It’s that time again– 10 on Tuesday. As my trip is approaching, here are 10 things that I love in regards to travel. Some are tricks, some are splurges, others mere eccentric behaviors. Either way, these 10 things make up what I enjoy as part of our travel experience! So, in no particular order:

10.) Parking at the terminal. It’s more money, but so worth it when you’re tired and headed home. The last thing you want to do it sit on a hot bus next to the smelly guy. Or the kid with the mysteriously sticky hands that keep venturing toward your suitcase. BACK OFF.

9.) The upstairs E terminal security lines that are on the connector bridge from C to E at IAH. That’s a lot of letters, but trust me, if you know this little trick, you’ll be on your way to your gate in no time!

8.) A glass of Veuve. The President’s Club has a great selection of free beer, wine and spirits, but among the upcharged beverages, Veuve reigns supreme. I cherish the moments those stout bubbles grace my lips. And yes, it is an extra $12 per glass, but SO worth it.

7.) A great smutty magazine. You know the ones– “KIM IS MARRIED!”  or ” THEIR MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS??” The blissful shiney pages take me away from reality and further into vacation mode with each flip.  

6.) President’s Club/Red Carpet Lounge day pass deals. If you aren’t fortunate enough to have a annual membership to these travel clubs at the airport, at least purchase a day pass to enjoy their ammenities. ESPECIALLY if you have a lot of time between flights or get to the airport early. Here is a link where I found the passes on sale from their normal $50 each to $39.

5.) Being a stalker for online check-in. Many of you remember the days when you would refresh your request over and over again on Ticketmaster, so that when 9am hit, you would have the best tickets available for the concert. Well the airlines are the same. As soon as 24hours is on the clock, the system opens up many of the elite seats for the taking, free of charge. Up until the crapshoot merger, I was able to get D and I the bulkhead seats, free EVERY time we flew. Now-a-days we get in the 8-12th rows but it’s still better than 30!

(I’ll see these screens 20+ times– but I’m the gal with the golden seat instead of stuck next to the pot. Ha. )

4.) Direct TV. Nothing makes the flight go by faster than the $6 bucks you’ll spend to watch over 100 channels on the plane. And the feeling of watching Gilmore Girls on syndication, uninterrupted is priceless. At least to me.

3.) Whitty safety instructions. Ever flown on Virgin? Once you do, you never go back– at least when it’s an option. Virgin America takes flying to a new level and is a Generation Y-er’s dream. Try on-board WiFi, technology, mood lighting and a mixology list. I would fly them from my house to work if it was an option.  And definitely watch their safety briefing video- it makes the Jeff Smisek video look like a fuddy-duddy

2.) Being on time. This is something that should be standard in life, but even more so in travel. It is costly to miss your flight. Wake up early and plan ahead. You’ll save yourself a lot of money and heartache in the long run.

1.) Always use sugar instead of salt. There will forever been unforeseen circumstances that arise when you’re on the move. The one thing I have learned is you get a lot further when you’re nice to someone than when you are insulting and rude to them. More often than not it isn’t that one particular person’s fault… sometimes it is! I personally always try to be as nice as possible to everyone I encounter. You never know when circumstances will change and that person who you were nice to will remember you– think upgrades and stand-by lists. All I can say is, you NEVER know.  And there is always time for a well thought out steaming letter to that person’s boss at a later date. :)

What are some things you love about travel? Are there any things that are “requirements” when you hit the tarmac?

Happy travels!