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When we travel by air, we're not just paying for a ticket, we're paying with our energy and patience (the proverbial 'blood, sweat and tears'). And if you travel often like I do (roughly twice a month), one of the most stressful parts of travel is the boarding process—unless you’re in first class of course. From the fact that you often can’t even hear which group they’re calling (some show this on a screen, which is helpful), to struggling to get your bag down the narrow aisle, to finding that the overhead bins are completely full (and having to put your bag in a bin in a row behind you), to the walk of shame on airlines without assigned seating, to feeling like a sardine once you actually get into your (regular coach) seat. Those of us who traveled before 2001 know that it hasn’t always been this complicated and uncomfortable. Let’s start with getting on the plane. Each airline has a different process—each with their pros and cons—but I don’t think any of th...

After a turbulent start, including me getting abandoned at the Ontario, California Airport circa 2012, and having my luggage destroyed on the way to Maui in 2016, I've had pretty good experiences on Alaska Airlines and am now a loyal passenger with MVP status on their mileage plan. They've made good on their mistakes, which I truly appreciate. I used to be a pretty loyal Southwest Airlines passenger customer, but after a lack of resolution and pathetic response to my customer service issues, the lack of food, and lack of legroom, I decided to instead spend my money with Alaska. If you are also a regular Alaska Airlines passenger, here are some tips and tricks to making your trips rock! 1. Download the Alaska Airlines app. Its better than most because you can not only check the status of your flight, but you can also change seats, get gate change and flight notifications and reserve some food items. 2. The food is pretty good. Sure you have to pay for it, but it...