Flights to Christmas, Florida from NT$4,116

If you're poorly prepared, airports and flying can be testing. But there's no need to hit the panic button just yet. Follow these helpful hints for a pain-free start to your vacation in Christmas.What to pack in your hand luggage:

• Air travel can be a cruisy experience if you carry the right gear. Firstly, you'll want a few toiletry items, such as deodorant and a toothbrush, a spare set of clothes and a good book. Next, make room in your bag for your electronic devices, chargers, any medications and perhaps a neck pillow too. Lastly, don't forget to take your passport, travel docs and some money.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• Double-check that you don't have sharp objects (like a knife or scissors) lurking in your carry-on luggage. Other banned items include flammable or explosive goods, such as fuel and matches, and gels and liquids in containers larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters).

What to wear on a flight:

• Comfort should be your prime concern when deciding what to wear on board. Consider your choice of footwear with care too, as swollen feet and ankles can be a side effect of flying. Roomy, closed-toed shoes are your best bet.
• A serious condition by the name of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) can pose a risk on long-distance flights. It's the result of blood clotting due to poor circulation and inactivity. Doing regular foot and leg exercises while seated helps to prevent this occurring. Wearing a high-quality pair of compression tights or socks is also recommended.

Being prepared before you arrive at the airport will help make your trip to Christmas quick and painless. We've compiled some handy tips and tricks for a swift journey past security:

• Security personnel first need to see that you have a valid passport and matching travel documents before you're allowed to proceed any further. Keep them within easy reach.
• Time to strip down. Well kind of. Your belt, coat, keys and other items in your pocket, like your headphones, will need to go on a tray through the X-ray machine. Make the whole process faster by removing them as it gets closer to your turn.
• Your electronic gadgets like laptops and phones will also have to go through the machine to be scanned. Don't worry, you'll be back online before you know it.
• Any gels or liquids, such as perfume or hand cream, that you want to take on board need to be in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters). Also, everything must fit inside a quart-size (one liter), zip-lock bag.
• There's a possibility that you'll be required to remove your shoes for scanning, so wearing lightweight sneakers is always a smart idea.
• Airlines won't allow any pocket knives or other sharp items in your carry-on baggage. If you need to bring these kinds of items, pack them in your checked baggage.