Plane travel can be stressful. Before you book, consider these things to make your flight as comfortable as possible.

Airlines: Consider the airline you are flying with. Some airlines offer better customer service than others. Check reviews before you book your flight to see what other customers have said about their experience with this airline.

Seating: If you’re traveling for a long time, consider upgrading your seat if it’s an option. If you are tall and have long legs, then upgrading from a standard economy seat to an economy plus seat can make your trip much more comfortable. Another option is to purchase extra leg room or a seat with extra leg room.

Luggage: Make sure that the luggage you bring fits the restrictions set by the airline you are flying with. Some airlines charge more money if your luggage is too large or has too much weight. Do some research ahead of time to avoid any unexpected fees at the airport.

Convenience: Consider how convenient it will be to get to and from the airport in relation to where you live. If you live far away from an airport then taking a train or bus may be a better option than driving yourself and having to pay for parking at the airport for long periods of time.

A number of people have asked me recently about flying, and I thought it might be useful to summarize some of the things I’ve learned.

I think the most useful thing for people to know about planes is that flying is about as safe as driving. And yet there are a lot more regulations on planes than cars. Why? Because driving is something most people do, while flying is something most people don’t. So when an accident happens, it’s a big news story; and the government has to respond by imposing new rules–“to make flying safer.”

In fact, flying is already pretty safe. The risk of dying in a car accident in the US today is about 1 in 6500.1 That’s not including accidents where you’re not driving: if you include those as well, then the risk of dying in any sort of car-related accident is probably well over 1 in 5000.2 By comparison, the risk of dying in a plane crash for the average American is probably only about 1 in 5 million.3 (For full details on these numbers see here.)

The reason for this discrepancy is that plane crashes tend to kill everyone aboard, while car crashes tend to kill only some of those involved. So if you add up all the deaths caused by

Flying can be stressful, especially during the holiday season. The best way to overcome that stress is to plan ahead and know what to expect. Here are some tips for saving time and money, and for flying with more ease.

Check in 24 hours before your flight. If you’re flying a domestic route on a major airline, like US Airways or United, you can check in online as soon as 24 hours and up to one hour before departure (seats assignments are not guaranteed if you check in within that one-hour window). If you don’t want to print out your boarding pass ahead of time, use curbside check-in or the airline’s kiosk at the airport.

If you have bags to check in, do this first. You’ll have to have your boarding pass in hand. If possible, pay for your checked bags when you book your ticket, which can save you as much as $20 per bag. Or become a member of the airline’s frequent flyer program; these members often get their first checked bag free.

Allow yourself plenty of time at the airport. The TSA recommends getting there two hours early for domestic flights and three hours prior to international flights. Don’t forget about parking, checking in and getting through security; it all takes

It’s not always easy to get the cheapest airfares out there.

I’ve flown all over the world, and I know from experience that there are some things you can do to save you hundreds of dollars on airfare.

Below is a list of tips for your next flight booking.

– Make sure you book with a reputable airline.

– Make sure the price you’re seeing is in your currency.

– Check out last minute deals, but don’t book too late!

– Keep an eye out for promos and sales.

– Pick flights that are direct or have short stops, if possible.

– If the price is really good, take it!

There are many things to consider when booking a flight: what time of year to fly, how far in advance to book, and how to get the best deal. It can be intimidating to know where to start.

First, it’s important to decide where you want to go. If you’ve never been abroad before, consider a short direct flight from your nearest airport. If you’re looking for adventure, try something totally new!

Once you’ve picked a destination, it’s time to get down to the logistics. Flying on certain days of the week can actually help you save money. The most popular days for travel are Fridays and Sundays; if you’re flexible about when you fly, it’s worth considering other options.

Finding a good deal can be tricky–there are a lot of factors involved! But don’t worry; there are many ways to find out which flights are cheapest. Websites like Kayak offer comparison tools that make it easy to see which airlines are offering the best prices at any given time.

I recently flew round trip from San Francisco to Paris. Here are some lessons I learned:

Departure times are misleading. If you want to know what time you need to be at the airport, check the arrival time on the ticket instead.

If you’re trying to figure out how long the flight is, look up the distance between San Francisco and Paris, and assume that airplanes fly at 500 mph.

Beware of layovers. It’s easy to confuse “1h 35m” with “2h 10m”. (This one I actually knew.)

When you’re flying across more than five time zones, it’s a good idea to stay awake until nighttime at your destination, even though it will be hard because it’s daytime there. Otherwise you’ll be jetlagged for days; if you don’t believe me, ask anyone who was in Barcelona for Railsconf.

The security line is the longest right before the cutoff time for checking in luggage. If you want to spend less time waiting in line, get there early enough so that you can go through security later.

Cheapair.com has recently unveiled the results of its annual Airfare Study, which analyzes 917 million airfares from 2.9 million trips to find out when the best time to book a domestic flight actually is. The study found that travelers can save up to $110 by booking their flight 54 days in advance (domestic flights on average are at their lowest price during that period). This year’s study also found that booking too early (more than four months in advance) or too late (five days before departure) can raise airfares significantly.

The Best Time to Book a Domestic Flight Is…

On average, the best time to book a domestic flight is 54 days in advance, according to this year’s Cheapair study. “Booking your domestic flights about seven weeks in advance is the sweet spot for snagging the lowest fares,” says Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com. “It’s also worth checking fares regularly—at least every few days—to see if there have been any recent price drops.”