When you check into your hotel room, there are several things you should do right off the bat. You’ll want to make sure the locks work and clean high-touch surfaces, of course, but perhaps more surprisingly, you should also put your suitcase in the bathtub. Yes, the tub. While it may sound like an unusual suggestion, putting your luggage in the bathtub is a far better option than placing it on the bed, as many travelers automatically do. Find out why you should follow this one simple tip to enjoy a stress-free hotel stay on your next trip.

Watch Out for Bed Bugs

There’s one culprit that can quickly derail a hotel stay: bed bugs. While hotel bed bug infestations are relatively rare, it’s still worth taking a few simple precautions. Most importantly, if you throw your suitcase on the bed without checking for bugs, you risk those tiny critters crawling into your luggage. Once they’ve found a home in your suitcase, you may unknowingly bring them back home with you, which can create major complications after your trip.

Bed bugs thrive on fabric and make their homes in the dark crevices of the bed. They may also be lurking in other hotel room fabrics, such as carpets or drapes. The bathtub, on the other hand, is an inhospitable environment for these bugs, as it’s impossible for them to survive on the glossy ceramic surface. By putting your luggage in the tub, you’re guaranteeing that your clothing will be safe from infestation until you’ve had enough time to scan the room for these tiny mites. Once you’re assured that there are no bed bugs in the room, you can theoretically place your luggage on the bed. However, there are other sanitary reasons unrelated to bed bugs as to why doing so is still a bad idea.

Avoid Contaminating the Bed

Think of all the different surfaces that our luggage comes into contact with while traveling — the floor of the airport, the plane’s cargo hold, and the dirty streets of an unfamiliar city, just to name a few. This leads to an accumulation of dirt on the outside of your luggage, which is another reason why you should put your luggage straight into the tub upon arriving at the hotel.

If you put your suitcase right on the bed, you’re introducing those contaminants to the clean sheets where you’ll be sleeping. But if you put the luggage in the tub, you have a chance to wipe off your bag and remove any dirt straight into the tub, where it’s easy to wash that dirt down the drain afterward.

Tub vs. Luggage Rack

Many hotel rooms feature a dedicated luggage rack where you can unpack your suitcase. This begs the question — why not use that instead of the tub? The luggage rack is definitely a better option than the bed, but it’s usually pretty close to where you’ll be sleeping. Also, some luggage racks are partially made of fabric, which means that bed bugs could be living there. Therefore, it’s recommended to use the luggage rack only as an alternative when the tub is in use or your room doesn’t have one. 

What If There’s No Bathtub?

If you don’t have a tub in your room, you can simply leave the suitcase in the dedicated shower area or another spot in the bathroom, which should also be adequately clean. It may be unconventional, but given the potential concerns with germs and bed bugs, it could be worth keeping your luggage there for the duration of your stay. The tile surfaces in the bathroom are typically easier to clean and won’t hide potential critters. Just make sure you leave a note for the housekeeping staff that you intentionally left the suitcase there.

Conventional wisdom suggests that travel agents have gone the way of lamplighters, switchboard operators, and other bygone occupations. These days, with countless websites and apps devoted to making every aspect of booking vacations as easy as possible, it doesn’t even occur to most people to employ this once-ubiquitous service. Still, there are several scenarios where doing so will make your excursion much easier — travel agents are experts with an inside track, after all. Here’s when it might make sense to use a travel agent to book a vacation.

The Perks of Booking With a Travel Adviser

An important thing to consider is that travel agents (or travel advisers, as they’re sometimes called) aren’t free, at least not usually. Some agents receive commissions on the flights and accommodations they book rather than directly charge customers, but more often you’ll be paying them out of pocket. Depending on which travel adviser you go with and the level of service you opt for, doing so could set you back hundreds or even thousands of dollars. However, these costs could be offset by discounts, upgrades, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re in good hands.

For example, companies such as Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, and Ensemble specialize in getting customers perks included with their hotel stay. Think: free breakfast, spa treatments, food and drink credits, and other bonuses that aren’t usually included when booking on your own. Such perks are one of the primary benefits of going with a travel adviser, as well as why many continue to swear by them. You get what you pay for, as they say, and even the most savvy traveler simply won’t have access to all the deals that a professional will.

The Best Scenarios for Using a Travel Agent

Travel agents are also a great option for anyone who takes a more relaxed, vibes-based approach to traveling. If you’re someone who tends to be less concerned with the granular details — exactly which room in the hotel you’ll be staying in, when and where your dinner reservations are — a travel agent or travel adviser will gladly fine-tune your trip, while potentially saving you money by booking things as part of a larger package that you might not have access to on your own. 

