15 things I learned about air travel after traveling the world for a year

Martin Wippel / Flickr

I've made more than a few rookie travel mistakes, even after visiting dozens of countries.

• I've taken more than 30 flights in 20 countries since March 2018.
• Traveling for so long has led to lots of mistakes and realizations about how to make every flight better.
• Some of my most important tips include carrying petroleum jelly to mitigate dry plane air, choosing flag carrier airlines whenever possible, and using Skyscanner's "Everywhere" feature to get cheap flights.
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Over the last year, I have flown a lot: I've taken more than 30 flights in 20 countries since March 2018.

That's a lot of time in security lines, in airport lounges, in cramped plane seats, breathing stale, recycled air, and watching movies that I never would in "real" life.

Still, with every flight I take, I feel that flutter of excitement and anticipation as we get ready to take off. And, yes, it may be weird, but I get excited about finding out how above or below the mediocre baseline an airline's food is.

I've made more than a few rookie mistakes, even after visiting dozens of countries. Last August, I got fleeced for over $100 in fees on a flight with a budget airline. You never stop learning.