I realize it feels icky playing the game, but once you get over the initial “nobody” hump (the people that Spirit ass is talking about), it’s worth it. Also, as with American, there are business tie-ins where you can get even more miles (for more flights and upgrades) and all sorts of ways to suck in the benefits.

US-domestically, I’d pick American just cause that’s what I fly, but I hear United is OK once you get status and Continental looks OK from the outside. Most major American airlines are in airline alliances that let you book and benefit on “partner” airlines in places they don’t fly.

Anyhow, I have something of an obsession with the frequent flyer program: check out my infrequently updated blog on the topic for more

If you are serious about influencing this particular segment of the travel vertical I have the right project going on. I would only be so lucky to have you brainstorming in this area.

Wear a light shirt and bring a hoodie or something comfy and warm. You never know if you’ll be too hot or cold.

Get noise-canceling headphones (not earbuds). Don’t get the kind that go in your ears—they hurt after a while, and play funny tricks with the pressurization. I took the hit and bought the Bose QuietComfort 3′s (the smaller ones) and they are worth every penny. I’m way less tired after a 3-hour train ride or 7-hour flight because they seriously reduce noise fatigue. And when my pair kinda-maybe started to malfunction, the local store replaced it immediately, no questions.

I’ll also add… I have an Eddie Bauer Brookline carry-on rolly suitcase and a bigger one, too. They are awesome and the smaller one was only $99. They have the right amount of pockets, including a big solid plastic one for shampoo etc., flat outer ones just right for books (which can safely be smushed), great handles (top, side, and bottom for carrying), solid rubber wheels and MAN are they STURDY.

The “carry-on” one I have has been through hell: 25 or so week-long trips to NYC (rolled thru rain, snow, dirt, slush, dragged up curbs, plunked up and down stairs, beaten around on the subway, Amtrak trains), 15 domestic flights and over 6 weeks in Europe (that’s Heathrow, Frankfurt and Vienna airports – for a total of 12 checked-baggage incidents, heh—plus more running thru snow and, of course, the Underground). Not to mention I do horrible things like roll it with the rolling handle extended and another bag attached to the poles, and pick it up with that handle too, and rolling it up and down stairs when I hurt my shoulder because I couldn’t pick it up.

It still looks almost new until you inspect it and see that the fabric’s been run a bit on the bottom (NYC curbs) and tiny little bits of rubber are peeling off the handle (not a big deal)!

Needless to say, I recommend it. (FWIW, it can fit in carry-on compartments if you don’t pack it full. If you do, check it. But I prefer to check it rather than lift it anyway.)

My other tips:

Traveling for a couple weeks? Take a small suitcase like my Brookline and a sturdy duffle bag (don’t know the brand for mine or I’d share!). Throw a few extra clothes in the duffle bag, sling it on top of your suitcase, and off you go. When you pack to go home, it’ll be way easier to just throw dirty clothes in the duffle and be on your way… and that makes room for purchases/gifts in the suitcase, too.

Get a smaller bag and put it inside your laptop bag or other main carry-on. That way you can have a book, tissues, headphones, iPod, etc., ready to pull out immediately from your main bag as soon as you get to your seat, and then stow your main bag the entire trip. The small bag won’t eat up your leg room and it’ll mean you don’t have to annoy your neighbors every time you want something from the bigger bag.

Don’t wear jewelry or belts when you fly. Have a handy pocket on your main carry-on where you can quickly stow your wallet, cell phone, ipod, etc., well before you get to the x-ray machine. Wear slip-on shoes if you can. Everybody will love you for it, including you.

Keep a single sheet of paper in your wallet with your flight, train, hotel, etc., information all compiled on it. Keep another copy in your suitcase.

Take your shoes off when flying for more than an hour or so. It really helps.

Use those luggage carts. Put everything on them… take off your shoulder/backpack and coat. Save your back.

Making all your luggage carry-on seems like a good idea, but I’ve found thru trial and error that the annoyance of lugging it (heh) around, and trying to cram it into the carry-on area, and all the related friction add up to more suffering than simply waiting for your bag to show up. Unless you’re at Washington Dulles, of course, where you’ll age 10 years before you see your things again…

And, finally: I sprained my shoulder just from lugging a too-heavy backpack and suitcase too cavalierly… and I’m a strong, hearty girl. It was so not worth it. Be careful.

