If you're renting a car: when you land head straight to the car rental desk. Luggage takes a while and the lines for car rental can get long. If it's a short work trip, skip checking in a bag and only bring a carry on, way less of a hassle
Edit: for work trips especially, people drink and eat way too much when they're on the road. Definitely look up some fun things to do in the area that don't involve eating or drinking. You'll have to get comfortable doing fun things by yourself if your work requires travel.
Edit2: if you're the one booking the travel and hotel, get an expedia account and book it through them. The points really add up and they'll subsidize fun vacations
If you have a tablet, bring that for entertainment. Or you can use your phone. All of the bigger subscription services (Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+) have a download option for movies and shows, so download an array of things you're interested in to your phone or tablet ahead of time. And some airlines have their own library of media for free on their wifi, without having to pay the outside internet fee. Make sure you have the airline's app downloaded.
The best seats on a plane (outside of 1st class, obviously) are the 2nd exit row seats, if your plane has 2 rows of exit. Most leg-space anywhere, but the 1st row seats can't recline so they won't block the 2nd exit row.
I can sleep on planes, so I purposefully only get 5-6 hours of sleep the night before and use the plane time to catch back up on sleep.
Your armrest can fold up, there's a little button underneath it towards the back. Push that in and push up the armrest. Good for when you have an aisle seat for getting in/out, or if you don't have someone sitting next to you.
If you're in the US and have to fly a few times a year at least, TSA precheck is very much worth it. Even longer Precheck security lines go pretty quick. Your job may even pay the fee for you, or some airlines you can pay for it with miles.
Stay hydrated, the climate control on most aircraft will suck you dry. Some newer aircraft have more sophisticated air conditioning systems to better reintroduce moisture into the air before distribution. You will feel less groggy the next day by drinking some water. Also avoid hot drinks the potable water systems on aircraft are disgusting and hot water doesnt reach high enough temps to kill all the nasties in it.
Like others i travel only with carry-on + like to wear earplugs (or earbuds for music) to deal with ear popping discomfort. I hate all the travel pillows I've bought though.
I've been seeing a product recently called the Sleeper Hold. Has anyone used that (or a similar product) before?
I bring a sleep mask, and both earbuds and ear plugs, depending on whether I want sleep or music/white noise. Bring a book, too, whether ereader or physical copy, since battery life is long/infinite.
When I land, I just sit there for a bit and let everyone else get all hot and sweaty trying to get their carry on luggage first and get off the plane first. There's no real rush, and if you have checked in luggage in the hold you're going to be waiting for that anyway.
I fly regularly, and the ideal scenario is when the crew leaves me alone from enplaning to deplaning. If I'm in a situation where I have to bring a box of chocolates for the crew, then things are very bad indeed.
If you carry comfort stuff for your car I'd recommend taking that stuff for the plane ride. A blanket and a neck pillow really make all the difference. Plus make sure you have a good portable battery.
I'm a hand luggage only kinda guy. Easy on, easy off, no faff with the conveyor at the end.
I'm a pretty good flyer anyway, so I just make sure I'm wearing something comfy, my AirPods are charged and I've got something I want to listen to on my phone. Depending on the length of your flight, I think it's always worth having a bottle of water to bring on from the airport, or buying one on board. It can get dry in the sky!
I have debated buying an iPad recently, not for flying/travel but just general usage - however, I think an iPad would be a great addition on a longer flight. Pop a movie on!
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