10 of our favorite travel hacks from very frequent flyers

If you are on social media these days, you've likely seen an abundance of viral TikTok and Instagram hacks claiming to transform the way you travel. But how many of them can you really trust?

Unfortunately, as it turns out, much of what you hear is flat-out wrong. For example, there's a rumor that if you dress nicely, you could get an upgrade to first class. And there's a myth about playing "check-in chicken," where you wait until the gate agents assign seats to passengers who haven't picked (or paid for) a seat. The idea is that if you are last to board, you might score an extra-legroom seat. The problem is that, most likely, you'll just end up in a middle seat in the back of the plane.

With all the viral videos out there, we wanted to give you some travel hacks that actually work. Here are some of our favorites.

Get extra room in coach aisle seats

One of the best hacks that I only learned about in the past couple of years is one that allows you to get some extra room in the coach cabin of many airlines. Most people don't know this, but in many aisle seats, there is a lever or a button you can push that allows you to lift the aisle-side armrest. You can lift it during flight and spread out a bit more, as my brother demonstrated in the video above on an Alaska Airlines flight to Hawaii.

It's a bit hard to find on some aircraft, but it's usually in the hinge of the armrest.

"I still see jaws drop when I lift the aisle armrest to get out," Mark Anthony Sproviero said in the TPG Lounge Facebook group. "Some kid saw me lift it once, but he didn't see me press the release. He looked like he might rip his armrest off the seat trying."

On a full flight, this can be a game changer for extra room. If you are lucky enough to have an empty middle seat, you can really stretch out.

Book window and aisle seats to keep the middle open

If you are traveling as a couple in coach, it can make sense to book the window and aisle seats in a single row. When passengers are selecting seats, the middle seats between two other people are usually the last go.

Even if the flight does fill up, you can tell the person seated in the middle you can switch with them for a window or aisle seat so you can still sit with your traveling companion. You may get lucky and end up with a row to yourselves.

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Related: 8 reasons to sit in an aisle seat

"My husband and I always book the window and aisle seats (and still sometimes sit there with a random person in the middle), but the odds go up of having the row to ourselves sometimes, or if we do want to sit next to each other usually the middle seat person is more than happy to swap," TPG Engineering Manager Zoe Jablow said.

Power plug hacks

"You can twist your power plug in most power outlets on planes so that it won't fall out," TPG Lead Writer Katie Genter said. "Pretty much every universal outlet I've encountered on a plane lets you slightly twist your plug after putting it into the outlet all the way. Doing so locks it in." Katie mentioned the hack in her review of Qatar Airways' Qsuite back in 2022.

That blew my mind because my laptop plug often falls out of outlets that have been loosened over time.

"I've also found that when my devices won't stay plugged in, sometimes using my international adapter (set to the U.S. setting) will work better," TPG Senior Aviation Reporter Sean Cudahy said.

Depressurize your containers

TPG Senior Director of Content Summer Hull blew my mind when she told me one of her favorite hacks: Poke holes in your yogurt when in flight. I can't tell you how many times I've opened the yogurt that came with breakfast only to have it blow out when I peeled back the lid due to the cabin pressure. If you poke some holes, it can prevent a mess.

The photo above shows the lid bowed out from the air pressure inside. That's a recipe for an unpleasant surprise.

And it doesn't only work on yogurt. TPG reader Jerry Lim said, "If they serve you any drinks in a pressurized can, give it a few taps with your fingers from the bottom up so it doesn't explode like the yogurt."

Put your carry-on bag in the bin opposite your seat

I loved the hack from one of our TPG Lounge members, Rosie Ribeiro McWhorter: "I have found that putting your carryon in the overhead bin opposite side of the aisle is so much more efficient getting off the plane, vs. everyone doing the twisty swinging suitcase around in front of you bit."

Another reader said it also allows you to keep an eye on your stuff at all times.

Food hacks

Lots of folks had food hacks for me.

