Nov 10

Nov 10 Pre-Flight Rituals

Whether I’m getting ready to fly across the world or across the country, there are a few things I always do in preparation for a travel day! These are my pre-flight rituals.

Airports and airplanes are not the cleanest of places. Fellow travelers leave their germs on everything and, as gross as it is to think about, it’s worth considering if you want to avoid getting sick on your trip! There are lots of vitamins and foods that can help boost your immune system, I drink Emergen-C for that exact purpose. The day before any travel day I drink one packet and then throw an extra in my carry-on for the way back!

In my Ultimate Guide to Surviving Long Flights, I talk about the importance of staying hydrated before and during long flights. But no matter how strenuous my travel day is, I try and drink a little extra water the day before. On any given day I try to drink 3 fills of my water bottle. On a day before a travel day, I aim for 4.

The day before a travel day I charge all of my devices. Though it’s becoming much easier to access power in airports and even on planes, charging everything in advance is the safest way to ensure your electronics function throughout your day in transit. Sometimes you don’t have time to charge up at your gate and reliable in-seat power is rarely a guarantee. A dead cell phone, however, is guaranteed to add some stress to your journey.

I’m a double-checker by nature. If you’re not, travel is a great time to practice it. The day before leaving on your trip, double check your flight info so there is no chance of mixing up times and missing your flight! I always check my flight info a week or two before my trip just to make sure things look accurate. (I started this ritual the summer I lived in Washington DC and was supposed to be traveling home to Michigan for the weekend but found out I was booked on a flight from Michigan to DC instead!) I check to make sure everything looks good (out-going and return flights) a few weeks before and then again the day before.

There are a few things I always like to be able to access while in transit. Most often these are my phone, headphones, ipad, chapstick, and passport. The day before I leave on a trip I always make sure all of these items are packed in very easily accessible places in my backpack. I hate unpacking more than I have to on a plane or in an airport. I relieve that stress by strategically packing the few items I will definitely be using.

Do you have any pre-travel routines or rituals? Share them in the comments!