When preparing to go overseas you need to do more than justreview your cheap traveloptions, including cheapairplane tickets, cheapdeals, discount hotel rooms, cheap auto rentals, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages.
International flights can mean interminable hours in theair, a sketchy choice of seats, choosing an airline you know nothing about,wondering if and how well you will be fed, as well as dealing with boredom.
The following are tips to consider before reserving yournext international flight, according to Ed Hewitt:
Do notselect your flight based on price alone. When you consider a long-haul flight as a hour by the hour experience, ahigher price on a decent flight on a comfortable plane with a greatentertainment system and good food may start to seem pretty attractive whencompared to a hellish flight on a cramped plane with overhead screens showingold movies. Once you do the math anddivide the total number of hours you will be in the air, the higher price perhour may be modest compared to your dramatically better experience.
Be onthe lookout for undesirable connections. When connecting flights overseas the experience can be arduousfrequently involving clearing customs, picking up luggage, moving to adifferent terminal, rechecking bags and clearing security again. This endeavor can sometimes take hours.
Remember just because a connectionoverseas may be legal, does not mean that you can make it happen or even comeclose. Some less expensive connectingflights require overnight stays at your connection, making the real total costof travel that much more expensive. Awebsite called Hipmunk provides a useful tool called Agony Index whichranks flights using a combination of price, duration, and number ofconnections.
Selectyour airline wisely given that not all airlines are created equal. Three key factors to consider are food,entertainment, and comfort. You willneed to do a little research on different airline meal offerings. Try to select an airline that offers seatbackscreens instead of overhead screens because they are far less physicallydemanding to view and seatback systems usually offer much greater variety ofentertainment options. A website namedSeatGuru offers information not only about seat locations, sizes and the like,but also whether the plane has seatback or overhead screens.
Beforepurchasing an international ticket, you will want to research what type ofaircraft your options are likely to fly on your route. A plane with a 3 3 configuration is usuallymore challenging than some other setups, such as a 3 - 5 -3 configuration,because the presence of only one aisle means that passengers are competing forspace not only with fellow fliers, but especially with flight staff as theyperform drink and meal services.
Use SeatGuru to identify seats thatrecline, do not have foot area obstructions, and do not have a ton of passengertraffic, and have windows. Be carefulnot to select an aircraft and seats that show any yellow or red flags.
Dowhatever possible to achieve a seat upgrade. Sometimes frequent flier miles can be exchanged for upgrades.
Considerloyalty program implications when choosing your airline. If possible select an airline whose frequentflier program you already belong to, or at least one that is in the samealliance as the airline frequent flier program you are already a member of.
Selectyour travel clothes carefully. You willlikely want clothes that do the following:
1. Choose clothes that are forgiving of slumpingin your seat.
2. Go for footwear that can be easily slipped offand back on again without having to strain to reach under the seat in front ofyou.
3. Select shoes that are very comfortable and easyto balance in if you hit turbulence.
4. Choose clothes that stretch and will move withyou.
Prepareyour tablet with fresh and compelling video and/or books. These should include bucket quality movies andat least one book that will absolutely absorb you.
Prep asif going on a holiday. Unless youindulge in inflight Internet access this might be one of only a couple truedays off you get all year. Look at along haul flight as a full day away from phones, email, driving around, lawnmowing, etc. Prepare yourself to takethat full day off, complete with favorite clothes, favorite books and movies, anap, and good snacks.
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