Flights to Christmas, Florida from NT$19,393

If you're not prepared, airports and flying can be a real challenge. But there's no need to panic. Follow these handy tips and enjoy a pain-free start to your vacation in Christmas. What to pack in your hand luggage:

• Air travel can be a pleasure if you take the right things. First things first, you'll need toiletry items, such as a toothbrush and lip balm, a spare pair of socks and a few magazines. Next, leave space in your hand luggage for your electronic gadgets, chargers, any daily medications and perhaps a comfy neck pillow as well. Lastly, remember to take your passport, travel documents and some money.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• Check carefully that you don't have sharp objects (like a knife or scissors) hiding in one of the compartments of your hand luggage. Other restricted items include flammable or explosive substances, such as bleach and fuel, and liquids and gels in containers with a volume of more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters).

What to wear on a flight:

• You'll want to choose comfort over style. Prepare for changes in cabin temperature by layering up, and wear slightly roomy, flat shoes like sneakers.
• Caused by sustained periods of immobility, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clotting condition that can affect passengers during long-haul flights. Lower your risks by drinking water, keeping your legs moving and wearing compression socks to help improve your circulation.

The answer is simple — be prepared. We've put together some top tips for a speedy trip through airport security. Look out Christmas, here you come:

• Airport security personnel first need to know that you have a valid ID and matching boarding pass before anything else. Keep them within easy reach.
• After that, both you and your carry-on luggage must be X-rayed. To speed things up, take off anything that might trigger the alarms. Items like your belt, coat and headphones will be required to go through the machine.
• For just a few minutes, you'll need to unplug from technology. Your phone, tablet and any other electronics also need to go through the scanner.
• Remove gels and liquids from your hand luggage. They usually need to be sent through the X-ray separately. Each item should be in a container no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and everything must fit inside a quart-size (one liter), clear zip-lock bag.
• The right choice of footwear can save you valuable minutes. Boots and heavy shoes are often required to be removed and separately scanned. Lightweight sneakers are usually not.
• Airlines will not allow any sharp items or pocket knives in the cabin. If you need to bring these kinds of items, put them in your checked luggage.