Think of a good travel adviser as a kind of all-in-one service that allows you to visit the city of your dreams without stressing over every potential complication. Those who prefer to plan every aspect of their vacation by putting together an hour-by-hour itinerary might not want to cede this level of control to someone else, but for everyone else there’s a certain freedom to going with the flow.

Somewhat counterintuitively, the opposite can equally be true: Travel agents are also ideal for when you need something highly specific but don’t have the precise know-how to make it happen. For example, if you want to go to Botswana for a safari but feel a bit out of your depth, consider checking travel expert Wendy Perrin’s WOW List and finding someone who not only books that kind of trip but also has spent years of their life in the region.

Or, this might be your first time going to Prague, but a seasoned travel agent has likely planned dozens of trips there and knows better than most what to do, what to avoid, and how to arrange it all in the most efficient, cost-effective way. That level of experience and expertise shouldn’t be ignored. As with anything else, the only way to see if this works for you is to give it a try — you might be surprised by how much value a good travel agent can actually add to a trip.

Featured image credit: massimo colombo/ Moment via Getty Images  

With the in-flight meal likely to be bland — that is, if you get one at all — many passengers choose to pack their favorite treats to help keep hunger at bay throughout the flight. But a word of caution: Much like there’s one drink that you should never order on a plane, there are also certain types of food you should think twice before eating at 30,000 feet. Here are foods that you should avoid on airplanes and what you should be eating instead.

Avoid Salty Snacks

Salty snacks — potato chips, pretzels, and even those tiny bags of airplane peanuts — are among the worst foods you can eat on a plane. Why? Airplane cabins are already dehydrating, and the added salt in these highly processed snacks exacerbates dehydration, causing your body to become fatigued at a more rapid pace. This fatigue may lead to headaches, exhaustion, and jet lag at the other end of your trip. Instead of noshing on these sodium-packed foods, try foods without any added salt, such as granola bars, pear slices, or edamame. The Aerospace Medical Association also suggests drinking 8 ounces of water for every hour you’re in the air in order to stay properly hydrated.

Skip Gas-Inducing Foods

Another type of food to avoid eating on planes is any item that can leave you feeling bloated and gassy. This includes carbohydrate-rich and fibrous foods such as broccoli, lentils, and nuts. While gas is never comfortable to deal with, it can be particularly unpleasant aboard a plane. The pressurized cabins and changes in atmospheric pressure cause the air cavities in your digestive system to expand. Often, this results in a more intense bloated feeling than you’d normally experience back on the ground.

Steer Clear of Stinky Foods

It’s also important to remember that planes are communal spaces where rules of etiquette apply. This is why you should refrain from eating particularly odorous foods while flying — it’s the least you can do for your fellow passengers. Tuna sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, and garlicky pastas can be quite tasty, but they also tend to be potent and can stink up the cabin. When in doubt, leave those smelly snacks at home in favor of foods with more neutral odors.

Don’t Skip the Meal

It may be tempting to fast during a flight to ensure you don’t eat the wrong thing — or simply because the onboard options are unappealing or overpriced. But it’s also risky to go prolonged periods on an airplane without eating, as that may lead to lower blood sugar. Low blood sugar may mean worsening jet lag when you finally reach your destination. So, always try to eat something on a plane in order to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

The Best Foods To Eat on a Plane

If you’re taking a long-haul flight, there are some foods that are ideal for keeping you energized and satiated. One of the best plane snacks is a protein bar, which can provide you with enough energy to arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore. If you receive a meal on the flight, consider ordering a lean protein dish like chicken breast, which also provides the body with necessary energy. Fresh fruits such as oranges and bananas are another excellent option, as they act as both natural immune boosters and anti-inflammatories.

Between the long lines and confusing rules, passing through airport security can all too often be a headache for travelers. This is especially true if you’re in a rush to catch a flight, as security lines rarely move at breakneck speed. But fortunately, there are several tricks you can take advantage of to move past airport security more quickly. Find out why one popular strategy — always choosing the left line at airport security — usually gets you past the checkpoint in less time.

Why the Left Line Is Often Shorter

According to sociological theories, people have a subconscious tendency to stick to what feels comfortable rather than what may be the most efficient course of action. The same idea applies to travel — one of the more common mistakes that many flyers make is going straight to the center line because it’s the first one they see. This is often due to factors such as inexperience or herd mentality, as people usually follow others into less-than-ideal situations.

Another theory about why the left line is best has to do with dominant handedness. In Western countries, around 85% to 90% of people are right-handed, and because of this, they tend to look and drift toward the right side. At the airport, this means that people may follow that instinct and end up in the rightmost line at security. Assuming that both of the above theories hold true, there’s a good chance that the left line will be the least crowded and thus most efficient of the bunch.

