Long TSA lines, unhealthy and overpriced food, running late, and dealing with checked luggage are just a few things that can cause stress when you are flying. Anyone who’s had a bad flight knows that it can leave you feeling tired and disheveled at the beginning or end of a vacation, and that’s never a good way to start. So what are the best tips for flying?

Whether you are flying home for the holidays or halfway across the world for an epic adventure, being prepared and organized are key to a good flight. In this guide, I share 10 travel tips for flying that will help you move smoothly through the airport, stay comfortable on your flight, and get you to your destination in one happy piece.

1. Invest in CLEAR or TSA PreCheck

My #1 tip for flying is if you fly at least 2-3 times per year, it is worth signing up for CLEAR or TSA PreCheck to save yourself some serious time. I got TSA PreCheck years ago, and I can’t believe how much more enjoyable flying is. You breeze through the security line, and you don’t have to remove your shoes, laptops, liquids, belts or sweaters. CLEAR is an annual membership while TSA PreCheck is good for 5 years once you are approved.

2. Pack Healthy Snacks

Almonds, apple slices, dried fruit, carrot sticks, and protein bars are just a few good examples of great snacks to hold you over when flying. Be sure to load up on protein and healthy fats since these will help keep you feeling full and satisfied. Packing snacks will also make it less likely that you will splurge on airport food, which is often unhealthy and overpriced. Plus, you won’t arrive at your destination starving.

Check out some of our favorite lightweight backpacking snacks that are plant-based and easy to throw in your carry-on for when you are feeling hangry mid-flight.

3. Bring a Sleep Kit

Landing at your destination well rested will help set your trip off to a great start. Whether you’re stuck in a middle seat, leaning against the cold hard window, or winging it on the aisle, bringing a few small items with you will make your flight much more comfortable. Invest in a comfy travel pillow or better yet, use a lightweight, packable backpacking pillow for flying.

While you’re at it, carry an eye mask and earplugs too – both are small, easy to carry, and may come in handy, especially if you are changing time zones or end up sitting next to a screaming baby. If you need something to drown out all noise, noise-canceling headphones or noise-canceling earbuds work great. They’re pricey, but worth it if you travel a lot.

4. Organize Your Backpack

Take time to organize your backpack, purse, or other carry-on before you leave home so you aren’t scrambling at the airport and lugging around more than you need to. Have a special compartment for important documents such as your boarding pass and ID so you’ll know exactly where to find them when you get to the front of the TSA line. Fanny packs are a great option for airport travel because they free your hands up and there’s no worry of forgetting your bag at the boarding gate if you keep the fanny pack secured around your waist.

Also take time to stock up on flying essentials like a book, your favorite magazine, snacks, and your sleeping kit BEFORE getting to the airport.

5. Download E-books, Music & Movies

WiFi onboard can be expensive and slow and not all routes offer in-flight entertainment. If you have a favorite tv show or a movie you’ve been wanting to watch, download it before boarding so you can watch it during your flight. Same goes for E-books and podcasts. If you have Netflix, you can download movies and shows on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop for offline viewing.

If you frequently travel with a friend, your partner or kids, you may want to consider getting a headphone splitter so you can watch together. I also have Spotify Premium which allows you to listen to your playlists when you are traveling and download them for offline use.

6. Charge Up your Devices before your Flight

Make sure to have everything charged before heading to the airport. This may include your phone, laptop, camera, and any other electronics you travel with. You never know if you’ll be able to find an open outlet or if security might take longer than usual leaving no time to charge up.

You may even want to consider carrying a small backup battery for your phone or other devices you use heavily when traveling. I also always bring a travel adapter that allows you to charge several devices and comes with worldwide adapters for those of you traveling abroad.

7. Pack a Reusable Water Bottle

You can’t take water through the security checkpoint, but you can take an empty reusable water bottle. Most airports have water fill-up stations so you can fill a bottle post-security. Drinking lots of water is an important tip for flying because the added elevation and recycled air can result in dehydration.

Having a refillable water bottle on your trip will also help you save money (and help the planet) by not having to purchase plastic water bottles every time you’re thirsty.

8. Take an Immune Supplement

When you fly, you are sharing oxygen with 100+ people, who have recently shared air with another 100+ people. Get the idea? Plus you touch items that a high volume of other people touch such as security bins, seatbelts, tray tables, and door handles. Give your body a boost to fight off the germs with an immune supplement. Nuun makes handy vitamin tablets with immune boosting properties that you can toss into your reusable water bottle. While you’re at it, pack some hand sanitizer too.

