TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

When you're running through the airport, weaving through a maze of people with your luggage, you can wind up in a frenzied and frazzled state by the time you reach security or reach your gate.

You can help smooth the process a bit by investing in a pouch that can hold your passport, plane tickets, ID, money, and anything else that is small and flat. These holders can go around your neck or around your waist. They're really handy for easy access to those essential papers that you'll need as you weave your way through the airport.

Airlines always try to overbook their flights, if they can. If you are not in a hurry to get to your destination, tell the airline personnel at check-in that you are willing to give up your seat if the flight is overbooked. Ask what kind of compensation you will receive for giving up your seat. Usually the airline will offer to put you in a hotel for the night, book you on the next available flight, provide you with meal vouchers, and give you a free plane ticket to and from your destination of choice.

This happened to me once when I was flying Virgin Atlantic from London to the US.