The Top Travel Hack, According to Avid Travelers

I'll admit it. Every time I travel I try to find new ways to make the experience much smoother and less stressful—that's only human (and, most importantly, that's very "Airport Dad" of me). How do I do this, you ask? Well, I simply go down rabbit holes on social media and look for travel hacks and tips that might simplify my life.

On Reddit, one of those hacks seems to be the overall winner among seasoned travelers—and for a good reason. On one of my favorite travel subreddits, r/Delta, one user recently popped the question that brightens my day every time I see it on social media: "What is the best travel tip you've ever heard? Be it niche or not," they asked.

A slew of travelers quickly came to their keyboards and started typing. One specific travel tip gathered a significant amount of upvotes (or likes, in Reddit slang), and became the top comment in the thread.

"Always take the first flight in the morning," the popular comment reads. "Unless there was a major problem, you'll know it's there."

The reasoning is pretty flawless. Taking a very early flight (usually, that means anytime before 8 am) has its perks, including lower chances of it getting canceled or delayed. As one user points out in the comments in response to the tip, an airline's first-flight plane often comes in the night before, hence the lower risk of delay. If you tend to be an anxious traveler, this hack might also assist with your stress, too. "I just about always take >8am flights and I haven't had a single flight delay in over a year," chimes in another user.

There are other perks linked to consider with this travel habit. One of them is the presence of fewer people. "I hate getting up early for 6 am flights out of my regional airport, but I can show up 30 minutes before doors open and be drinking my coffee by the time my boarding section is called," reads one comment. "TSA lines may have 4 other passengers going through. It's a glorious well oiled machine!"

And if you're a night owl, this might be a great piece of advice for you as well. "For a 6am flight, I leave my house around 3/3:30 am," says one user. "At that point, I just pull an all-nighter and then sleep like a baby on the plane. The best flights are when you go to sleep and wake up while landing at your destination."

If you wanted still another take on this topic, take comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr., who recently told Thrillist why he always books the first flight out of the day: "The plane is already there; you’re not waiting on aircraft to come in. The crew is for sure rested. On the day of a performance, taking the first flight out gives me more contingency options if there are issues. That includes jumping to another carrier."

Whether you need help sneaking weed onto a plane, finding an airport where you can sign up for PreCheck without an appointment, or making sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to when your flight is canceled, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for up-to-date travel hacks and all the travel news you need to help you plan your next big adventure.

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