Flights to Ermatingen, Canton of Thurgau from NT$6,323

If you're poorly prepared, air travel can be overwhelming. But there's no need to panic. Follow these handy tips for a pleasant start to your getaway in Ermatingen. What to pack in your hand luggage:

• Flying can be easy if you bring the right stuff. Firstly, you'll need basic toiletries, such as lip balm and hand cream, a spare change of clothes and a few magazines. Next, leave space in your hand luggage for your electronic gadgets, chargers, any vital medications and maybe a blow-up neck pillow as well. Lastly, remember to bring your passport, travel documents and some money.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• While the list of banned items differs between air carriers, the general rule of thumb is avoid carrying anything sharp, flammable or explosive. This includes things like screwdrivers, blades, fuels and bleaching agents. Sporting equipment like bows and arrows, and objects that could injure passengers, such as pepper spray and guns, aren't allowed in the cabin either.

What to wear on a flight:

• Your main priority is to feel as comfortable as you can. Pick a pair of slip-on shoes, dress in loose, natural-fiber clothing and remember to take a sweater in case you get cold in the cabin.
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a risk on long-distance flights. It results from blood clotting due to inactivity and poor circulation, so do some gentle leg and foot exercises in your seat and consider wearing compression socks.

As seasoned travelers know, the secret is to be well prepared before you get to the airport security gate. That way, you'll be boarding that plane to Ermatingen in no time flat. Follow these tips and get your trip off to a great start:

• Your boarding pass and passport will need to be shown to security personnel. Keep them someplace accessible so you don't hold up the queue.
• After that, both you and your carry-on bag will be X-rayed. To make the process quick and painless, remove anything that might trigger the alarms. Items like your coat, belt and earphones need to go through the machine.
• For just a few minutes, you'll need to unplug from the digital world. Your phone, laptop and any other electronic devices will need to go through the scanner.
• Remember to remove gels and liquids from your carry-on bag. They usually need to be sent through the X-ray scanner 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-lock bag.
• There's a good chance you'll be required to remove your shoes for scanning, so wearing slip-on sneakers is always a clever idea.
• Airlines won't allow any sharp items or pocket knives to come on board with you. If you need to bring these kinds of items, pack them safely in your checked baggage.