Travel Buddy with Switchfly | Things Travel Has Convinced Us Are Normal

Five tickets on one phone. A security outfit planned down to the shoes. A seat on a busy terminal floor because it’s next to the only outlet. Frequent travelers accept habits that would sound unhinged anywhere else, and most of us stopped noticing a long time ago.

In this episode, Rachel Satow and Ian Andersen of Switchfly compare notes on the things travel has made normal. They cover how early to get to the airport, the tells that give away a first-timer at security, and the strange economics of paying to pick a seat you already bought, refusing (or maxing out) checked bags, and nine-dollar airport water. They also get into lounge rules, the seat-recline debate, flying with young kids, and the hotel details that signal a good stay, from a light switch you can reach from bed to checking the sheets before you unpack. Their rules of the road: embrace the weird, forgive other travelers’ foibles, and take the tiny products home.

Connect with Switchfly
Website: https://www.switchfly.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/switchfly/
X: https://twitter.com/switchfly
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SwitchflyOfficial

Chapters
[00:00] The strange habits travel makes normal
[00:55] Long lines, spreadsheets, and five tickets on one phone
[02:08] Planning every detail, then hurry up and wait
[03:54] Three hours early or right at boarding?
[06:56] The tells of a seasoned traveler at security
[09:34] Wallet phone cases, packing light, and the velvet suit
[11:46] Lounge rules and the USO
[13:02] Paying for a seat you already bought
[14:20] Window or aisle, and shoes off on the plane
[15:50] Airport prices and the free cup of water
[17:15] The seat-recline debate
[19:05] Crowding the gate, and why seasoned travelers just sit down
[21:42] Carrying everything you own, everywhere
[23:39] One bag, checked bags, and the Joey Tribbiani method
[25:44] Flying with young kids
[29:12] Hotel habits: tiny products and outlets within reach
[30:45] Complain nicely, because hotels have discretion
[31:23] Black lights, bedbugs, and checking the sheets
[34:57] The hotel robe question
[36:40] Embrace the weird
[38:11] Three rules of travel

Mentioned Episode
Travel Buddy Ep.43 "Creating Exceptional Moments for Unmatched Customer Experiences"

#TravelHabits #FrequentFlyerTips #AirportSecurity #SeatSelectionFees #CheckedBagFees #AirportLounges #AirlineAncillaryRevenue #TravelLoyalty #HotelTips #FamilyTravel

Creators and Guests

Host

Ian Andersen

Demand Gen & Marketing Operations Manager

Host

Rachel Satow

Senior Marketing Strategist

What is Travel Buddy with Switchfly?

See more at Switchfly.com

Rachel Satow: It's almost like the rule
of travel is to embrace the weird, and

you have to just be comfortable with
being uncomfortable and doing things that

you wouldn't do in any other scenario.

Speaker: Welcome to Travel
Buddy, presented by Switchfly.

In this podcast, we talk about all
things travel, rewards, and loyalty.

Let's get to it.

Brandon Giella: So we have all accepted
some weird things about traveling,

and I think if you're a pretty avid
traveler, there are some contexts,

situations, and so on where you might
stand out from the crowd a little bit.

We've all got our stories where
you can pick out a very seasoned

traveler and somebody, this is
their first time at the airport.

And so we wanna talk about the fun
things that we, you can see that,

where travel has convinced you that
these things are normal, and to most

other people, they're not that normal.

And so Rachel was kind enough to send
us a list of questions that we are gonna

go through, because I have my notes.

I have my notes, Rachel.

So I would love to hear,
from you guys first.

First question: What's something about
traveling that would sound completely

insane if you tried to explain it to
someone who had never traveled before?

Rachel Satow: I think the just blind
acceptance of standing in lines and

having at least five different tickets
on your, on your phone at any given time.

I mean, I personally just, I-- Ian
and I are both this way, but when

it comes to planning travel, we
are, we break out the spreadsheets.

We are like, "What is the
best way to go about this?

What is the route that can be
going through, like, that I can

take that is going to be the
cheapest and most efficient way

to get to where I want to go?"

And I think, if I was explaining travel
to someone who had never traveled

before, it is both the most stressful
and wonderful experience you'll ever

get to have because, you learn so much
along the way, but getting there is

usually the trickiest part, and you
have to accept a lot of really weird

things that wouldn't happen in any
other scenario when you're traveling.

like I, I mentioned,
like standing in lines.

You're standing in that security line
when you get on, when you get on a plane.

sometimes you're gonna sleep in
public, and while, while you're on

Brandon Giella: All the time

Rachel Satow: layover or you're gonna eat
meals at, like, the most absurd times too.

So your whole schedule just gets
totally upended and, it's rewarding,

but it's also, like, kinda stressful.

