I follow airside operations on Instagram and check them on the way to the airport, especially during extreme weather, to see what the situation is like that day. It started when I began following an account that’s now been taken down: LAX Air Flight Ops. It was a bunch of guys who worked at the airport updating people with photos of planes taking off, what flights were delayed, stories of what their day was like. At any airport, search the hashtag #airsideops or #ATC to find accounts to follow.
Save space in your toiletry bag by swapping a few lotions for this product
I carry a jade face roller, which is an in-flight routine habit that I’ve picked up from my sister who is very, very into beauty. A lot of women like to travel with facial products, but they’re the hardest things to pack—there are so many of them. A jade roller is an easy way to depuff your face while you’re still in the air so you can arrive looking refreshed. It gets the circulation going in your face. On a long-haul flight, I use it both in the middle of the flight and upon landing.
Sidestep the tourists on the Amalfi Coast
There’s no place like the Amalfi Coast. Praiano is my favorite—it’s a little town between Amalfi and Positano and is very low-key. If you’re in Praiano, you’re shielded from the high traffic of tourism. I love the Hotel Grand Tritone, which has been there for 50 years. It’s reasonably priced, too; my room was $350, I think. A lot of those hotels [on the Amalfi Coast] don’t have beach clubs attached to them, but this is one of the few properties that has a private beach and a whole lounge area on the rocks attached to it. I went to Ischia [for the first time] this past August—it’s where they filmed The Talented Mr. Ripley, and I’ve heard it called the “new Capri.” It feels very classic, relaxed, and Italian. It’s a volcanic island, so our hotel had a collection of thermal baths. We swam in the Med, drank local wine and ate rabbit, which Ischia is known for.
Bring two pairs of headphones on every trip…
I always bring a pair of old-school, wired headphones on every trip—the ones that actually plug into your iPhone. I have nightmares about losing one of my AirPods on a trip or a long-haul flight, and then what do you do? You just have one AirPod.
… and always pack this in any carry-on
If I’ve had to check a bag, I always put an extra outfit in my carry-on. I learned that on my last Virgin Atlantic flight to London. We hadn’t even taken off and an aggressive amount of tequila had been dropped into my lap. I didn’t enjoy spending 10 hours smelling like a bottle of silver Patrón. The flight attendants felt bad for me, because even though I was in Premium Economy, they let me sit at the real bar on board and drink martinis, James Bond-style.
You can still visit Tulum without splurging