports are still using previous-generation X-ray scanners that are less sophisticated than what’s currently available on the market. But in 2022, the federal government awarded a $780 million contract to install nearly 1,000 next-gen scanners at TSA checkpoints. In 2023, $1.3 billion was allocated for additional X-ray scanners. And it’s not just a U.S. phenomenon — these highly-advanced X-ray devices have been installed at major airports in cities like Rome, London, and Amsterdam, with many more on the way. 

While old scanners produce a simple overhead image, these next-gen machines create 3-D images of the bag’s interior. This provides TSA agents with a detailed view at every nook and cranny in the bag, thus allowing them to determine if there are any potentially dangerous items tucked underneath any dense obstructions like a laptop. Not only do these machines mean you can keep your laptop inside the bag, but you can also leave liquids inside the bag rather than undergo a separate screening. All told, these newer machines should theoretically reduce wait times in the security queue.

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If you fly a lot, chances are that you’re no stranger to turbulence. It’s not rare for the fasten-seatbelt light to be switched on midway through a flight, nor is it uncommon for passengers to experience short periods of bumpiness. Even though it can be unpleasant, turbulence is usually mild and rarely anything to worry about. But if you travel often and have been noticing more frequent bumps in the sky, you’re not alone: According to recent reports, flight turbulence is on the rise. Let’s explain why.

What Happens When a Plane Encounters Turbulence?

The degree of in-flight turbulence can differ significantly from flight to flight. You might experience a brief interruption to the meal service or the inconvenience of not being able to use the restroom for a few minutes. In more extreme cases, the overhead bins can open and shed their contents and injuries can occur, particularly to those who aren’t wearing their seatbelts. That said, unless you’re a nervous flier, it’s not usually something that would trouble you for long. 

It’s not just passengers and flight crews that are affected — severe turbulence also causes a headache for aircraft maintenance teams. If a plane bounces around frequently, it’s subjected to greater stresses than when a flight is smooth, causing more wear and tear to the airframe. The need to carry out time-consuming checks and repairs places an additional financial burden on airlines. It’s estimated that turbulence costs the U.S. aviation industry somewhere between $150 and $500 million every year. 

One Type of Turbulence Is Becoming More Common

Serious or sustained turbulence is never a good thing, so to learn that its incidence is increasing is unwelcome news. According to a 2023 study carried out by the University of Reading in the U.K., one particular kind of turbulence known as clear air turbulence is becoming far more likely to impact flights than in previous years.

Clear air turbulence is caused when different air masses collide, each with varying wind speeds and directions. In the findings, published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal, datasets taken between 1979 and 2020 demonstrated large increases in clear air turbulence of all magnitudes. Particularly worrisome is that incidences of severe turbulence grew by 55%.

Other Forms of Turbulence

Turbulence is often associated with mountainous regions. As warm air rises to pass over the obstacle, in this case a mountain, it creates unstable air on the windward side. The air cools and condenses, forming clouds and causing turbulence. Frontal turbulence, which is associated with clouds and thunderstorms, occurs in much the same way, minus the hilly terrain. Thanks to the tell-tale presence of those clouds, these types of turbulence are relatively easy to predict, giving pilots time to plan evasive action. 

Likewise, wind shear turbulence is something flight crews know to watch out for. This happens when the wind direction and speed change suddenly. Near the jet stream, it’s quite common to encounter this type of turbulence, which is carefully monitored by meteorologists and included in weather reports.

What’s Different About Clear Air Turbulence?

In contrast, clear air turbulence most often happens in cloudless skies. Though it is far more common in winter than summer, this type of turbulence is far trickier for pilots to anticipate, as it isn’t something that can clearly be identified on the plane’s radar. Researchers also found evidence of greater incidences of clear air turbulence at altitudes over 15,000 feet — precisely the kind of altitude commercial aircraft typically favor when cruising. 

As a consequence, the data showed that planes following flight paths over the U.S. and the North Atlantic Ocean were especially likely to encounter clear air turbulence. While it’s usually possible to escape such turbulence by altering the plane’s altitude by a few thousand feet, it’s still preferable not to encounter it at all.

What’s Driving This Change?

The authors of the report believe there’s a link between increased turbulence and climate change. One of them, Professor Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading, wrote: “Following a decade of research showing that climate change will increase clear air turbulence in the future, we now have evidence suggesting that the increase has already begun. We should be investing in improved turbulence forecasting and detection systems, to prevent the rougher air from translating into bumpier flights in the coming decades.” 

Another study at the University of Reading focused on future trends. Isabel Smith, a meteorologist and PhD student, found a correlation between global temperature increases and the incidence of clear air turbulence. According to her projections, by 2050, summers could become more turbulent — matching levels that, in 1950, were seen only in winter and fall.

Even as the world grapples with the need to reduce emissions and invests heavily in green energy and technology, we’re likely to see a continued growth in clear air turbulence. In the meantime, the best advice is to buckle up and always follow flight crew instructions to ensure you remain safe in the skies.  

Airfare usually takes up a big chunk of a vacation budget, but did you know some airlines offer an unlimited flight pass? This can be an especially intriguing option for those planning quite a bit of travel — while there are plenty of ways to find cheap flights, the cost of multiple trips in a year can quickly add up. But are these all-you-can-fly passes worth the upfront cost? Find out more about the best flight passes and how much they cost.

