Top 5 To-Do’s On a PlaneBy: Gregory Gopman

Hello Everyone! As you may know, I travel a lot and in doing so I have to optimize my travel life. In other words, I spend a lot on airplanes and I want to be happy while doing it. I also enjoy traveling on the cheap, so I find hacks to get all the best perks without having to shell out extra dough. Below are my 5 best tips for making the most out of every time you fly. Enjoy!

1) Have Great Content on your devices

• Every year I like to download 15-25 movies on to my computer that I've been meaning to watch

• You can pick them up doing most downloaded movie searches on PirateBay or top movies of the year list

• Doing this ensures I can always open my laptop and watch something great to help the time pass by

• Last week I took a red-eye and couldn't sleep -- I watched Captain America and 300 Rise of the Empire

• I wish I had slept, but at the least the flight went by fast

2) Get Free upgrades with a hacked Platinum Status Membership

• One of the best things I ever did was earn my way into Platinum Status on American Airlines by taking their status challenge

• In regards to the challenge, flyers only have to fly 10k miles in a 90 day period to get Platinum Status (normally 50k/yr)

• I took the challenge before a trip to Asia and 1 plane ticket later I was a platinum member

• And once you have status with one airline you can call up other airlines and get status with them, as they are competing for customers everyday and want your loyalty

• With Platinum Status you get 2 free checked bags, free exit row/extra legroom seat upgrades, priority boarding, AND free first class upgrades when available! You can also buy first class upgrades on flights for $105, if you feel like splurging that is

3) Pick Great Seats

• The following are absolutely necessary for having an enjoyable and relaxing flight. First and foremost, pick window seats -- this way if you fall asleep there will be no one to trip over you and wake you up

• Second, go with the exit row, there is more legroom and thus more comfort. As a caveat, if you do chose the exit row, those seats rarely recline (Jetblue) -- you may want to contact the airline to confirm

• NEVER TAKE A SEAT THAT DOESN'T RECLINE. Lastly, try to pick a row that has the seats next to it available, even if it's in the back. This way if the flight doesn't fill up you can sprawl yourself over the entire row

• Note: Never pick the front seats to a plane. They normally crunch your legs into a ball and prove to be quite awful

• If you do choose to take the front seats, try your hardest to get the aisle seat first so you can stretch out into the row, however there is the possible cost of getting your legs run over by the cart

4) Invest in Those Ugly Pillows

• I hate spending pointless money as much as the next person, but those comical looking airline neck pillows work... to an extent

• If you really want to get your sleep then it's very much worth the extra money

• Last night I didn't buy one purely out of principle (1 for $18 and 2 for $20 was the “deal”) and totally regretted it

• I tossed and turned in my seat for 5 hrs looking for comfort

• The airline pillows aren’t the best, but they somehow get the job done. If the pillow was $12 I would have got it in a heartbeat, but I let a few bucks cloud my better judgement, don’t let it cloud yours

5) Be Prepared With Everything You Need

• When I travel I have a set list of necessary items that personally I can’t live without. Below is a list of what I always make sure to have...

• Phone

• My USB cable

• Headphones

• Portable Charger

• Earbuds

• Eye-mask

• Hand Sanitizer

• Notepad

• Advil

• Sleeping Pills

• Multiple audio jack input tool (incase I want share my movie with a neighbor on the plane)

Last Thoughts

• On a good day I have a travel pillow with me too. I use close to all these items every time I travel and I know the exact location in my bag I put them every time.

• Being prepared is the best way to go into a flight happily

• Lastly, I want to touch again on the hand sanitizer. I use it every time I sit down on the plane and every time I get off

• There is nothing worse than getting sick on a trip and the easiest way to avoid it is to stay clean going through airports. Sanitize often and keep it in a place easy to get to