50 tips from ... you

Kids

• Pack a small toy or a bag of Goldfish or cookies in your carry-on — not for yourself or your kids to eat, but to quiet the screaming kid three rows back. Works every time and costs only pennies.

• Schedule your flight for the kids’ naptime, and keep the kids awake by any means possible until you get on the plane. The flight is so much more relaxing for everyone when the kids sleep through it.

• When kids are howling or staring at you from the seat in front of you, hand them a crayon and the sick bag with instructions to make a hand puppet.

• Bring dollar bills, and if a kid starts kicking your seat from behind, bribe him with money. Tell him if he’s good for the remainder of the flight, he’ll get $5. Works like a charm.

Comfort

• Dress in classy but comfortable clothing.

• Wear comfortable slip-on shoes. (Tip #7)

• Unless you are traveling with children, always ask for an exit-row seat. You’ll get more legroom.

• When choosing your seat, ask the customer service agent where she would sit.

• Pack your favorite hot sauce. It can turn the worst in-flight or airport meal into a culinary delight.

• Wear noise-canceling headphones. (Tip #5)

• Ladies and gentlemen: Don’t wear thong underwear. (Not that I would know, but I hear it has to do with uncomfortable creeping. Aren’t the men’s styles called “banana hammocks”?)

Mental health

• Forget how it used to be, and play by the new rules.

• Arrive early. (Tip #6)

• Practice patience, and be prepared to test it abundantly.

• Remember that people are people: They have feelings just like you. They come from very different walks of life. Some don’t like to talk, while others need someone to listen.

• Bring or form a mental picture of your “happy place,” be it that perfect sunset on your trip to the Bahamas or your special loved one. It will serve as a reminder of the good things in life.

• Be the person you would most like to fly with.

I received quite a few drug suggestions, everything from prescription medications to over-the-counter sleeping aids. For liability reasons I won’t list them, but I do question the few readers who recommended Viagra!

MORE FROM TIPS

Tips Section Front

I canceled my room — where’s my refund?   Olympian task of taking on travel companies 7 trips you should never book online Have smartphones licked the language barrier? Offbeat holiday celebrations How to save on one-way flights Budget Travel’s guilt-free gift guide The top 5 (new) rules of flying Hotels’ strangest forgotten items Airlines want your money, but not your cash Tips Section Front   Add Tips headlines to your news reader: