It has been a little quiet on the blog lately. That’s partly because I’ve been enjoying my summer, spending more time at home and at the lake. It’s also partly because I’m back to work at my summer gig working for Delta. Over the last few weeks, a lot of travelers have crossed my path and it has given me a chance to observe some of the crazy things people do. Like, when you ask a passenger where they’re going and their mouth falls open and they start staring up at the ceiling. Or, when they cannot tell you what airline they are flying. Or, when they don’t understand why they can’t check in when their flight leaves in 15 minutes.

Aside from the inexcusably clueless, I am very sympathetic to inexperienced travelers who maybe only fly once or twice a year. Over the last few weeks I started making a list of travel tips designed specifically for those travelers as well as for frequent flyers who just need a reminder every once in a while. Below are the 13 things all travelers need to stop doing.

1. Checking bags – I recognize there are some instances when checking bags in unavoidable, like if you’re traveling with kids, moving, or transporting liquids or other items that simply can’t go in a carry on. But if you’re just taking a quick getaway, you really shouldn’t be checking bags. I can’t tell you how many people come up to me wanting to take and earlier flight, volunteer their seat or change their destination because of an unexpected delay, cancellation or change of plans and the first thing I ask them is, “Did you check a bag?” If the answer is “yes”, their options automatically become much narrower. If you can avoid checking bags, do it and stick with carry ons!

2. Paying for bags – If you decide to break rule #1 and end up checking a bag, you shouldn’t be paying for it. There are a few ways to avoid these dreaded baggage fees. 1) Fly an airline that doesn’t charge for bags. Southwest is standing strong and remains the only airline that does not charge for checked luggage 2) Choose a fare that includes checked bags. For some airlines that may be first class. On JetBlue for instance, the Blue Plus fare option includes a free checked bag. 3) Consider buying an airline credit card. The Delta American Express card gets you and everyone you’re traveling with 1 free checked bag. Also, make sure your bag is within the allotted weight limit. You don’t want to be shocked by an exorbitant overweight fee and have to scramble to rearrange at the counter.

3. Checking in at the airport – If you don’t have your boarding pass (meaning a printed or digital boarding pass with a bar code) you’re not checked in! This could cause problems if you arrive at the airport late. Most airlines restrict check in to 40-45 minutes before departure. If you attempt to check in after that, you’ll probably need an agent to call the gate in order to check you in and you risk your seat being dropped or having to be rebooked for the next flight. Alleviate all that unnecessary stress by checking in ahead of time (again, meaning a paper or electronic ticket that has a bar code!). One easy way to do this is by downloading your airline’s app and checking in directly from your phone.

4. Waiting in long security lines – With summer in full swing, security lines are becoming another obstacle travelers must contend with. But you really shouldn’t be waiting in these long lines. Programs like TSA Pre Check and now Clear are a must if you plan on doing any air travel. If you travel internationally, Global Entry is the better option. For $100 you can enjoy expedited security both upon arriving from an international flight and on all domestic travel because Pre Check is included. And it gets better, once you sign up it’s good for 5 years!

5. Going to the ticket counter to change seats or check for an earlier flight – Please stop wasting your and the ticket counter agent’s time by asking to change seats. All seat inquiries should be addressed at the gate. The agent working your flight has control over the entire seat map as well as the ability to make changes as needed. And if you’re curious about taking an earlier flight, just go straight to the gate where the earlier flight is boarding. By wasting time in line at the ticket counter you could wind up missing that earlier flight!

6. Paying for first class on domestic flights – Unless it’s a truly special occasion or work is paying for it, purchasing a first class seat on a domestic flight is a bit of a waste. Sure you’ll get to board first, you’ll have a better seat, better snacks, complimentary cocktails and a meal (depending on the route), but there isn’t really THAT much of a difference in the service and the flight is often so short that you don’t even really get to fully enjoy. Save your money and put it towards a flatbed seat in business class on an international flight. You can thank me later!

Travel Essentials

7. Buying a ticket at the airport – Unless you’re dealing with a true emergency such as an unexpected death in the family and you need to get somewhere quick, it rarely makes sense to purchase a ticket at the counter. There are so many apps offering deep discounts on airfare and that should be the first place you look. I recommend Sky Scanner to get a sense of the rates for the route then book through Cheap Tickets, Kayak or Orbitz. Hopper is another good app for checking airfare, but it’s better for pricing future trips rather than last minute tickets.

8. Buying Airport food – It’s not good and it’s overpriced. $13 for a croissant & a juice is insane. Treat the airport like you do a movie theater, bring your own snacks! And if want to get really serious about it, you can even bring your own booze! You can easily get away with this by tossing a few minis in your carry-on! As long as you don’t have any liquids over 3.4 ounces, TSA won’t bother you!

If you’re not ready to escalate into food & booze smuggling, consider signing up for a credit card that grants you lounge access. I have the American Express Platinum card, which allows me entry into Delta and Priority Pass lounges around the globe. It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made!

9. Paying for exit row seats – On occasion, you may be tempted to fork over some extra cash in exchange for an extra row seat especially on longer flights. When done at the ticket counter, changing to an exit row seats can cost up to $70. Save your money! Many times, gate agents need volunteers to sit in the exit row to free up seats to accommodate passengers. And when you volunteer at the gate, it’s free!

10. Not sanitizing your seat – I know it’s tempting to just want to settle into your seat and pop your headphones in, but you’re missing an important step. Cleaning your seat! The plane may appear to be neat and tidy, but that’s not the same as being clean. The airplane cleaning crew spends exactly 6 minutes between flights cleaning the aircraft. That’s 6 minutes to clean the restroom, vacuum and wipe down a 177 seater plane. If you start thinking about just how gross that is, it could make your crazy. Bring some disinfectant wipes and rest easy!

11. Vigorously tapping your tv monitor – Your tv monitor is not just for your viewing pleasure, it’s also somebody’s headrest, so please cut out this annoying practice!

12. Grabbing snacks off the flight attendant’s cart – Do people frequently stroll into your office grab a pen off your desk and walk out without saying a word? No? Wouldn’t it be weird if they did? The answer is yes. And when you help yourself to items on the flight attendant’s cart without asking, you’re essentially doing the same thing. Stop doing this and just ask nicely!

13. Not waiting for the rows ahead of you to deplane first – When you finally make it to your destination you’re naturally anxious to get off the plane and onto your next event. But there’s one more thing to keep in mind before you do and that’s proper deplaning etiquette. There’s an unspoken rule that you allow the people sitting in front of you to exit first even if they have to grab their bag from the bin. I know you probably have somewhere very important to be, but so does everyone else. If you cut in front, ou just look tacky. Just be patient and wait your turn!

If you take nothing else away from this post, remember this – common sense and courtesy go a long way when it comes to air travel. I could go on, but I think this list is a good place to start! What other tips would you add? Share your comments below! And of course, happy travels!