Your Ultra-Budget-Airline Survival Kit Wirecutter

Real Talk

Advice, staff picks, mythbusting, and more. Let us help you. Share this postSaveWhen you’re on a legacy carrier, the in-flight experience isn’t much different from Standard Economy, though your odds of getting the middle seat skyrocket. But on ultra-low-cost carriers—such as Allegiant, Frontier, or Spirit—you pay for food and drinks, and there’s no on-board entertainment, Wi-Fi, or power outlets. (Spirit promises Wi-Fi soon.) So, along with your and a , add these items to your packing list. This tablet has enough memory to hold the hours of content you downloaded at home, and it’s sized for teensy budget-airline tray tables. Pack your meal at home in this insulated bag. Sandwiches, fruit, and cookies are okay to bring through security, though soups or stews aren’t. This comfortable-to-wear pair effectively cancels airplane noise, coils up for easy transport, and lets you listen via Bluetooth or an included cable. This pillow won’t support your head as well as a traditional travel pillow, but you can sit on it if necessary—budget-airline seats can be hard. Wearing compression socks can help prevent deep vein thrombosis on flights. These shouldn’t bunch up, and they even manage to look somewhat stylish.

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