Brandon Giella: It is

Ian Andersen: I mean, I, I just, m- the,
the spreadsheet point, I, just booked

our Christmas travel down to see my,
my parents for, for the kids and the

wife, and she's gonna make a little
detour, to go see her dad for a few days.

And so I have it all planned out and,
you know, I spend so much time and

I'm checking, you know, prices on
one airline versus another and, you

know, kinda doing the whole thing.

And, could all be for nothing, right?

Like, a snowstorm could hit and, a
mechanical problem with one of the

planes and, like, I've spent hours and
several thousand dollars that could just

be, like, totally changed on a whim.

you know, we justâ¦

That's how it is, right?

Brandon Giella: That, that
idea of like hurry up and wait.

Like hurry up, plan everything,
get everything in line, and then

you're, you're there and you're like,
"Okay, I think I'm here on time."

And then you just sit there for like an
hour, and everybody else is sitting there

for an hour and you have no idea whether
you're actually gonna get on the plane.

Ian Andersen: and you're hurrying
up and you get through and you get,

make it through security and you're
just, you know, you put on your, like,

security travel clothes 'cause they're
just easy, you know, to deal with.

And like, oh, and now your
flight's delayed six hours.

Like, you did

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Ian Andersen: do any of that,

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Yes.

Ian Andersen: That's

Brandon Giella: It's like if I wish I had
known that this was going to happen, I

would have done this totally differently,
but you never know until you live there.

It's like, it's like you're living
on the frontier of life, you know?

It's just, it's so unknown,
and it's so exciting.

You have no idea if this
is gonna work out or not.

Eee, you know?

It's great.

Okay, on that point, though, are
you guys like get there three

hours early or get there right as
you're boarding kind of people?

Rachel Satow: Oh, I'm
somewhere in between.

I'm not a three hours early person,
but I won't-- cause me too much

anxiety if I wait until the last minute
and I'm the last person to board.

So I'm more of a like, I'll casually
roll up like 30 minutes beforehand, and

that's, that's what I work with usually.

Brandon Giella: Okay.

Okay.

Bold choice.

Rachel Satow: Yeah.

Ian Andersen: to the gate?

Okay

Rachel Satow: I'm that person that
walks to the gate, makes sure that the

gate is there and I know where it is,
and then I go do what I need to do,

Ian Andersen: Yeah,

Brandon Giella: Yeah, fair

Ian Andersen: of course.

Rachel Satow: sends me the

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

First thing through security is
always see where the gate is, right?

Like,

Brandon Giella: Yeah, I don't know
what kind of psycho doesn't do that.

Yeah

Ian Andersen: Yeah, and then, and
then go do your other peripheries.

Yeah, I, I'm, I vary by airport.

You know, I have, kind of a, a
rule of thumb for each airport

as far as time goes, so,

Brandon Giella: Impressive

Ian Andersen: know.

And then, like, with pre-check and
stuff, that's definitely cut down my,

my timeline for getting to airports.

So it's, it's pretty variable.

I'm, I'm not a, like, two-plus
hour early, I also don't wanna be

rushed, so I try to kinda ti- you
know, find the sweet spot there

Brandon Giella: Well, I, I see the, kind
of silent, implicit, making fun of this

guy because I like getting there three
hours early because that is the maximum

allowable time before you can go into a
lounge before your flight, is three hours.

So I like to time that perfectly
where I'm in there, and then I

just veg 'cause I get free food,
it's quieter, and it's really nice.

I can sit and have a call or
do my work or lately, you know,

my kids are running around.

I get them fed, which is nice.

But the thing I like about showing
up that early is because I think the

thing that I notice traveling more
than at any other time in life is I

can feel others' anxiety palpably.

Like, I can just sense that everyone
is freaking out, and they're so

afraid of missing their plane.

They're running, and they're
like, "Do I have all my things?

Is my passport in my bag?

Like, I'm not sure," you know?

And I'm just so self-aware that I likeâ¦

I, I, I fight against it and become this
like Zen monk walking into the airport,

and I just really enjoy being there early.

what is, what is something thatâ¦

Ian Andersen: sadist, right?

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Yeah, it's a little schadenfreude.

You know, I just see other
people's, you know, terror,

and I'm just like, "No, no, no.

That is not the way.

I am inhabiting the way of peace."

We saw this, my wife and I saw this video
one time that was like, "I want other

people to worship me in the airport at
how efficient I am at getting through."

And I always think about that.

Okay,

Ian Andersen: their

Brandon Giella: what is someâ¦

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Brandon Giella: So yeah.

So related to that, what is something
you guys can tell, that somebody's, an

experienced, seasoned traveler versus
somebody who's kind of new at this?

What is something that
you see between you two?

Rachel Satow: And get always, for me, like
boils down to how efficiently they can

get through security, and specifically
how efficiently they can pick up all

of their things after it's gone through
the scanner and put their shoes back on.