Adjust if Necessary

While the left security line may move the quickest, keep in mind that’s not always guaranteed to be true. Before hopping in line, take a few moments to analyze the situation and try to gauge how fast each line is moving. Just because one line is the shortest doesn’t always mean it’s the fastest, as that line may have TSA agents that are slower when it comes to checking people’s luggage. Once you have a grasp on how quickly each line is moving, you can hop into the queue and hope for the best.

Come Prepared

No matter which line you chose, it’s important to come prepared to get through security quickly and make it easier on the passengers behind you. First, keep your passport or identification in an easy-to-access location. You should also pack your bags so that it’s easy to remove any electronics or liquids when asked, and wear as few accessories as possible so you don’t potentially hold up the line. Also, as you get toward the front of the line, be sure to listen for any pertinent instructions. If your head is down in your phone, you may miss useful announcements that could help lessen the security logjam.

Look for the Hidden Queue

If the leftmost security line looks just as packed as the others, then you may be out of luck — unless the airport has a “hidden” security line. Some, but not all airports provide auxiliary queues that are in a different location. These are often used if the main security lines become overcrowded. If you’re short on time before your flight, speak to a customer service agent who may be able to direct you to a spillover line, should it exist.

Apply for Trusted Traveler Programs

Programs such as TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and CLEAR are game changers when it comes to passing through airport security. All of these programs require paying an application or membership fee and undergoing a background check. But once you’re approved, you’ll gain access to dedicated security lines that usually move much more quickly than a normal security line, since these travelers don’t have to remove their shoes, liquids, or laptops. CLEAR even offers members the option to reserve a spot in the security line at many airports around the world in order to expedite the process even further.

Hotel rooms are full of amenities that are meant to make your stay more convenient. But for all of the helpful items that you’re likely to find, there’s one hotel room amenity that you should probably never use. While it may seem to be a convenient option, this common appliance is likely one of the dirtiest things you’ll find in any hotel room. Here’s why you should think twice about using the hotel room coffee maker — and how to safely get your caffeine fix on your next getaway.

Coffee Makers Are Full of Germs

Even if the coffee machine in your hotel room looks clean to the naked eye, microscopic germs and bacteria are likely lurking inside. That’s because bacteria thrives in dark, moist environments, making the coffee machine a hospitable environment for it to grow. And it’s unlikely that each coffee machine in a hotel filled with hundreds of rooms is cleaned as thoroughly and often as it should be. 

Research has shown that communal coffee machines can contain dozens of individual strains of potentially harmful bacteria, some of which have been linked to medical conditions such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections. They can also contain mold, yeast, and staph, none of which should be going into your body. Some studies have shown that the average coffee maker may even be dirtier than a toilet seat. Plus, you never know what other hotel guests might have used the machine for previously. 

The Machines Don’t Get Hot Enough

You may think that boiling water would kill off all of the germs and make the coffee safe to drink. That would be true… if the typical hotel coffee maker got hot enough. Unfortunately, single-use coffee machines usually fall short of the temperature necessary (212 degrees Fahrenheit) to make water boil — they cap out at about 20 degrees cooler. While this is high enough to kill most bacteria, it isn’t quite enough to kill all the germs you may find in there, especially some particularly harmful strains. And if you like your morning joe to be piping hot, this lower temperature also means your cup of coffee will get colder quicker.

How To Clean the Coffee Machine

If you do want to use the coffee machine in your room, the good news is that there are ways to clean it to kill off most, if not all of the bacteria. Before using the machine to brew any coffee, run a few cycles with tap water to flush out old coffee grounds and some of the bacteria that may have formed. You can also purchase individual coffee cleaning tablets and pack them with you. If you don’t have those on hand, it might be worth heading over to a local convenience store to buy some distilled white vinegar. Run the vinegar through the machine two or three times, and the machine should be clean enough to safely brew coffee. For more tips on how to clean the coffee maker and other dirty areas in your hotel room, check out this helpful article.

What To Drink Instead

Can’t go without your morning cup of joe? The simplest work-around is to venture out into the lobby and pour yourself some coffee from the communal urn (if your hotel has one), order room service, or head to the nearest coffee shop. Hotels clean the urns used for room service and complimentary lobby coffee far more regularly and thoroughly than the ones in each individual room. That being said, the one thing to be mindful of is how dirty the handle gets. The more people who touch the urn, the more likely those germs will spread onto your hands. 

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.