9. Dress in Layers

Plane temperatures can range from unbearably stuffy and hot to practically Arctic cold. Be prepared for both. Dress in a base layer that you’ll be comfortable hanging out in for the duration of your flight and bring an extra layer or two to wear on top.

I like to wear a tank-top as my bottom layer just in case there’s a tarmac delay without air circulation. A warm packable jacket, good socks, and a beanie are always helpful to pack in case your flight does end up being surprisingly cold, especially on those early morning flights.

10. Move on Your Layovers

Layovers are a great time to stretch, walk around, and do anything but sit to counteract all those hours on the plane. Be sure to locate your next gate and check to confirm your flight is on time before you take a stroll. You can keep an eye on your flight status on monitors located throughout the airport as you walk around. Believe it or not, some airports have indoor gardens, art displays, massage chairs, yoga rooms, and even movie theaters. Explore the airport to get your steps in. Your body will thank you later.

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden will mark World AIDS Day on Wednesday with a speech laying out his vision for ending the epidemic in the United States by 2030.

The White House said Biden will deliver a speech outlining the plan for “redoubling efforts to confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

The target is for a 75 percent reduction in new infections by 2025 and 90 percent by 2030.

In the 40 years since US researchers encountered the first cases of what later became known as AIDS, there have been 700,000 US dead and more than 36 million fatalities worldwide.

Today, there are 1.2 million people in the US living with the disease, but “we celebrate the remarkable gains we have made,” the White House said in a briefing paper on the 2030 plan.

Between 2015 and 2019, new HIV infections fell eight percent, “a hopeful sign,” the White House said.

The shift Biden is ordering will aim to “aggressively reduce new HIV cases, while increasing access to treatment.”

According to a senior Biden administration official, one of the innovations will be to accelerate participation of the private sector in a “national effort.”

Focus will also be put on “addressing social determinants of health that influence an individual’s HIV risk or outcomes.”

According to the official, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic could ultimately strengthen the healthcare system in the even lengthier struggle against AIDS.

The response to the coronavirus has spurred advances in self-testing at home and telehealth, as well as boosting the role for pharmacies all ways to engage the public in a complex healthcare endeavor.

Top US infectious diseases specialists, including Biden’s lead medical advisor Anthony Fauci, brought years of experience from fighting AIDS to the Covid-19 crisis. Now, new lessons gained during the pandemic may be applied to AIDS.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what additional insights and knowledge and expertise researchers have gained through fighting this virus that can now be applied to our search for a vaccine and a cure for HIV,” the senior official said.

The United Nations said Monday that HIV infection rates are not slowing fast enough around the world to reach the goal of eradicating AIDS everywhere by 2030.

Tips for staying safe when travelling abroad: exit suspicious situations, carry a photocopy of your passport, and keep cash and credit cards in your sock.

Travelling abroad is an exciting adventure, but it can also be a bit scary when you’re not familiar with the place you’re visiting. One of the biggest concerns for international tourists is the possibility of falling prey to such scams.

Losing your passport, money, and phone while abroad can quickly turn your dream holiday into a nightmare.

Here are the most common international tourist scams and tips on how to stay safe.

Fake Gold Ring Or Wallet Scam

One of the most common scams is the fake gold ring or wallet scam. Scammers usually carry out this scam in crowded places such as metros, buses or near stops.

The scammer drops a gold ring or wallet on the ground, and you pick it up and hand it back to them.

They then accuse you of stealing it, and a large crowd gets involved. While you are distracted, your wallet is stolen. To avoid this scam, try to be aware of your surroundings and avoid crowded places.

Asking For Directions Scam

Another popular scam is the asking for directions. A person may approach you when you’re carrying shopping bags and ask for directions while blocking your vision with a big map.

While you’re helping them, someone else will steal your shopping bags. To avoid this scam, be cautious when someone asks for directions and keep your shopping bags close to you.

Friendship Bracelets Scam

The friendship bracelets scam involves a random person tying to tie a bracelet around your wrist in a friendly manner.

However, the bracelet is not free, and they will make you pay for it. To add to the scam, two gangster-type people will appear and show you a card stating that each bracelet costs £100.

They will threaten to involve the local police, who won’t help. To avoid this scam, avoid people trying to put anything on your wrist, and keep your distance.

Hotel Check-in Scam

Scammers may also try to take advantage of you when you’re checking into a hotel. A person may come aggressively towards you and pick a fight, while someone else steals your bags from the counter.