'Cause there's always, it, like
that is the tell for me, and it

is what I strive to be fastest at.

It's almost like a game

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Rachel Satow: where it's like I, I need to
not only wear something that, it, to Ian,

your point, I have a whole outfit that
I am like, "This is my security outfit.

This is the outfit I'm going
to be comfortable in, but also

isn't gonna cause any problems."

Like, I don't have jewelry
on c- and what is the fastest

shoe I can put on and take off?

so I think, that's the tell for me is like
I can clock somebody who has done this

because they are so fast, it's like you
don't even see them put their shoes on.

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Yes.

Yes

Ian Andersen: I think first, the, the
first sign is are you going to the

regular line or the pre-check line?

'Cause right

Brandon Giella: for sure.

Ian Andersen: yeah, we're,
you're, yeah, you're amateur.

And then even though, even
beyond that is, a laptop.

Like, if you have a laptop bag where
it's easy to take in, out, and you're,

like, already doing it, God bless you.

otherwise, sitting there standing
and waiting for people to unpack,

like, half their bag to get their
laptop or, you know, large electronic

devices out, that's, that's always a

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Rachel Satow: And

Brandon Giella: I saw thisâ¦

Rachel Satow: I can

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Rachel Satow: has- isn't a traveler
because they walk into the security line

with like a bottle of water still, and

Ian Andersen: Yeah

Rachel Satow: you're watching
them chug the water on the side.

Like, guys, this isâ¦

You can't have

Ian Andersen: Wear,
don't, don't wear a belt.

just don't wear

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Ian Andersen: right?

Brandon Giella: And have your ID handy.

You know, it's like I, I saw this
woman recently when I was, I was

traveling, and this was international,
so I, I have some grace there.

It's like kinda, kinda
tough on, on some folks.

But she must have had five bags on her,
and digging through to find her ID or

her passport to get up to the line,
it like, it was just like, have youâ¦

You know that you gotta
get your ID out, right?

At some point.

Why is it in the middle
of your largest bag?

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Brandon Giella: so anyway

Ian Andersen: thing I've ever gotten,
and I will never be without one again,

is the, like, wallet phone case,

Brandon Giella: that's a good one.

Yep

Ian Andersen: like
everything's right there.

You know, my boarding pass, the mobile
boarding pass, my IDs, like whatever

you need, I got it right here and

Brandon Giella: Yep.

Yep.

That is where I can tell
an experienced traveler.

My, my answer to that was,
they're light packers.

Like, they know exactly what
they need to bring to have a

great time and nothing more.

And I can tell they just
have, like, one little bag.

It's very well, like, zipped up and
tidy, and they're wearing, like, the

right clothes that are comfy, and I just
think that's probably my goal in life.

And I keep thinking aboutâ¦

What I kept coming back down to was,
like, others' anxiety is a big theme

to answer all these questions, and then
another one was, like, merino wool.

I think I just want, like, three
items of clothing that I wear every

day, and I don't wash them, and I
just have that, and that's all I own.

I think that's where I'm going in life.

Yeah

Ian Andersen: isn't that the, the whole
Steve Jobs thing is like just own multiple

pairs of the same thing and you don't

Brandon Giella: Yes

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Brandon Giella: Yes.

But with merino wool, you
don't have to wash it.

So you wear, like, one outfit for, likeâ¦

There's, like, the, the 100-day
challenge from one of the companies.

So you wear the same shirt for 100
days without washing it is theirâ¦

That's their, like, campaign for
their marketing, and I'm like,

"That, I could get down with that.

That sounds great."

My wife hates it

Ian Andersen: but it just reminds
me of the, Seinfeld, like wearing

a full suit of velvet everywhere.

You know, the like,
the full velvet outfit.

Yeah.

That'sâ¦

Brandon Giella: If,

Ian Andersen: I could

Brandon Giella: it does wick, it
doesn't, get smoking on you, you

know, like a velvet smoking jacket.

So maybe it does actually doesn't smell.

You wear it for 100 days and it's great.

So there's your new travel
outfit for 2027, is a velvet suit

Ian Andersen: I, feel, like my wife
will not let me try that challenge.

Like, I'd

Brandon Giella: Yeah, same.

Ian Andersen: yeah.

I, I'll get some pushback here

Brandon Giella: Yes, yes, yes.

well let'sâ¦

Yeah, go ahead

Ian Andersen: thankfully, it was
not my intention, but a side benefit

of joining the military are USOs.

They're the best ' we're always
trying to figure out, like,

can we go to this club now?

Can we, like, take the kids?

Can weâ¦

You know, like, it's always such a pain.

But you can just go to the USO and
it's great and comfortable, and

there's always food and nice people.

