The Ultimate Packing List

Packing mishaps range from merely inconvenient (heading to the Caribbean without your favorite swimsuit) to downright disastrous (finding you’ve left the country without your wallet or medication) but most are preventable.

To help you arrive with everything you need, we’ve created this ultimate packing list for your checked bag, complete with suggestions of items to separate out into a carry-on. Print it out, then customize it for your trip by crossing out list items that don’t apply to you and adding any new ones that do.

smartertraveler.com

How To Recover From Air Travel

Step 1

Schedule meetings at your destination based on the time zone from which you are departing. If you live on the West Coast and have a meeting in New York, set the meeting for 1:00 p.m., which would be 10:00 a.m. according to your internal clock. This allows you to stay focused and remain at your best during such meetings, especially if you’re taking a short trip with a rapid turnaround.

Step 2

Drink lots of water during your flight. Airplane cabins are extremely dry and dehydration makes it tougher to recover. If you’re not sure you can get water on the plane, purchase some at the airport after you go through security; you can’t bring liquids in large amounts through the security checkpoint, but you can purchase them afterward. Continue drinking water once you reach your destination, and stay away from alcohol or caffeine on the plane; both are diuretics, which further dry you out.

Step 3

Gauge your arrival time and plan to either sleep or stay awake on the plane accordingly. If you arrive late in the day and stay awake on the plane; you’ll be tired and want to sleep when you land. If you land in the morning or early part of the day, try to sleep on the plane so you’ll be refreshed when you arrive.

Step 4

Exercise on the plane, even if it’s just a little bit. Get up and stretch periodically, and walk up and down the aisles. If you can’t get out of your seat, then perform small stretching exercises targeting your legs and feet. If you have a stopover, see if you can get off the plane, then walk or perform some basic exercises in the terminal. It keeps your blood flowing and prevents aches, which can lengthen your recovery time from the flight.

Step 5

Caffeinate after you land if you arrive in the morning, and avoid napping in the day if you can help it. Coffee, tea or caffeinated soda will keep you alert and awake until the evening, when you can engage in your normal sleep cycle. Conversely, stay away from caffeine if you land in the evening; it disrupts your normal sleep patterns.

Step 6

Exercise in the morning after you land, especially if you can do so outdoors in the sunshine or in a brightly lit gym. The lights and activity help your body naturally reset its internal clock, speeding your recovery. If you have trouble getting up, set an alarm clock to help you.

usatoday.com

 

Earning Miles

JetBlue Airways came in tops followed by Southwest and Alaska airlines in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014-15 rankings of airline rewards programs released Tuesday. The magazine looked at ticket prices, how easy it is to earn rewards, and the number of flights an airline operates in assessing the top 10 frequent-flier programs.

But there’s a big caveat that comes with the report too: Where you live and where you fly determines whether top-ranked programs will work for you. For example, the report notes that JetBlue’s TrueBlue program favors travelers “based in East Coast and Florida cities … who primarily fly domestically and to the Caribbean.”

That said, JetBlue got high marks for allowing fliers to earn points on partner airlines (Emirates and Hawaiian Airlines) as well as on car rentals and hotel stays. And you can earn points by using a JetBlue credit card to buy a seat for someone else. On the downside, JetBlue has fewer destinations than bigger airlines.

Southwest’s Rapid Rewards benefits travelers based in the U.S. Southwest, and Alaska’s Mileage Plan helps those based in or who fly frequently to destinations on the West Coast and Alaska.

The rest of the programs are:

4. United MileagePlus
5. American Airlines AAdvantage
6. Virgin America Elevate
7. DeltaSkyMiles
8. HawaiianMiles (Hawaiian Airlines)
9. Frontier EarlyReturns
10. Free Spirit (Spirit Airlines)

Airline reward programs are free to enroll, at least at the basic level. Here are the entire U.S. News & World’s rankings that compare reward programs.

Another good comparative report comes from the Points Guy website. In April it ranked best reward programs for things like upgrades and other extras specifically for transcontinental frequent fliers. American Airlines and United Premier came out on top.

latimes.com

 

 

Reno’s New Art Exhibit

As the Silver State prepares to celebrate its 150th birthday, the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno is launching its newest exhibit, “The 36thStar: Nevada’s Journey from Territory to State.

From Aug. 2-Nov. 2, three of the museum‘s galleries will display historic artifacts and photographs to highlight how in just three years Nevada went from becoming a territory to a state. Congress officially recognized the nation’s newest state on Oct. 31, 1864.

The hand-painted American flag with 36 stars that flew over Ft. Ruby, in the wilderness of eastern Nevada, is among the significant artifacts. Dr. John Long, who was the post’s surgeon, took the flag home with him to Ohio after his tour of duty. It’s now property of the Nevada State Library and Archives.

The Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, will join the exhibit from Oct. 30-Nov. 2.  It will be on loan from the National Archives for a rare appearance.

The art museum, 160 W. Liberty St. in downtown Reno, is open 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Admission costs $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors and $1 for children 6-12.

latimes.com