Frontier Airlines

In 2023, Frontier Airlines launched its GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly Pass. Those who purchase the pass can enjoy unlimited flights to any domestic or international destination the airline flies to. Before purchasing, be sure to check the airline’s extensive list of fees — but if you’re flexible and travel light, the potential savings with Frontier’s GoWild! Pass can be substantial.

Pros

• For each flight you take, you’ll pay a fare of just $0.01 plus taxes and fees.
• The GoWild! Pass features several options and price points. Monthly passes are available starting at $149, passes valid for only summer travel cost $499, and annual passes will set you back $599. (Prices accurate at time of publish in mid-2025.)
• The airline also frequently runs limited-time specials with lower pricing for new members.

Cons

• Pass bookings can only be confirmed last-minute — one day before domestic departures and up to 10 days before international flights — which limits the appeal to travelers who can be spontaneous.
• There are other restrictions: Some blackout dates apply, availability on some routes may be limited, and extra fees may apply for bookings outside the one- or 10-day window.
• Because it’s a budget airline, Frontier charges extra for both carry-on and checked bags, as well as things like seat assignments or even printing your boarding pass at the airport.

Alaska Airlines

Based in Seattle, Alaska Airlines has an extensive route network on the West Coast. If you fly around Arizona, California, Nevada, or Utah frequently, then the airline’s Flight Pass may be worth the investment.

Pros

• Unlike Frontier’s subscription, Alaska’s pass doesn’t offer truly unlimited flights. There are options for six, 12, or 24 flights in a year — but that should still appeal to the majority of travelers.
• Alaska offers free seat assignments, and there are no change fees or blackout dates.
• The pricing is attractive: Passes start at $49 for six Alaska flights in a year (one roundtrip every two months), $99 for 12 flights (one roundtrip flight per month), and $189 for 24 trips (two flights a month).

Cons

• The pass is valid only for flights between 15 destinations in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, so you’ll want to check those carefully and see if it makes sense for you. 
• You’ll receive a set number of credits that must be redeemed for flights before the end of the month (though travel can take place up to 90 days after you book a trip).

Southwest Airlines (Companion Pass) 

Southwest’s Companion Pass works a bit differently than the other passes on this list since it’s essentially a two-for-one pass — but it can unlock incredible value for two people traveling together.

Pros

• If you fly Southwest frequently, there’s no question the pass is worth it. Once you qualify, the Companion Pass is valid for the rest of the calendar year and the year after that.
• Once you choose your companion, they can fly with you to any of Southwest’s 120-plus destinations for just the cost of taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 one way).
• There are no blackout dates, and you can even change your companion up to three times in a calendar year.

Cons

• It’s a bit harder to obtain Southwest’s unlimited flight pass — typically, you’ll have to fly 100 qualifying flights on Southwest in a calendar year or earn 135,000 points (which include both flights and credit card purchases).
• However, one of the easiest ways to qualify is by keeping an eye out for the airline’s credit card promotions. Southwest frequently offers a bonus that includes a Companion Pass to those who sign up for one of its credit cards and meet the spending requirements and pay the annual fee. 

Wizz Air

If you’re planning frequent travel in Europe, the All You Can Fly Pass from low-cost airline Wizz Air may be an appealing option. The pass costs 600 euros per year (about $675 USD) and each segment you fly will cost an additional 10 euros, paid separately.

Pros

• The pass includes unlimited flights (up to three per day) for a year, which will allow you to easily jet between Europe’s most popular cities.
• It’s good for anywhere Wizz Air flies (except Italian domestic flights). The Budapest-based airline flies over 950 routes to nearly 200 destinations, primarily in Europe but also in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Cons

• Similar to Frontier’s pass, travel can only be booked last-minute — no earlier than 72 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart. So, using the pass will require a bit of flexibility and spontaneity.
• Wizz is a budget carrier, so the pass only includes your base fare. Additional services, like seat selection, carry-on and checked baggage, and in-flight food and beverages, will cost extra.
• Not all flights will have availability to book with the All You Can Fly Pass, and flights must be booked as one-way segments.
• The pass renews automatically every 12 months, so be sure to cancel if you no longer need it.

Air Canada and Porter Airlines

Fly to Canada frequently? While these Canadian carriers don’t offer all-you-can-fly passes, they do offer packages of prepaid flight credits that can be used within specific travel zones of your choosing.

Porter Airlines — which recently launched flights from Montreal and Toronto to U.S. destinations including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Orlando — offers what it calls the Porter Pass. Travelers can choose between 10, 20, 50, and 100 flight credits (valid for 365 days from date of purchase). Most packages are transferable, so you can also share them with others. You must sign up for the carrier’s frequent flier program to be eligible, and purchases will be made in Canadian dollars.

Air Canada’s Flight Pass works similarly — you must first choose a zone of travel (such as Canada to the U.S.) and a set number of flight credits. The program also offers an option for unlimited travel for a year. However, you must technically be a Canadian resident and a member of the airline’s frequent flier program to purchase.