It's, it's usually busy, but
you can always find a nice seat.

Like it's, it's busy, but not
crowded, I would say, usually

Brandon Giella: Maybe I
should join the military.

Ian Andersen: There you go.

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Ian Andersen: Hey, hey,

Brandon Giella: All right

Ian Andersen: man.

That's hard to beat.

Brandon Giella: Have to be.

That sounds, that sounds like aâ¦

May, maybe that's the plan.

Maybe, maybe the United States wants
more people in the military, and so

healthcare is expensive, traveling's hard.

Anyway, okay.

Weirdâ¦

speaking of economics,
weird economics of travel.

What are things to you guys
that are, like, always worth the

money or never worth the money?

Ian Andersen: Question

Rachel Satow: That's a good question.

I personally will, I will
pay to get a window seat.

Like, that is just who Iâ¦

But, but also, it's completely
insane that we have to pay for

seats, to choose seats when we've

already paid to be on, to be on the plane.

So like, I've already purchased my
seat, but now I have to pay for my seat

again But

Brandon Giella: Yes

Rachel Satow: spend, I will spend
the money for a window seat.

I am a, like, side, like a r- a, I'm
I'm a rest-er when I, when I'm flying,

and I will knock out on a plane, which
again, is objectively like a really weird

thing that travel has totally made us
okay with, is the s- crazy places that

you will sleep because you, you get,
you know, you're, the, I don't know if

it has to do with the pressure, but I
instantly fall asleep on a plane, and

I need something to rest my head on.

So I will always splurge

Ian Andersen: Very envious.

Brandon Giella: I can't sleep at all.

I can never sleep on a plane

Ian Andersen: I, I prefer the aisle, but

Brandon Giella: Same.

Same

Rachel Satow: Is it because you don't
wanna have to crawl over anybody?

Brandon Giella: Yeah, 100%.

Ian Andersen: yeah, and it's
just more room, you know,

Brandon Giella: Yep.

Ian Andersen: You can kinda

Brandon Giella: Yep

Ian Andersen: a little more.

And, and sitting, like either
in the middle or the window,

I'm always just crammed.

Like,

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Ian Andersen: like this, like no

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: So it's just nice to
be able to r- relax somewhat onâ¦

You know what drives me nuts, though,
speaking of being too comfortable

on airplanes, are people taking
their shoes off like immediately.

You know?

That's that,

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Ian Andersen: just a mild annoyance,
but it is a routine annoyance of

like, just keep your shoes on.

You know, wear comfortable shoes.

Brandon Giella: Especially
the bare feet situation.

I've seen that quite a lot, and it's
like, ah, nobody, nobody wants that.

no.

Ian Andersen: No,

Brandon Giella: you are, in the aisle,
the first to get snacks, so that's

a, that's a, that's a good perk.

but to your point, Rachel, there's
this billionaire that I follow and, he

wrote that the two things you should
always pay for when you have the

money is a private plane and a view.

And so in this case you, you get, like,
half of those, which is pretty good, so,

Rachel Satow: Yeah.

Brandon Giella: so it's good advice.

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

right.

Brandon Giella: Crowded plane, but

Rachel Satow: I'm,

Brandon Giella: yeah.

Ian Andersen: the private plan, yeah.

Rachel Satow: yeah, I'm

Ian Andersen: Yeah

Rachel Satow: of the way there.

Ian Andersen: Yeah

Brandon Giella: To being a billionaire.

Rachel Satow: It's a big affiliate, yeah

Brandon Giella: That's great.

That's great.

anything that strikes you as just, like,
objectively expensive at the airport

that you're like, "That is justâ¦"

Ian Andersen: Everyâ¦

Brandon Giella: yeah, of course, yeah.

Fair

Ian Andersen: a bottle of water
for, like, nine bucks or whatever.

I mean,

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: it's re-
for, for no reason, right?

Like, we're not on a mountaintop
in middle of nowhere where stuff's

hard to, like, know, bring in.

You're at the airport.

Literally everything is easy to bring in.

But it's all 19 times more
expensive than it needs to be

Brandon Giella: A seasoned traveler will
tell you to go to Starbucks or Chick-fil-A

first and get a cup of water with
whatever you're ordering, and that way

you have it with you on the plane for free

Rachel Satow: can just go
there for the cup of water.

They're not gonna judge you on that.

I have

Brandon Giella: That's fair.

That's fair.

You can do that

Ian Andersen: at Starbucks is
always, like, an hour and a half long

Brandon Giella: Uh-huh.

You can order ahead though.

You can pick a, an actual, like, little
store on gate C20 or whatever, and you

go on your app, and it's right there.

Also, seasoned traveler tip I saw
one time, 'cause somebody, I was

like sitting in this long line, and
they're like, "You know you can just

order on the app and go pick it up,
and they'll tell you when it's ready?"

