Air travel can be frustrating, confusing, uncomfortable, and hectic. However, with the help of a few essential tips you can be sure to maximize your comfort, minimize the frustration, and avoid some of the problematic situations that people frequently encounter during their trips.

The first tip, if possible, is picking your seat. www.seatguru.com can offer some help in picking exactly what seat you would like. They offer tips such as which rows offer the most access to air conditioning, which seats have windows, and a fairly accurate system to tell you where the emergency exits are most likely located.

If you have ever been on a plane, you may notice the emergency rows are often a little roomier, as they must be able to facilitate the transfer of people in between the row in the unlikely event that there is a problem. This is not the case however, with all aircraft, so don’t presume that if you get a seat in the emergency row that automatically have more room.

Comfort is always a big deal in air travel. Depending on the length of your flight you may experience some symptoms such as dehydration, restlessness, anxiety, and achy muscles. Many of these symptoms can be bypassed by simply drinking water. Staying well hydrated during the flight will make you feel much more comfortable in the dry air. It is also important to try and avoid large amounts of caffeine and/or alcohol if you are prone to indulging before air travel. Caffeine or alcohol will increase the likelihood of restlessness or anxiety.

Airports are some of the busiest and fastest paced public environments. Arriving at the airport two hours ahead of time for domestic flights and three hours ahead of time for international flights will ensure you do not miss a flight or become caught up in the rushed environment. Most airports will have small clubs, lounges, or restaurants that can offer some peace and quiet amongst the bustling terminals. The lounges that may be available in the airport are often on a membership basis so you may want to look into becoming a member if you travel even moderately. Northwest and KLM offer a VIP travel lounge with unlimited snacks, soft drinks and juices, alcoholic beverages, and magazines and paperback books. Relaxing in these lounges will calm you down and help you escape the busy airport.

Purchasing a noise reduction headset can also prove invaluable on an airplane. Sitting next to a baby on a plane has the potential to be one of the most annoying and disruptive situations you can face while on a plane. Bose offers an excellent pair of noise reduction headphones that be used with a CD player or mp3 player, and also by themselves to cut down on the white noise so that you can relax and maybe catch up on some sleep during your flight.

Following as many of these tips as you can, will only help you stay sane during the bustling fast paced air traveling experience. The last tip I can offer is to remain as courteous as possible during the entire experience. People you will come in contact with are used to rude and mean customers that are over stressed. Showing courtesy and understanding when working with others will often help you in the long run.