You can’t do a thing about weather, delays, or crowded skies, but following these simple rules at least makes you feel in control. 1. Don’t hoard your frequent-flyer miles for that dream trip to Europe or Asia—starting with a free First-Class ticket. (The airlines would love to dump their rewards programs, and no one knows what’s going to happen to all those miles you’ve accrued.) Instead, buy a cheap coach fare and use your miles to upgrade to Business Class. I paid $350 for a roundtrip ticket from New York to San Francisco in April; I just booked the same trip in September for $448. For each journey, I cashed in 30,000 miles to fly in utter comfort in Business Class, which would have cost almost $3,000. But reserve months in advance—and be flexible—or seats will be gone. 2. Pick a good seat on www.Seatguru.com which color-codes the ones to avoid—for every major airline and every one of its aircraft types. 3. Grab something to eat—something really tasty—at the airport and take it onboard. (Few airlines other than Continental serve onboard meals in coach anymore.) Eat when you want to; fill up on free drinks from the cart. Newark Liberty, San Francisco International, and JetBlue’s Terminal Six at JFK are standouts in the food department, but most airports have terrific outlets now. 4. Fly before noon to avoid the ripple effect. As the day drags on, a storm over Denver or Atlanta can disrupt air service from coast to coast. 5. Or fly late. If heading to Europe from the U.S. especially, leave as close to midnight as possible. You can sleep as soon as you board, and you’ll get to Paris or Rome after noon, with much less of a jet-lagged day to deal with. Your hotel room will be ready, too. 6. Think offline (Reason No. 1): Always book seats for which you are asking for an upgrade through an airline’s 800 number. A human being at the end of the line can check all flights at once for upgrades, many of which pop up and disappear at a surprising rate. You’ll pay an extra $10-$25, but it’s worth it. By booking online, you’re taking a chance that the upgrade won’t be there after purchasing a non-refundable fare, which usually must be booked first. 7. Continue to think offline. If you use a company travel agent, think of her when booking personal travel. If you want those hard-to-come by bulkhead and exit-row seats, your agent may have the buying clout to get it for you.
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