And I was like, "Gosh, that's so smart.

I am so dumb."

one per- I read this article once
that, silence is, a luxury of the

wealthy, and so I will pay for silence.

I will go to the lounge in a quiet place.

Ian Andersen: same.

And

Brandon Giella: That's worth it.

Yep, that's worth it

Ian Andersen: what about, okay, this
is a weird, I, I hadn't really heard

the controversy, and I don't think
it's particularly controversial

'cause I don't really care, but the,
I have heard it multiple times now

of do you lean the seat back or not?

Like, whose space is that, right?

Of if you lean the seat back.

Rachel Satow: is

Ian Andersen: Yeah, My seat's going back.

I'm sorry.

Like, it's going back

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You gotta be prepared for it, you know?

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Brandon Giella: be prepared for that

Rachel Satow: But

Ian Andersen: And I'm

Rachel Satow: you don't get more space
because if everybody just leans their

seat back, you're just moving into
somebody else's space that they have

to move into, the other person's space.

And then you know who
doesn't get to do that?

The people all the way in the
back of the plane with the

Ian Andersen: They should have

Rachel Satow: seat.

Brandon Giella: yeah, yeah.

Ian Andersen: earlier.

Yeah

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Rachel Satow: They, should have
splurged on the window seat.

Ian Andersen: yeah.

No, I, I, I am, I'm over 40, and like
I mentioned, a career military person.

My back hurts.

Like, that seat's going back.

I can't sit straight
up for hours at a time.

So yeah, that's,

Brandon Giella: don't know if I'm
like Gumby or something, but I

don't need to lean back typically.

I mean, like, sometimes it's helpful
on, like, really long flights,

but I think I'm okay with it up.

'Cause then you get into game theory
of Rachel's point of, like, you're at a

stadium and, like, one person stands up.

It's like, "Well, now we're
all gonna stand up," you know?

Ian Andersen: Well,

Brandon Giella: That's annoying

Ian Andersen: the jerk that's
gonna ruin it for everybody

and make everyone have toâ¦

Because, like, and I mean, I'm doing
it when the flight attendant buckles

in, like before, because at that
point I know she's not gonna get

up and make me my seat forward, so

Rachel Satow: All of the

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Rachel Satow: listening to this right
now are gonna be like, "Anna Anderson,

Ian Andersen: I'm gonna watch it veryâ¦

Rachel Satow: We're,

Ian Andersen: We'll have

Rachel Satow: for

Ian Andersen: my picture.

Brandon Giella: That's right.

Ian Andersen: No.

Brandon Giella: one thing that, some
of the, the questions were about,

like, what's, like, ridiculous, in a
travel context, but, like, everywhere

else would be totally normal.

And what comes to mind is my number
one pet peeve with traveling, and

is people crowding an area when
you don't need to crowd the area.

So three examples.

One, getting onto the plane.

If you are in group six, you can
sit down until they call group six.

You don't need to stand there and
make it harder for everybody else.

Number two, when the plane lands and
pulls up to the gate and they turn the

engines off, and everybody immediately
stands up and grabs their bags.

You can sit down because we have at least
another 15 minutes until we are ready to

go, and you make everybody's lives harder.

Number three, when you go and get your
bags and you are sitting in front of

the carousel to get your bag, if you
are standing there and your bag is

literally not on the carousel, you are
making everyone's life so much harder

to try to get around you to go get
their bag because yours is not there.

You can move away from the carousel
and let other people get their bag

because it is there and yours is not.

Okay, I rest my case.

Those are myâ¦

That is my number one pet peeve
while traveling that would be

ridiculous anywhere else, but because
of anxiety, we must be standing.

That's my soapbox

Rachel Satow: pro tip for, looking like
you know what you're doing, and being a

seasoned traveler is just sitting down.

Go sit

Brandon Giella: Just sit down.

Ian Andersen: Dress

Brandon Giella: The
plane is not gonna leave.

Ian Andersen: Yeah

Brandon Giella: It is not gonna leave you.

You will board the plane.

Just sit down.

You'll be okay.

Everyone will be okay.

That's my presidential campaign for 2026

Ian Andersen: There you go.

Rachel Satow: Got my vote

Ian Andersen: weird side benefit that
I exploit unnecessarily is, the, the

military, like, priority se- priority

Brandon Giella: Oh, that's nice.

Yeah

Ian Andersen: that'sâ¦

I, I don't care what group I'm
in, I'm going up front, so.

Brandon Giella: That's great

Rachel Satow: Brandon, is just
like being sold on the idea of

Ian Andersen: yeah

Rachel Satow: life

Brandon Giella: I s-

Rachel Satow: the

Brandon Giella: I'm
gonna join the military.

I don't know what I'm gonna do.

I'm gonna, I don't know.

