There’s something about air travel that turns otherwise normal people into… slightly stranger versions of themselves.
Maybe it’s the lack of legroom. Maybe it’s the time zones. Maybe it’s the strange reality of willingly climbing into a giant metal tube with strangers and hoping everyone collectively behaves for the next few hours.
Honestly, I’ve started thinking of flying like a group project you never volunteered for.
Everyone shows up with different expectations, different levels of preparation, and wildly different ideas of what acceptable behavior looks like. Someone always arrives overprepared, someone forgot something important, someone is doing the absolute most, and at least one person seems determined to make the experience harder than necessary for everyone else.
But when people cooperate—even in tiny ways—the whole experience runs smoother. A little awareness, a little patience, and basic travel etiquette can go a surprisingly long way when you’re sharing a cabin at 35,000 feet.
So before your next flight, here are my personal dos and don’ts for surviving airplane travel with your sanity (and dignity) intact.
Let’s Dig In!
Disclaimer
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DON’T Ask Someone to Switch Seats Unless You’re Offering an Upgrade
We’ve all seen it happen. I’ve experienced it a time or two.
Someone boards, realizes they’re separated from their travel companion, and suddenly starts negotiating seat swaps like they’re trading baseball cards.
If you want to switch, ask politely—but only if you’re offering something equal or better.
Window for window? Fair.
Aisle for middle? That’s a tough swap, especially if you’re tall and already negotiating every inch of legroom you can get.
If sitting together matters, arrive early and ask at check-in. Airlines can often help before boarding begins. Or pick your seat when you purchase them.
DO Respect Overhead Bin Boundaries
Your bag may fit… but someone else’s already does.
Sliding luggage to create room? Fine.
Removing someone’s suitcase and relocating it across the cabin? Absolutely not.
If the overhead situation starts feeling like advanced Tetris, call a flight attendant.
DO Help—But Don’t Become the Hero of Boarding
See someone struggling with a carry-on?
Offer help.
Holding a stroller? Offer help.
Trying to wrestle an overstuffed duffel into a space clearly meant for optimism and not luggage? Maybe help.
Quick boarding helps everyone.
DO Choose Your Seat Strategically
Know yourself.
Weak bladder? Book aisle.
Love cloud watching? Window.
Need maximum personal space? (Relatable.) Aisle again.
Your future self will thank present-you.
DO Follow the Unwritten Armrest Treaty
Window seat gets the view.
Middle seat gets both armrests.
Aisle seat gets freedom.
This system isn’t legally binding, but civilization depends on it.
DON’T Become the Plane’s Entertainment System
If your device makes a sound…
Headphones.
Every time.
No one wants surprise videos, movie explosions, phone speaker calls, or twenty-seven TikToks in a row.
And yes—that includes children’s shows.
DO Keep the Smells to Yourself
Airplane cabins are tiny ecosystems.
Strong perfume? Skip it.
Fast food feast? Maybe reconsider.
And yes…
Keep your socks and shoes on.
As someone who’s worked in an emergency room, I can confidently say: you do not want to know where shoes have been and what they are carrying.
DON’T Mistake Headphones for an Invitation to Chat
Sometimes people want conversation.
Sometimes people want silence and a downloaded show.
Headphones are usually the universal sign for:
“I wish you well, but I’m unavailable.”
Respect it.
DO Practice Bathroom Decency
Flush.
Double check.
Leave it usable.
Be courteous to the next lav user.
That’s it.
That’s the section.
DO Clean Up After Your Kids (But Also… Be Kind to Parents)
Traveling with children is hard.
Traveling with children while people silently judge you? Harder.
Parents: clean up messes and help your kids respect shared spaces.
Everyone else: show grace.
Babies don’t understand airplane etiquette yet.
DON’T Parent Someone Else’s Child
Seat kicking?
Repeated tray table slamming?
Talk kindly to the parent first.
If needed, ask a flight attendant.
Correcting strangers’ children rarely goes the way people imagine.
DO Recline Responsibly
My personal rule:
Under three hours? Stay upright.
Long haul? Recline carefully.
Before reclining:
- Check behind you
- Move slowly
- Return upright during meals
No one wants coffee in their lap.
DON’T Put Bare Feet Anywhere in Public
This includes:
- armrests
- walls
- tray tables
- other people’s personal space
It bears repeating: I’ve worked in an emergency room, so I always keep my shoes on during a flight.
Enough said.
DO Pack a Few Comfort Items
A few things that make flights dramatically better:
- Refillable water bottle
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Neck pillow
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer
- Compression socks
- Portable charger
Pro Tip: Download entertainment before leaving home. Airport Wi-Fi always becomes philosophical when you need it.
DO Be Ready Before Security and Boarding
Have your ID ready.
Boarding pass accessible.
Shoes removable if needed.
Nothing creates airport chaos faster than digging for documents while twenty people wait behind you.
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DO Practice Patience When Landing
You know the moment.
Seatbelt sign clicks off.
Half the plane immediately stands.
You are not escaping.
You are participating in a very slow human zipper merge.
Relax.
Wait for your turn.
DO Be Kind to Airline Workers
Flight attendants, gate agents, and crew deal with delays, weather, seat changes, and stressed travelers all day long.
A smile.
A thank you.
Basic kindness.
It goes further than you think.
Final Boarding Call
At the end of the day, airplanes are shared spaces.
You can’t control delays.
You can’t control the weather.
You definitely can’t control the person eating suspiciously aromatic takeout in Row 18.
But you can control your reactions.
Travel with patience. Travel with humor. Travel like the kind of seatmate you’d want next to you.
And who knows, you might even land feeling a little less exhausted.
What airplane etiquette rule would you add?
Stay curious, stay hungry, and keep exploring!