I’m also fascinated by aspects of your language in this post. You use heart as a verb a number of times, which is something I haven’t seen much of before, yet it seems to work without jarring like so many other new coinings. Also the adverb automagically is so expressive.

The trick to get by the one rule is, take a plastic bag with you. For security put on the extra jumper, put whatever you can shove in your jacket pockets in them especially the heavier small stuff. When through customs take out the plastic bag and dump all your rubbish into it. This works well for all the chargers, and extra batteries and stuff. Then you have two bags (albeit one not so classy) but easier to carry around.

And mostly they will let a women take a handbag and a laptop bag. Mostly.

There definitely is a difference between long haul flights from American and Non American airlines. Short haul it’s a different bag. You can add RyanAir to your list. Avoid at all costs. It’s the worst of the worst.

The real problem I find is I don’t have a lot of choice. If I am flying from point A to point B, it’s unusual to find 3 or 4 airlines with the same flight at the same times that give me a reasonably similar price point. When I have a choice I fly with Airlines I prefer to, but quite often it’s double the price one week and half the price the next.

Half the problem is the airline ticketing system. It virtually ensures that no two passengers in the air play anything similar to the same price. prices go up one day, and down the next. Unless you really know the industry (and seriously we all have other jobs these days than working out airline prices) you never really know what to do. So “real” competition I don’t think exists. It’s very rare that I have two flights for £200 each at the same time and I can pick my preferred airline.

Another thing I would add to your list is lounges. These vary in policy, facilities (American charges for WiFi… What the?) and what you need to do to get in / take a guest in. If you’re flying a lot I think these can make a world of difference. Get to the airport early, stress free and relax in the lounge and do some work. Not sure how this is reflected state side, but it’s generally pretty good at major airports here. Especially Virgin.

Last point on bags is, I find the airline regular destroys my bag. After working out the hundreds of pounds I spend on flights to be on a seat I can’t fold my laptop open it’s so cramped, I now always complain. When the handle breaks, when the foot comes loose, when there a big dent the side of my head in the bag. Complain. As you get off the plane go to the luggage area for the airline near the belts and show them. Normally they say they’ll need to fix it, and then 3 days later a new a bag arrives. Normally of samsonite quality.

I haven’t bought a new bag in 5 years. I figure when the airlines stop kicking my bags, I’ll stop complaining.

Another point to consider for those who must check luggage is the variance in cut-off times…the time prior to your flight that you must check your bag in order for it to make it onto your flight. The US domestic standard is 30 minutes, but some airlines make exceptions in some airports, and those exceptions can be surprising and unpleasant. A helpful chart can be found here: http://crankyflier.com/2007/10/03/the-insane-world-of-baggage-check-in-times/

Thanks for the TripIt tip, too — I will definitely give it a whirl.

I only recently discovered Mandarina Duck handbags (at the Pangborn Design shop in Detroit’s A Terminal – excellent shop that tempts me with its Tokidoki bags every time I fly through) but I had no idea the line included luggage! Pricey, but after years of buying cheap luggage, I have come to understand that luggage is in the “buy the absolute best you can afford” column, so I will file that away until I need to add to my collection (or replace a bag).

Another travel tip – get a box of quart-sized, resealable plastic bags and tuck a few in a pocket of every suitcase, travel bag, computer bag or handbag you own. That way you will never be at the mercy of TSA should you forget your ziploc or have one break mid-trip.

And I would LOVE a Dopplr invite if you wouldn’t mind.

Sometimes it is smart not to be swayed by the demands of those people, and to look after the customers who aren’t picking purely on lowest price. I’m not saying that’s what happened in this case, but more broadly it seems like it could be true.

I kept getting my laptop back pack pulled apart EVERY TIME I went through security. I finally just said “Look – this happens every time, can you tell me what’s getting flagged so I can fix it?”

Security guy was happy to tell me – Turns out it was my box of business cards. Apparently box of biz (roughly)= C4 plastic explosive on an Xray.

Since then I take the box out every time and I haven’t had an issue .