I got type-y hands.

I sit inside in the air
conditioning all day.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do
in the military, but I don't know.

I'll, maybe I'll figure it out

Ian Andersen: Yeah, there'sâ¦

You can type stuff.

There's all kinds

Brandon Giella: They need typey people.

Yeah, I don't know.

Ian Andersen: we absolutely do

Rachel Satow: I think another thing
that is, like, a weird travel thing

that you probably would not have in,
in any other scenario except for,

like, if your house was on fire and
you needed to get everything out, is,

like, carry every important possession
you have with you when you travel.

And, like, it's completely nothing.

You'll have your passport, you'll have
your wallet, you'll have your computer,

you'll have every- everything that
bring you comfort in that process, and,

like, every important documentation you
have with you all just, like, crammed

into your tiny little bag, and then you
have to take it with you everywhere.

If you're traveling alone, thing, the,
all of those important documents and

that whole thing, that whole bag is
going into the bathroom stall with you.

Like, that is

Brandon Giella: A thousand percent.

Yeah, I am never, I'm never
departing from that bag.

Yeah.

Rachel Satow: That if I don't have
eyes on that bag, we have a problem.

Brandon Giella: Yeah,
we have a major problem.

There, there's this guy that I
like, his name's Jeremy Malouf.

Jeremy, if you're listening, I'm really
inspired by your, your one bag travel.

But he has one bag with, like, 27 items.

It's all he owns.

Lives in New York.

He's got his, like, you know,
obviously phone, laptop, and, like,

he, he has six outfits and, like,
everyday carry items stuffed in, and

he wrote it, the, his most recent
blog post, he wrote that he lost it.

Somebody stole it while he was traveling.

He lost everything he owned in one night.

but he had this great post about, like,
I, I have been preparing for this to

happen, so I've, like, hardened my
security, my digital security life,

and I can go get my new â¦ You know,
I know the order of things to go, like,

replace all those items and everything.

But I just thought that was so funny
that, like, everything he owned.

But yeah, I'm watching that like a hawk

Ian Andersen: I need to get my
wife to, to sign on to the one

bag, like check bag theory,

Brandon Giella: Right?

Ian Andersen: we

Brandon Giella: That's beautiful.

Ian Andersen: my entire
house every time we

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Ian Andersen: it seems like for

Brandon Giella: Yes

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Yeah.

I don't, get it.

And thenâ¦

Rachel Satow: isâ¦

Ian Andersen: Well sh- and then
she'll, she'll have these enormous

bags and I'll say like, "W- why?

Like, why do you need that?"

And she, and it's, know,
to make things easier.

But then somehow she always has even
more stuff and asks me if I have room

in my bag to put, like, m- even more
stu- Like, I don't, I don't get it.

get it

Brandon Giella: D- do you ha-

Rachel Satow: is that's one
thing I will not pay for.

I'm not paying for a checked bag.

I don't care if I am flying overseas
and I'm going to be there for a month.

I will look like Joey Tribbiani in that
one episode of Friends where he puts on

all

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Rachel Satow: the clothes
all of Chandler's.

That's me in, with my carry-on.

Like, I will â¦ I- I'm not
paying for a checked bag

Brandon Giella: I was that way
until I had kids, and then I'm

like, I'm checking everyâ¦

Do you want my shoes?

I'm checking my shoes.

I'm pulling out my headphones.

Like, you can have these.

Like, I will check everything so
that I am nimble, so that when my

three-year-old just sprints off and
starts eating food off the floor,

I'm like, "I'm there," you know?

Yeah.

It's

Ian Andersen: I was, very, like, anti
checking bags until, until my wifeâ¦

'Cause if we're gonna check something,
then screw it, I'm gonna check,

Yeah.

the

of our stuff

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Yeah

Ian Andersen: right, if, if it-
if we're already going down this,

this misery route, then let's
just get the most out of it.

Brandon Giella: It's the one thing
that I think about upgrading to the,

American World Elite MasterCard where
you can get like, I think it's like

eight checked bags for free on the
card, and it's like that would pay for

itself in literally like two trips.

So anyway, Ian, do you have
a pro tip or ridiculous thing

about traveling with children?

Ian Andersen: Uh Like, s-
especially young children, right?

Ch- check everything, clothes,
whatever, but like have that bag of

just like snacks, diapers, cards, you
know, like IDs, whatever, ready to go.

and then I have, I have several
friends and, and know people

who are like very antiâ¦

Like device time for young kids, I don't,
I don't c- care if it's a newborn, give

them a freaking iPad or something to

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: like,

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Yeah.

Ian Andersen: it i- that was
the greatest thing that ever

happened from mobile devices

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Ian Andersen: children traveling.

Like I, you know, at home
I'm relatively strict on the

times and all that, you know.

