Fly The Friendly Skies. Part One.

Summer time is a great time to travel. The kids are out of school, the weather's warm, and a little getaway is ever so tempting. There are, of course, some courtesies and etiquette guidelines I'd like to gently remind all you jet setters of out there.

Timing.

• Give yourself and your party plenty of time to check in and get to the gate. Rule of thumb is one hour for domestic and two hours for international. Please add a half hour to both estimates if you're traveling out of a notoriously large and busy airport like JFK or LAX.
• Waiting will be inevitable. All of the traveling public is going through the same process and standing in line as well. Grumbling about the inconvenience to neighbors or airline staff will not help speed up the process one bit. It also won't make you any friends.

Preparation is key.

• Research any new FAA regulations that may be in place prior to leaving home.
• Get yourself ready while waiting. Pull out your ID and boarding pass, have your liquids already gathered together in a clear bag, remove bulky clothing and jewelry, separate your laptop from its case.
• If you are traveling with little ones, give them a head's up beforehand of what to expect while traveling. The entire process is trying on adults, it can be even harder for youngsters. Prepping them on what to expect at each step of the trip might help. Even better, make a game out of it.
• Take the length of your flight and your personal needs into consideration and plan accordingly. Do you get warm easily? Wear layers. Cold? Bring a blanket or sweater. Bothered by light? Have an eye mask handy.

Travel with a polished appearance.

• As fashion writer, Derek Blasberg puts it, the airport is one of the last great places to meet single men who can afford to travel, so why show up to your flight looking like a hot mess?  I've mentioned the importance of taking pride in one's appearance before, and flying is no exception. Business contacts, romantic contacts, old friends, or gasp, a celeb! can all be found on the same 747 you're about to board. Ditch the Juicy suit and opt for a classic ensemble.
• My current go to travel outfit is a pair of jeggings (the comfortable hybrid of jeans and leggings), mid-height heels, a tank top, jacket, and plenty of accessories (jewelry is a light and easy way to dress up one's outfit). I keep in my bag a sweater, hair scarf or hat, sunglasses, and ballet flats.
• If you check a bag (which I unfortunately always do), you should also keep an entire change of clothes with you in your carry on. This is in anticipation of the unlikely but unfortunate event that your luggage decides to take a later flight.