Air Travel Tips

Don’t leave for the airport without these tips and tricks for a stress-free flying experience.

Endless security lines, jet lag, and middle seats don't have to be necessary evils of flying—not if you follow T+L's best tips for smoother air travel.

Consider that security line: TSA's PreCheck expedited program will be in 100 domestic airports by the end of 2013, and there are three ways to join.

As for jet lag, your strategy should be to get on the right schedule while in transit, with some help from Stopjetlag.com. The site tailors a personalized hour-by-hour schedule for meals, rest time, and even sun exposure based on your itinerary.

Timing is also key when it comes to avoiding the middle. Ask for a new seat 24 hours before your flight; that's when airlines start upgrading their elite fliers, opening up the "preferred" seats in economy that were initially been assigned to those travelers.

Perhaps the ultimate air travel dilemma is when to buy your ticket in the first place. We asked Kayak.com to crunch the numbers to reveal when the average fares from the U.S. are at their lowest. Daydreaming about a Caribbean getaway? Procrastinators will be rewarded with an average low of $482 just one to two weeks out.

Read on for more expert air travel advice.

For the complete list of 100 ways to travel better, check out T+L's December issue and tablet editions.

Edited by Brooke Porter, Nikki Ekstein, Amy Farley, and Jennifer Flowers. With reporting by Peter Schlesinger and Bree Sposato.