Traveling, I don't care.

Watch 19 straight hours of movies.

Like it's, it's fine.

Like yeah.

Brandon Giella: That's right

Ian Andersen: I, g- I lucked out the,
the, both the boys are, are super easy

travelers from like the beginning.

But,

Brandon Giella: That's good

Ian Andersen: yeah it's, it can be fun
with, with kids and just, you know,

like over, over plan on times, you know.

Give yourself some extra time
'cause it will take longer.

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: and then also I, and I
never realized it was a thing until a,

a lady came up to me at the airport once
when it was just me and the boys flying.

They were four and two-ish,
somewhere in there.

And I kinda blocked off a little corner
out of the way so they could just go crazy

and could like try to close my eyes for
five minutes and, you know, and they're

watching the planes out the window and
jumping off the chairs and whatever.

But you know, I was
segregated away fromâ¦

And this lady came up and was
like, really great that you're

letting them run off theirâ¦

Let the kids run their energy off."

Like I don't, I'm not gonna get
mad at somebody whose kid's like

running up and down the thing just

Brandon Giella: Yes

Ian Andersen: some energy off.

Brandon Giella: Yes.

Ian Andersen: not climbing on me and
running into my space like cares?

Right?

Brandon Giella: I ha- I have found people
are so generous with kids running around.

Even, even when they're crying
their heads off, which we have

had that experience several times.

Ian Andersen: yeah.

Brandon Giella: You got a one-year-old
that's just losing their mind.

people are, like, so kind.

So kind.

Yeah, I've really enjoyed that

Ian Andersen: issue we ever had traveling
really was my older son used to,

thankfully he doesn't anymore, but used
to get pretty bad pressure headaches,

you know, on takeoff and landing,
would be the time he's, he's crying.

I, at first, you know, you're kind of
embarrassed and you're trying toâ¦

But then after a while you're
like, do you want me to do?"

Like, he's got a pressure, like
there's, this isn't his fault.

It's not, it's just the way the world is.

It sucks.

Like, you know.

Brandon Giella: You just stick a needle
in his forehead and let out the pressure.

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Yeah.

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Ian Andersen: Right.

Brandon Giella: Yeah, have some grace.

That, that, maybe that's the takeaway.

I know Rachel, you can relate with that.

Just have some grace for
yourself, for other people.

I know we're kind of like complaining
about other people traveling,

but truly like have some grace.

People are just trying
to, trying to make it

Ian Andersen: Yeah Yeah.

you getting there an extra five minutes
early isn't that big of a deal, right?

Brandon Giella: right.

That's right.

Rachel

Ian Andersen: on airlines a lot.

You got any, Rachel, you
got any, like, hotel,

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: hotel tips?

Rachel Satow: take the half-used
products home because they're tiny and

Brandon Giella: Are you?

You're one of those?

Rachel Satow: Yeah, I am

Brandon Giella: Oh, man.

Okay.

All right

Rachel Satow: If it's u- if it's used, I'm
taking it because I've used it and I don't

want it to go into the trash and just,

Brandon Giella: Oh, if it's used.

Okay, yeah.

Rachel Satow: Oh, no, I'm taking the

Brandon Giella: Yeah,

Rachel Satow: too, and it goes

Brandon Giella: okay, no,
that's what I was saying.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Rachel Satow: It goes
into the guest bathroom

Brandon Giella: I see.

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Rachel Satow: take the tiny products home.

Take them home.

They were meant for you.

Please just take them home.

that, I think, one of the other things
that I always, it's a, it's a weird

thing to get really excited about, but,
I usually get so hyped about it, is

when they have lights that I can reach
from the bed and can turn off, or,

like, all of the lights from the bed,

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Yeah

Rachel Satow: being

Ian Andersen: Yeah

Rachel Satow: from the

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Rachel Satow: two things, if I
walk into, in a ho- into a hotel

room and I see those two things,
I'm like, "This is a good one."

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Totally.

I wish, you know, you know how
like when you're, you're checking

out a hotel and they got all the
amenities and all the thingâ¦

They have like, "Oh, we have
AC and like a washing machine."

It's like, well, great, fine.

But can I reach a plug
from sitting in bed?

If you don't have that, you should, you
should rethink your hotel descriptions.

Yeah, yeah.

Ian Andersen: Yes

Brandon Giella: Totally agree

Ian Andersen: something I learned
Ariella when we did the podcast

with her like, complain about
stuff but be nice about it, and

Brandon Giella: Totally.

Ian Andersen: give you

Brandon Giella: Totally

Ian Andersen: Like, it is nothing
to a hotel to give you, like,

food for, you know, extra nights,
what- like, whatever you want, But

Brandon Giella: Within reason.

I'm a within reason guy.

