8 Ways to Relieve Travel Anxiety Before Your Flight

Air Travel

Do you suffer from travel anxiety?  That is, do you find yourself worrying about all the things that could go wrong?  Try these 8 pre-flight tips suggested by Real Simple to help you learn how to overcome travel anxiety and let you focus on how you are going to enjoy your trip instead.

  1. dreamstime_xs_39436693Keep Tabs on Your Flight.
    Make sure you sign up for text and e-mail alerts for your flight with an online flight-tracking service. You should not depend on your airline to let you know when there’s a problem.  Services such as Flight-Stats (free, Android, iOs) or  Triplt Pro ($49 a year, Android, iOs), can help you keep up with flight alerts.
  2. Insure Yourself.
    Another worry people comonly have is that a flight delay or cancellation will ruin a vacation. You can get flight insurance such as Berkshire Hath-away’s AirCare insurance ($34, bhtp.com) which will reimburse you $50 for a delay of more than two hours, $100 if you miss a connection due to a delay, and $500 if your bag goes missing for more than 12 hours. The great thing about this company is that it tracks flight status automatically and makes  payments directly to a PayPal account or a debit card.
  3. Get the Seat You Want.
    So you are not going to spend that extra cash to get that  premium economy seat or a prime aisle seat ahead of time?  Okay, just sign up with ExpertFlyer.com.  They will alert you when the seat you want becomes free.  Then you just log on and grab it. SearGuru.com provides cabin maps which can help you find your prime seat.
  4. watchGet in the Zone.
    Another big worry people have is jet lag.  Alleviate those fears by following a personalized schedule for your itinerary at StopJetLag.com. They can provide you with an hour-by-hour plan that includes when to eat, rest, exercise, and get sun exposure so when you reach your destination you will be right in sync with your destination’s local time.
  5. Security? – No Worries.
    One thing you should really do to keep from worrying so much about long lines at security (or taking off your shoes, you know the drill)  is to sign up for TSA PreCheck ($85 for five years, tsa.gov).  This will expedite you through security in more than 150 U.S. airports. And if you are going international you can become a member of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program ($100 for five years, cbp.gov) and you’ll get PreCheck and you will be able to zip through U.S. customs.
  6. Is my Carry-on Too Big?
    There is a 22-by-14-by-9-inch size limit for carry-ons which has not always been strictly adhered to.  However, many domestic carriers are now starting to enforce this rule.  And many  bags advertised as carry-ons do not mee this criteriat .  If you want to avoid gate checking (and paying) for a bag, visit the airline’s website where you can find out the size restrictions before you leave. And then make sure you carry-on is regulation-size.
  7. Right-size Your Liquids.
    To meet TSA requirements you must limit liquids, gels, and aerosols to 3.4 ounces or less and place them in a one-quart clear plastic zip-top bag in your carry-on.  You can go to 3floz.com to find TSA-approved mini containers of more than 60 brands.
  8. Clothing is not Optional.
    In other words, dree properly.  If you want to move through airports with ease and finish your flight wrinkle-free, stick with the wrinkle resistant fabrics, such as knits, jersey, and stretch denim. For those who are cold-natured, a cashmere wrap or sweater is a life saver.  Also, a comfortable pair of slip-on shoes will help you speed through security  (if you didn’t follow number 5 and get PreCheck!)..