I fly a lot, so here are some tips I've learned along the way:
- Do yourself a favor and never fly Spirit. Just say no, no matter how tempting the offer.
- Avoid checking a bag at all costs. Just carry on. When your flight is delayed due to weather and you land at 1am for an 8am interview the next morning, you will be so glad you do not have to wait another hour to get your checked luggage. This is imperative if you have a layover/changing planes, since the airlines are more likely to lose your luggage on an indirect flight.
- This brings me to my next point. Try to book direct flights as much as possible. You do not want to deal with missing your connecting flight. If you miss a connecting flight due to weather, the airlines do not have to pay to put you on a new flight, depending on their policy. You may end up paying an arm and a leg (like over a grand) to get on a new flight.
- Check your flight status before going to the airport. To make this easier, sign up for flight notifications so they email/text you status updates. If you see the flight is delayed, call the airline immediately. For most airlines, you can request to be put on another flight at no extra charge.
- If you think time will be an issue making a flight and you are flying during "rush hour," some airlines will let you pay a bit extra to go through the priority security lines, which can potentially save you lots of time.
- If something goes wrong with your flight, do not expect airline employees to treat you like a human being. Customer service is a thing of the past. If an airline employee is pleasant and helpful, take a moment to be grateful. If not, utilize your most effective relaxation exercises 🙂
I also have a lot of experience flying different airlines, so let me know if you have specific questions about them. I know everyone here loves Jet Blue, but I have to give a word of caution about them. They usually don't have that many flights per day, and most flights they do have are indirect. So if a flight is delayed/cancelled, you have a very hard time rebooking on a later flight, and often have to wait until the next day if your flight was scheduled for the evening. I usually avoid them for this reason.
Edit: I forgot one of my most important tips: DO NOT book airfare through sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, etc. Book through the airlines only. If something goes wrong (delay/cancellation etc), the airlines will not help you if you book through these 3rd party sites. You would have to call Orbitz, which takes forever, while everyone else is able to speak to the airline reps directly at the airport. You will get screwed over.