On an average day, more than 100,000 flights take to the skies around the globe. That fact is even more remarkable when you consider the complex nature of air travel — it takes careful coordination among pilots, flight attendants, gate agents, aircraft cleaners, baggage handlers, flight dispatchers, air traffic controllers, and many other people to get each flight off the ground. Perhaps that’s one reason why many people find airplanes so fascinating. If you count yourself among them, you’ll be interested to know that modern airlines contain many subtle features that often go unnoticed and are designed to keep passengers and crew comfortable and safe during a flight. Have you ever spotted these eight hidden features of airplane cabins?

Secret Crew Bunks

Commercial airliners these days can fly farther than ever before — currently, the world’s longest flight is in the sky for more than 19 hours between New York and Singapore. Just like passengers who are likely to doze off during the flight, pilots and flight attendants also need to rest during long-haul journeys. But where exactly do they take breaks? On many planes, what looks like a lavatory door toward the back galley actually conceals an entrance to a staircase up to a hidden crew rest bunk.

As Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific explains, flight crews are required to rest for a minimum of three hours when the duration of the flight is 14 hours or longer (and longer for ultra-long-haul flights). These crew bunks are typically tight quarters, with a low ceiling and a narrow aisle separating up to 10 bunks arranged closely together. Crews take turns sleeping during the flight, and noise is strictly off-limits — they’ll usually have to set a phone alarm on vibrate mode when it’s time to return to cabin service. 

Aisle Armrest Levers

It isn’t just the crew bunk that’s a tight squeeze — the typical economy class seat measures just 17 to 18 inches wide. If you’re traveling in the window seat, you can create a little extra room for yourself by leaning against the window, and if you’re in the middle seat you can raise the armrest between seats (assuming you’re traveling with someone you know). Most passengers in the aisle seat, however, think those armrests along the aisle are fixed in place, but that’s not actually the case. 

Located under the armrest closest to the aisle is a small, secret button that allows you to lift the armrest up to the back of your seat. This feature is particularly useful for getting in and out of your seat, but it was actually designed with safety in mind — it allows passengers to reach the exits more quickly in the event of an emergency.

Triangles Above Certain Windows 

If you’re particularly detail-oriented, you might have noticed that there are tiny triangle stickers on the cabin wall above certain windows. According to Captain Joe, an airline pilot with his own YouTube channel, these stickers indicate which windows provide the best view of the wings. If the crew needs to see outside for safety reasons, they know which windows to look for.

Tiny Holes in the Windows

You also may have noticed that airplane windows contain tiny holes near the bottom. There’s no need to panic, though, as they, too, exist for a specific safety purpose. Airplane windows have three layers, and these small holes are only in the middle layer, so they don’t go all the way through to the outside. They are designed to help regulate the difference in pressure between the air outside at 30,000 feet and the air inside the cabin, which is pressurized more than the air outside to create a comfortable environment. These holes are typically called breather holes or bleed holes. 

Lavatory Locks on the Outside

​​Everyone’s familiar with the lock inside cabin bathrooms, but did you know they also unlock from the outside? This hidden feature exists for flight attendants to unlock the lavatory door during an emergency, when the crew might need to be able to quickly access the bathroom. It also may be necessary if a passenger needs assistance while in the bathroom, or it can be used for children who might be unable to unlock the door themselves. To find the lock, flip up the “lavatory” sign on the outside of the door. 

A Secret Built-In Handrail

Though you should be seated with your seatbelt fastened, if you’ve ever found yourself up in the aisle during turbulence, you’ll appreciate this hidden airplane feature. Instead of grabbing other seats and disturbing fellow passengers to get back to your own seat, reach up to the ceiling. You’ll find a built-in handle rail along the bottom edge of the storage compartment, which you can use to steady yourself. Flight attendants often use it while they walk through the cabin, so next time follow their lead.

Special Tray Tables

You might not think there’s much to your aircraft tray table. When it’s locked in its upright position, you swing the latch in either direction to release it, and voilà — you have a surface to eat that bland in-flight meal or work away on your laptop. But not all tray tables are the same. As Swiss International Airlines points out, in the emergency exit rows, the tray table latches open in only one direction. This is to prevent passengers from unintentionally releasing the tray table during an emergency when a quick evacuation through the window exits may be necessary. 

Windows That Actually Open

Finally, there’s one more feature to note about airplane windows, which is that some of them actually open to the outside. Fortunately, none of these are accessible to passengers — the only windows that open are located in the flight deck. This is again designed for safety reasons (to allow pilots to quickly exit in case of an emergency) but can also be useful in other situations. As one pilot explained, pilots might reach out the window to wave to get the attention of ground staff if they aren’t connected to their headset, or just pop it open for some fresh air at the gate between flights. The windows open wide enough for some pilots to crawl out of the cockpit.