Flights to Bloomington, Minneapolis - St. Paul from NT$3,050

If you're not prepared, air travel can be overwhelming. But there's no need to panic. Follow these handy hints for a hassle-free start to your time in Bloomington. What to pack in your hand luggage:

• Air travel can be a cruisy experience if you pack the right stuff. Firstly, you'll want a few basic toiletries, such as deodorant and a toothbrush, a fresh change of clothes and something to read. Next, make room in your bag for your mobile phone, a charger, any medications and maybe a comfy neck pillow as well. Lastly, remember to take your passport, travel documents and some cash.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• Make sure you don't have a pocket knife lurking in your hand luggage. Other banned items include explosive or flammable goods, such as aerosol cans and bleach, and gels and liquids in containers larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters).

What to wear on a flight:

• Comfort should be your highest priority when deciding what to wear during your flight. Loose clothing is a smart choice, as are roomy, closed-toe shoes.
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a risk on long-haul flights. It's the result of blood clotting due to poor circulation and inactivity, so do some gentle leg and foot exercises in your seat and consider wearing compression tights or socks.

The answer is — be prepared. We've rounded up some helpful hints for a speedy trip through security. Look out Bloomington, here you come:

• Your passport and boarding pass will need to be shown to security personnel. Keep them someplace accessible so you don't have to dig around for them.
• The X-ray machine comes next. Empty your pockets and remove anything metal that is likely to set off the scanner's alarm. This includes items like earphones or headphones, as well as heavy jackets or coats. They'll need to be placed on the conveyor belt for screening.
• Your electronic devices like laptops and phones will also need to go on a tray for inspection. Don't worry, you'll be back online before you know it.
• Remove all liquids and gels from your carry-on luggage. They often need to be sent through the X-ray separately. Each product should be in a container no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and everything must fit in a quart-size (one liter), clear zip-close bag.
• Slip-on shoes are a sensible footwear choice as you're less likely to be asked to remove them when going through security. Safety boots and other heavy-style shoes are usually subjected to extra screening.
• Airlines will not allow any sharp objects in your hand luggage. If you must bring these kinds of items, pack them in your checked baggage.