The hotel and police may refuse to help you, and there may be no CCTV cameras to capture the theft.

To avoid this scam, keep an eye on your bags and try to remain calm in such situations.

English Student Scam

The English student scam involves a young teenager approaching you in a market and asking if you speak English.

They will then ask to test their English skills with you for a few minutes, take you to a café and after a short conversation, leave. A few minutes later, the bill arrives, and it’s usually around £2000.

To avoid this scam, don’t engage with strangers and don’t follow them to secluded areas.

Tips To Stay Safe From These Scams

The first and most crucial step to protect yourself from falling into such scams during travel is to exit the situation immediately.

Scammers often try to create distractions or use aggressive tactics to confuse you and take advantage of you.
Be cautious of anyone who approaches you and tries to engage you in conversation, especially if they are trying to sell you something or asking for your help.

If you feel uncomfortable or unsure of the situation, it’s best to trust your instincts and remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible.

Carrying your passport with you at all times may seem like a logical thing to do, but it can actually put you at risk of theft or loss.

Instead, it’s recommended that you carry a photocopy of your passport and leave the original document in a secure place, like a hotel safe.

If you’re required to show identification, presenting a copy of your passport is usually sufficient.

Another tip to keep in mind while travelling abroad is to keep cash and credit cards inside socks. This may seem like an unusual place to store your valuables, but it can be an effective way to protect yourself from pick-pocketing and theft.

Thieves often target tourists who keep their wallets and purses in easy-to-reach places, like backpacks or pockets.

It’s important to remember that tourist scams can happen anywhere, and it’s essential to stay aware and vigilant at all times.

We are all counting down the days until we have a week off with no tests, no stress and much better food! Hopefully, you are able to go someplace warm and sunbathe your cares away (with proper SPF)! In the past year, I am thankful to have done quite a bit of traveling. Here are some travel tips and tricks so you can travel smarter this spring break!

Pack smart

Most airlines let you take a carry-on for free. I love to travel minimally. When I can, I will literally just travel with a backpack and that is it! I am aware that you simply can not just take a backpack to your two-week Europe vaycay because you need all the space for the Pinterest outfits you have been planning for months! With that said, make sure you have some space to take some stuff home with you. You will be thanking yourself later when you decide to buy your entire family, neighbor and your dog souvenirs.

I am also a BIG fan of saving space in your suitcase with packing cubes. Packing cubes allow you to separate your clothes into different sectioned cubes which saves so much room. They will come in sets that usually include toiletry bags, laundry bags, and bra and underwear bags in addition to the larger cubes for your clothes.

Plane entertainment

Not every plane has a boujee touch screen with “Spiderman No Way Home” to watch for the seventh time. I always make it a habit to download shows on Netflix the night before so that I can binge an entire season while on the plane. You all know the four new episodes of Perfect Match will be downloaded for my flight to Florida this weekend. I also always love to bring a book to read and a notebook to journal in or doodle.

The plane fit!

I don’t know about you but I think it is absolutely NECESSARY to have a comfy but cute outfit for the plane. If you are traveling from somewhere cold to somewhere warm, I suggest some layers: a comfy pair of yoga pants, a band tee (you can bond with your new meet-cute over), and a zip-up you can tie around your waist when you arrive at your destination. My sister bought me a fanny pack that I have been LOVING when I travel. Usually, I am not the fanny pack type but when I wear it around my chest it is the perfect location for me to grab my phone, wallet, passport and ID to hand to the people at security. Also, never underestimate a comfy beat-up pair of sneakers especially when you are walking all around the airport.

Make some friends

I think airports are the best place to make a friend, tell them your life story, and never see them again. Or maybe if you are lucky, they will be the meet-cute of your dreams! On the last plane trip, I was on I sat next to an older woman and a guy a little bit older than me. We bonded over babies crying and soon I gained knowledge and wisdom about education, life and careers. It never hurts to be kind to others and ask them questions about themselves!

Vlogging

Any time I go anywhere, I vlog my experiences and either set up a private story or just send the videos to my close friends. I am not a big social media person, so I think this is the perfect way to have your friends know what you’re up to and to keep some memories of your trip. My best friend and I still go back and look at our vlogs from the trips we have taken and I love every second of it!

Romanticize it!

Traveling can be grueling especially if you are going out of the country and the time difference hits you like a truck. Make the most of it! Buy a little coffee, walk around the airport, and people-watch while making up everyone’s life story (a personal favorite).