If you had the chance to get to know me a bit, then you know by now that I LOVE going on vacations and flying to different destinations all over the world.

I mean, who doesn’t?

But if there’s one part of the vacation that could really ruin the atmosphere, there’s no doubt that it’s the flight itself, especially if it’s a long flight in economy class.

The next tips I adopted over the years will significantly upgrade your comfort on a flight, even if you didn’t buy a first class ticket.

1. ALWAYS ASK FOR UPGRADES

Just like any other field in life, you should adopt the following motto for flights, too: “If you don’t ask for it, you don’t get it”. The worst thing that could happen is that they’ll say “no” – and it’s always worth the shot 😉

There are three tactics that may help you get a seat upgrade on your flight :

1. Get to the check-in counters early – almost every flight has seats by the emergency exit {spacious seats with plenty of legroom} that are given to a limited number of passengers for free. If you are among the first passengers to check in, there’s a high chance these seats will be available.

2. Get on the plane last – if the plane isn’t full and you’ll be kind enough to the ground attendants, they’ll let you choose any empty seat on the plane {even in first class if you catch a ground attendant in a super good mood  }.

3. Take advantage of special events like birthdays or honeymoons – tell the ground attendants about the event and it’s very possible that you’ll get an upgrade.

2. ORDER ALL OF YOUR MEALS IN ADVANCE

Many people don’t know this, but airlines offer their passengers special meals like vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, fruit platters and many other options before the flight.

You should always check with the airline to find out how much time in advance you have to order the special meal, through the airline’s website or from the flight agent you ordered the tickets from.

It’s usually between 24 to 48 hours before the flight, depending on the day and the flight’s destination.

Not only will you enjoy a meal that meets your needs, but these meals are usually served first!

3. ASK TO SIT IN THE FRONT OF THE PLANE

Always insist on sitting in the front of the plane, because sitting in that area will make your flight much more pleasant.

The first and most significant reason for me is that the sitting in the front seats of the plane will ensure you will get off the plane as quickly as possible, without getting stuck in the long line and in the mess that starts the second the plane touches the ground. If you’re flying in a big plane, they usually start boarding the passengers sitting in the back areas first, which means that you will board among the last passengers, giving you more time to spend in the duty-free stores {good for the soul, not as good for your wallet 😉 }.

Another reason is that the lavatories and the kitchen are far from the front of the plane, which will ensure you a much more relaxed and quiet flight {and odor-free… 😉 }.

4. ASK TO SIT IN AN AISLE SEAT

How many times have you decided to sit by the window to see the view from the plane and ended up regretting it?

Happened to me way too many times…

Know how sometimes you have to run to the restroom but you really don’t want to disturb the passenger sitting next to you in the aisle seat who is sleeping like a baby?

As someone who drinks a lot of water, I have to get up and go to the restroom at least once an hour, so on long flights I’ll always prefer sitting in aisle seats.

You should choose an aisle seat for health reasons, too – sitting in the aisle will allow you to get up more often, move your muscles and stimulate your blood circulation {will prevent your feet, hands and other body parts from “falling asleep”}.

If you also suffer from cold, like me, here’s another reason to sit in the aisle seat – the seats by the windows are much more affected by the cold outside and the air conditioner is felt more in those seats than the other ones.

5. IF YOU'RE TRAVELING IN A PAIR – ORDER THE WINDOW SEAT AND THE AISLE SEAT

No one likes sitting in the middle seat – so if you order both ends of the row {window and aisle} and the flight isn’t full, chances are that the middle seat will remain empty.

If the flight is full and they seated someone in between the two of you {in the middle seat}, you could always ask them to switch seats with you and chances are that he will agree {simply because the middle seat is considered the least comfortable}.  

6. CHOOSE YOUR BOARDING TIME WISELY

So it’s true that you are going to be on the plane for enough hours and you usually prefer getting on the plane last to avoid extra time {not to mention the long line that forms by the counter during boarding that you would rather avoid}, but if you managed to get a spot in the front of the plane and you have a relatively large carry-on – you should be the first ones on the plane.

If you board among the last passengers, there probably won’t be room left in the storage compartments near you – which will cause you to stay on the plane until all of the other passengers get off, and only then can you get your bags.

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Do you have more tips to share to make flights more pleasant? Tell me in the comments below!