Flights to St. Charles, Illinois from NT$3,307

If you're poorly prepared, airports and flying can be tough. But there's no need to panic. Follow these handy hints and enjoy a trouble-free start to your vacation in St. Charles. What to pack in your hand luggage:

• The secret to having a hassle-free travel experience is to be prepared. So, let's start with the essentials: passport, official ID, credit cards and important medications. Next, bring on board items that'll help keep you occupied, like some electronic devices or a magazine. You'll also want to pack your chargers, a comfy neck pillow and a pair of earphones. And of course, be sure to pop in toiletry items like a toothbrush, deodorant and a clean set of clothes.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• While the list of banned items differs between airlines, the general rule of thumb is nothing flammable, sharp or explosive. This includes things like box cutters, razor blades, fireworks and fuel. Sports equipment like ski poles, and objects that could injure passengers, such as pepper spray and guns, can't come on board with you either.

What to wear on a flight:

• Comfort should be your top priority when deciding what to wear on your flight. Loose clothing is a sensible option, as are enclosed shoes like sneakers.
• Caused by prolonged periods of inactivity, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot condition that can affect some passengers during long flights. Lower your risks by drinking water, keeping your legs and feet moving and wearing compression socks or tights.

As savvy travelers know, the secret is to be prepared before you reach airport security. That way, you'll be boarding that plane to St. Charles in no time at all. Follow these helpful tips and get your trip off to a spectacular start:

• Have your travel documents and passport easily accessible. They're the first things you'll be asked for by security.
• Time to strip down. Well kind of. Your coat, belt, keys and other items in your pocket, like your earphones, will be required to go through the X-ray machine. Make the whole process easier by removing them as it gets closer to your turn.
• Electronic devices like phones and laptops will also have to go through the machine to be scanned. Don't worry, you'll be back online in no time.
• Any gels or liquids, such as perfume or hand cream, that you want to take on board need to be in containers no greater than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters). They must also all fit inside a quart-size (one liter), zip-lock bag.
• There's a possibility that you'll be required to remove your shoes to be X-rayed, so wearing lightweight sneakers is always a good idea.
• Knives and other sharp items can't be taken on board. They'll be seized at security, so put them in your checked luggage.