We all want to fly first class, sit back in the Ride Alto and sail through security and customs, but life doesn’t always pan out the way we want. Airfare is expensive and fancy car services will burn a hole in your wallet before you know it. Still, there are other ways to live the high life when we travel with the help of simple extras that elevate the airport and hotel experience without paying a fortune to upgrade. We found a whole Reddit thread dedicated to these tiny improvements, some of which are hacks, really, for people looking to level up their next trip with little to no effort. Here are our picks of the most useful tips shared.
1. Pack two toothbrushes, one to use while you’re at your destination and a second to keep in your bag should you forget to pack one for your next trip, which you probably will.
2. Keep your passport in the exact same place every time you travel and you will never lose it again.
3. Always keep your toiletry bag packed and you’ll never forget to pack it.
4. Bring a small case that fits into the seat pocket on planes and fill it with everything you might need during your flight: a phone charger, headphones, lip gloss, medication, and an eye mask.
5. Invest in packing cubes. There’s no better way to stay organized and you’ll easily find everything in your suitcase.
7. Drop a geotag in your luggage. You’ll be able to track it anywhere as long as you have a signal. This is especially useful for connecting flights.
8. Wear compression socks on a long-haul flight and your feet won’t swell.
9. Bring a foldable travel pillow, the small memory foam kind that folds into a travel bag. It’s good for neck support on planes, trains, automobiles and even hotels.
10. Splurge on tiny lingerie hangers for your bras.
11. Get a digital suitcase scale and bring it with you to make sure you don’t pass the weight limit on your return flight.
12. Pack a silk eye mask.
13. Sign up for Global Entry and waltz through the passport control line on entry and the TSA precheck line on exit. You won’t regret it.
14. BYO airplane foot hammock, the kind that hangs over your tray table and cradles your feet like a makeshift recliner.
15. Book your airport parking ahead of time to keep yourself from scrambling before your flight.
16. Keep a wrapped bar of soap in each piece of luggage. It makes the luggage smell nice while it's in storage and you’ll have a bar of soap ready for you when you land.
17. Bring a Scrubba bag to refresh your clothes between washing machines, and get more wear out of your luggage.