Flight attendants share 6 travel hacks everyone should know

You know how it goes: sinking a couple of airport beers before boarding the plane, squeezing into your seat with little to no legroom, spending your holiday budget on overpriced mini cans of Pringles, and queuing half-way down the aisles for the lav. Otherwise known as the typical economy experience that comes before the final descent to your destination, where the O.O.O mindset is well and truly activated (Picture: Getty Images)

But, what if you could make those travel hours a little more enjoyable? Not only by improving your comfort levels, but also by avoiding some common passenger mistakes? Lucky for you, we've done our research to provide you with the inside knowledge from the people who know it best: flight attendants. Here are six travel hacks these global flight attendants want you to know… (Picture: Getty Images)

1. How to get the best seat

You know the dreaded, non-existent legroom we mentioned earlier? Well, according to one flight attendant who shared their expertise on Quora, there's actually a way you can (more often than not) bag a better seat - especially if you're in economy. They explain: 'During online check in, understand the aircraft layout and select your seats accordingly. Bulkhead seats will usually have an infant and can be noisy. Seats near toilets can be noisy or even smelly. The best seats are closer to the galley where the flight attendant can give you maximum attention' (Picture: Getty Images)

2. Keep it hygienic

Many airlines don't regularly deep clean their aircrafts, mainly because it's a huge operation that takes time. And with a constant flow of planes going out day and night, there's seldom time between each land and take off to give the interior a proper scrub. Rather, the cabin is quickly cleaned down after every flight (Picture: Getty Images)

Which is why this flight attendant's message is incredibly important: 'Don't eat directly off the tray table. People change their kids' diapers on them. Bring alcohol wipes or hand sanitiser on a tissue to disinfect yours.' Another stressed that passengers should avoid walking on the floors both in the aisles and in the bathroom bare foot, as 'every bodily fluid has been on the floor.' They recommend carrying a pair of 'disposable slippers for in-flight use' (Picture: Getty Images)

3. How to get the cheapest flights

Flight attendant Cierra Mistt has built quite the following on TikTok by regularly sharing hacks and aviation industry secrets in order to give travellers a better experience. In one video, she revealed how you can get the best flight deals if you're on a budget. Cierra said: 'If you want a cheap flight, look for flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, that's when they'll be the cheapest. Not only that, but I highly suggest that you use a VPN so they don't know what country you're searching flights in'. This is because she says prices can vary depending on the location you book from (Picture: Getty Images)

4. How to bag an upgrade

As per numerous flight attendants, there are multiple ways you can potentially swing an upgrade on your flight. The first is from Cierra again, who says kindness and generosity (no matter how little or big) goes a long way. She notes that bringing the flight attendants a gift card is a great way to get their attention. Plus, she said that they won't know the amount on it until they get home anyway, so you could literally credit it with the bare minimum. It's kind of the thought that counts, we guess? (Picture: Getty Images)

If flattery's not your game, another flight attendant suggested enrolling in an airline's loyalty scheme. By doing this, you can accumulate points or air miles, which can elevate your status within the scheme. This is especially attractive to frequent flyers of the same airline, as their company loyalty makes them prioritised candidates for upgrades. Plus, depending on the airline you're registered with, some offer complimentary upgrades as part of their benefits system, or for reaching particular milestones within their loyalty programme (Picture: Getty Images)

A different attendant spoke to WalesOnline and revealed that travelling during off-peak times also increases your chances of being bumped up to first class. The attendant said that flying during quieter periods, such as major national holidays, term-time, or mid-week, i.e when business travel is low, can be a savvy idea. This is due to more premium class seats typically being available, and there being less pressure on attendants. So, if you're after a complimentary upgrade this way and you can travel off-peak, you know what to do! (Picture: Getty Images)

Additionally, checking in at the earliest possible moment - or at the last - can also work in your favour towards an upgrade. The same attendant who spoke to WalesOnline said that the former places you at the top of the list for an upgrade, as seat assignments are not yet set in stone. In contrast, waiting until the last minute can also be a winner, as there's a chance that economy class may be overbooked. However, there may be some seats in business or first class available. In this instance, the airline may upgrade the passengers checking in last as an alternative to booking them onto a different flight (Picture: Getty Images)

5. How to get the safest parking

If you're leaving your car at the airport while you go off on your jollys, Cierra has provided drivers with another top tip. She said on TikTok: 'When it comes to parking and you want to make sure that your vehicle is safe at the airport, especially on those long trips, park in either the top floor of the parking garage or the very back of economy parking.' At this point, you may be thinking this isn't the best hack, 1) because it's so far away, and 2) it means it's probably the least guarded area (Picture: Getty Images)

Cierra disagrees and explains: 'This is actually the parking for all the employees of the airport along with crew members that are going to be on trips. Security is constantly monitoring that area to make sure that no one breaks into those cars and the shuttles are over there more than any other place because they need to make sure that their employees get to work on time' (Picture: Getty Images)

6. If your flight gets cancelled

This is probably the worst case travel scenario, right? But we guarantee that it's probably happened to the majority of people reading this. Alas, instead of wallowing in self-pity and fighting with other passengers to get the last room in the local airport hotel, Cierra reveals that there is a way around this. However, as a flight attendant in the US, this hack may not apply to every airline or country. But there maybe similar practices in place, so it's worth checking out the formalities in your area. She says: 'Commercial airlines will know when a flight has been cancelled but they’ll still put it on a delay and they won’t tell you how long it’s going take because there’s actually a loophole in the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)' (Picture: Getty Images)

Cierra claims that 'per FAA federal regulation, if a flight has to take a delay and the reason for that is "outside of the airline’s control," like weather or an employee strike, then the FAA has made it so the airlines don’t have to give refunds to their passengers.' However she says that if a flight is cancelled - it doesn’t matter what reason the airline gives - they’re still obligated to pay each passenger a full refund. So if you ever find yourself in a similar situation where your flight is delayed for hours with no end in sight, i.e. cancellation, and things like weather, maintenance issues, employees, etc. are being blamed, these are Cierra's instructions... (Picture: Getty Images)

'Go to the Google Flights website and type in the airport you’re currently at and the final destination you’re trying to get to. When it asks how many passengers are flying, make sure it’s at least the amount of your party and then add three more passengers. So for example, if you had a party of five, say it’s eight. Then, look at all those different routes - it doesn’t matter what airlines they are but pick three of them. Next, pull up the airline that you’re flying with and their policy on delays' (Picture: Getty Images)

'Last but not least, go up to your airline's gate agent or customer service agent and tell them that you want to rebook your flight with one of those three options that you found.' Cierra says because you know that there’s 'at least three extra seat on those flights, not to mention the fact that you have their airline policy pulled up', it makes sure they can actually rebook you on another flight. 'The gate agent or the customer service agent has nothing to argue against you and they have to rebook your flight' (Picture: Getty Images) This article was originally published in June 2024