Traveling makes you hotter
How a serial overpacker travels with just a carry-on, two new airport uniforms, and how traveling might just be the fountain of youth
It’s been a while!
I took a month off from Window Seat as I transitioned into a new full-time job. I’m so excited about it, but it’s come with long hours and quite a bit of stress. Despite this, it’s already been so rewarding and fulfilling in unexpected ways; I’m leading a team of ten—something I’ve been working toward my entire career (read: I finally get to be the opposite of all the shitty bosses I’ve had in the past)—and gradually operationalizing a department has allowed me to flex some of my best professional skills. The one not-so-great tradeoff? I went from having an unlimited PTO policy to having very much a limited ability to take time off. So, I’ll have to be even more deliberate about maximizing my travel.
To that end, I took a couple days off this week to spend a long weekend with family in Ohio, which has been the impetus for most of the content in today’s letter:
My failproof packing strategy for trips of any length
New fall airport uniforms
Long weekend carry-on-only packing list (from a serial overpacker)
Products I’m loving for in-flight hydration
Window Seat Airlines 🛫
Bringing you a 30,000-foot view of the best travel industry news:
New research says traveling makes you hotter. Can travel help us live longer? That’s the question posed by a recent study published in The Journal of Travel Research, which suggests that positive travel experiences—like meeting new people, sleeping better, having new life experiences, getting more physical activity, and relaxing/reducing stress—could help slow biological aging. Link to this study in your next PTO request!
This year, travel was all about leisure. Next year, Hilton says it’ll be about making the most of it. Hilton’s latest travel report shows a shift away from 2024's "Year of the Great Recharge" to 2025’s “Year of the Travel Maximizer”—travelers who are looking to combine relaxation with high-impact action to maximize both their time and financial investment. This will lead to new vacation trends like adventure tourism and slow travel, along with traveler archetypes like “MeMooners” and “Frolleagues.”
Big news for United fans: they just announced service to eight new cities, their most significant international expansion in history. In May 2025, United will launch five new nonstop flights from its hub in Newark/New York to destinations that no other U.S. airline serves like Palermo, Italy and Madeira Island, Portugal. For United travelers going abroad next summer, you’ll be spoiled for choice with more than 760 weekly flights—the carrier’s largest-ever transatlantic schedule.
My Failproof Packing Strategy
When it comes to packing, I like to approach it with the same precision as Michelin-starred chefs in their kitchens. Like them, I follow the principle of mise en place—a method where everything is organized before cooking begins. Here’s how I use these principles to plan, prepare, and pack thoughtfully and with purpose:
Read the recipe. AKA: familiarize yourself with all the elements of the trip so you understand everything you’ll need for the weather, events, and activities.
Gather ingredients and tools. A few days before your trip, pull everything out that you’re planning to pack and put it somewhere visible. This way, you’ll have a better chance of noticing if something is missing, whether you forgot to pull it out of your closet or need to buy something last minute.
Measure, chop, and prep. Shop for any last items you need, charge your batteries, fill up your travel-size toiletry containers, fold your clothes in packing cubes, and pack your items in organizers. Everything I pack has a home of some kind; nothing is ever just rolling around in my luggage. The night before I fly, I leave out a note to remind myself to pack things like my toothbrush and sleep mask—things I can’t pack away the night before.
Organize your prep. My favorite part—a real-life game of Tetris. I can’t overstate the joy I feel when arranging my suitcase so that every inch is perfectly packed. It really is a thing of beauty. But its function is even more important than its form; it makes unpacking into my hotel room (or once I return home) a breeze.
Fall Airport Uniforms + Carry-On Packing List
If you’ve been here for a minute, you know that I’m not a carry-on only kind of girl. So when it comes to getting ready for a long weekend trip—especially when I’m flying—packing light can be a bit of a struggle. While I love the comfort of having options, I can't ignore the hassle of lugging multiple bags for just a 3-4 day trip or the time saved by not having to be at the airport early to check a bag.
Which brings us to: How the hell does a serial overpacker pack just a carry-on for a long weekend trip?