One of the top tips was to order a special meal in coach. When you order a special meal, like a gluten-free or kosher option, you'll almost always be served first (and thus have more time for sleep). Those meals come out before the flight attendants serve the rest of the regular meals.

"Look whether you should preorder meals ahead of time — you may have extra choices (like on American Airlines and Singapore Airlines) or get a discount compared to on board (on some budget carriers)," Katie said.

You could always bring your own food, too.

"On morning flights, if I'm feeling cheap, I've also brought instant oatmeal packs and toppings (pack of raisins, a banana) and asked for a cup of hot water and made myself breakfast," TPG Managing Cruise Editor Eric Silverstein said.

One reader suggested bringing ketchup and hot sauce packets in your carry-on bag to add flavor to sometimes bland food. Other readers suggested putting hard butter pats wrapped in foil under the hot dish to make them easier to spread on bread.

Reader Pieter Boone has a whole system: "When flying economy, bring a white napkin as a 'table cloth' and a small real wine glass for an upgraded feel when your meal arrives. I also bring sachets of ketchup, hot sauce, salt & pepper (sometimes even grated cheese) to upgrade the taste of the meal. And finally: remove and store away wrapping material, covers and other stuff that clutters your meal tray."

Bring your own amenities

Several readers suggested bringing your own comforts on board. "For longer flights (5+ hours), I take hotel slippers with me so I can take my shoes off and use those when I walk around the cabin," Sheila Hozhabri said. "Just toss them after the flight."

I love this idea.

Someone else suggested buying a seatback organizer, sometimes called a travel pocket, that can hook onto your tray table and give you extra storage. Amazon has an interesting-looking one by the brand Airplane Pockets.

"I also travel with an airplane pocket that slips over the tray table and gives me storage space so I don’t have to use the backseat pocket," Hozhabri said.

TPG Director of Content Operations Andrea Rotondo suggested a travel fan: "I always bring a small portable fan — especially on long-haul trips. I run hot, and sometimes it is just uncomfortably warm in the cabin, and I need that little bit of extra airflow!"

Turn your jacket into a pillow

One of our readers had a fabulous idea. "When flying with a down jacket, I take a black satin pillowcase with me (it takes up no room at all!) and stuff the jacket in the pillowcase to make a pillow when flying in economy, which hopefully isn't often!" TPG reader Christine Krzyszton said.

In fact, Krzyszton said that in her experience, pillows, blankets and bags with food for a meal don't count as carry-on bags, so load up.

Other packing hacks

Lots of readers had packing tips. Many swear by packing cubes.

"When flying with only a backpack, carry a small collapse-able backpack with you to place under the seat with valuables and anything you need for the flight so you don’t sacrifice all your legroom," reader Kevin Hawk said.

"After takeoff, I will pull my underseat bag out so I can stretch my legs over it and put my feet under the seat in front of me," Erica said about seat storage.

Gifts for flight attendants

Flight attendants endure a lot of abuse. Their pay is low, and their job is demanding. No wonder some get cranky. That's why several of us at TPG recommend bringing treats for flight attendants or even gate agents. "I always bring Starbucks gift cards and 'fancy' protein bars (like Barebells) to give to the flight attendants. It usually leads to some nice conversations, which can make the start or end of a trip more enjoyable," Andrea said.

Several readers said they bring small gifts of chocolate, candy and other treats for the flight attendants. This often results in friendlier service and a more comfortable flight.

Over the years, I've given candy and hand lotion to flight attendants on some flights just to be nice. I can't prove it, but gifts to the gate agents before a long-haul flight to Auckland may have helped me clear into business class.

And even if you get nothing in return, it can make you feel good.

Bottom line

This is just scratching the surface of some of the many hacks that can lead to better travel. Other tips include wearing compression socks and getting up often on flights to prevent blood clots, studying seat maps on sites like SeatGuru and Aerolopa to pick the best seats, and drinking lots of water.

We could continue, but hopefully, these tips get you started toward a better travel future.

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