Ian Andersen: Yeah,

Brandon Giella: If it's
a legitimate thing,

Ian Andersen: and don't be

Brandon Giella: yeah.

Ian Andersen: about it, right.

Brandon Giella: 100%.

It's not their fault.

Ian Andersen: No, no.

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: And they have, they have
quite a bit of discretion in what they

can and can't, like, give out, you know?

Brandon Giella: Yeah.

Ian Andersen: So

Brandon Giella: Yeah, great point.

What about,

Ian Andersen: I,

Brandon Giella: car travel?

Ian Andersen: last

Brandon Giella: go ahead.

Ian Andersen: last

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Ian Andersen: hotels that, I loathe but
also, like, I don't know, it's a weird

one, are the videos of people going
in with, like, black lights and stuff.

I wish that had never
started 'cause I don't wanna

Brandon Giella: Oh.

Ian Andersen: And,

Brandon Giella: yeah.

Yeah, I

Ian Andersen: I,

Brandon Giella: don't, care about that.

Yeah

Ian Andersen: now I, I don't wanna
think about it, but I know they're out

there and yeah, that's a weird one.

It's a

Brandon Giella: Yeah, that's an out
of sight, out of mind one for me.

I, I don't even, I don't
even think about it.

I just, I know it's there and I'm
like, "Nah, I don't even care.

Don't wanna know."

Same kind of thing with like bedbugs.

I know bedbugs would be
the worst thing ever.

I've never gotten them, praise God.

I'm just never gonna even,

Rachel Satow: Better knock on wood.

Brandon Giella: yeah, I,
I do not wanna do that.

But, I'm curious, do you guys
like check your sheets and

stuff when you get into a hotel?

You do?

Yeah, okay

Rachel Satow: first thing I do.

I don't unpack a bag and I don't
take the tiny products until I know,

until I know that the room is safe.

I'm fully unmaking that bed to check
the, to check it, especially in,

like, very popular, cities, like, and
very, like, big, big cities like New

Brandon Giella: Yeah

Rachel Satow: and everything, like,
where I know there's a lot of turnover.

I- that's the first thing
I'm doing is checking the bed

Brandon Giella: I only do that if the
place that I'm going to looks a little

sketchy, like it's not super clean.

But

Ian Andersen: a

Brandon Giella: hear, I hear it's in l-
in n- even five-star luxury hotels have

it just as bad as everywhere else from,
from what I've t- what I've been told

Rachel Satow: it's the thing that appears
clean that you need to worry about.

Anxiety.

Brandon Giella: you gotta do that to me?

Ian Andersen: yeah

Brandon Giella: Yeah, gee whiz.

But b- bedbugs would be the worst.

People, people say literally, if you have
a bedbug and you have your suitcase there,

literally just leave it or trash it and
go home with the clothes that you have on

your back, literally, even your computer.

Because if it gets into your home, it is
actually more expensive and time-consuming

than if you literally just burned all
of that and bought everything brand new.

And

Ian Andersen: heard

Brandon Giella: I,

Ian Andersen: it's incredibly

Brandon Giella: that to heart.

Yeah

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

I don't

Brandon Giella: That
would be the worst, man

Ian Andersen: an older story
that always creeps me out 'cause

I, I do check as well usually.

I, I won't say every single
time, but, but most of the time.

for a training thing I had to go
to, we were put up in, was a few

different hotels for our group because
it was, it was such a large group.

And, this, one lady in the group got, she
was the only person in this one hotel.

It just kinda happened to roll over.

And it was, to Rachel's point, like,
one of the nicer hotels in the area.

We were all pretty
jealous at the beginning.

she missed the first day of training
because the bedbugs were so bad her

entire back had been, like, chewed up.

And yeah, it was, it was, it was a badâ¦

So since then I've been, a lot more
cautious about, about checking, so

Rachel Satow: need to

Brandon Giella: Man, I'm
telling you, I'm telling you.

Yeah, my sister-in-law used to work in,
like, apartment, leasing, and she would

say, like, "You need to check everything
you're ever gonna stay at, ever.

Airbnbs, hotels, apartments, don't care.

Check it."

Oh, it's horrible.

Ugh

Rachel Satow: There you go.

We're, we're now passing
along our travel anxiety to

Brandon Giella: I have
anxiety, just not about that.

Yeah.

Ian Andersen: It'sâ¦

So, so

Brandon Giella: traveling in an airport.

Ian Andersen: here's, a fun hotel one too.

If there's a robe, do you wear the robe

Brandon Giella: Oh, yeah, for sure.

And a nice one.

Yeah, at a nice place.

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

Yeah, with the little, with the little
slippers that don't fit on your feet.

Yeah, absolutely.

Ian Andersen: person, yeah, at a hotel.

Yeah.

I have- I'm not in any way a
robe person anywhere else, but at

Brandon Giella: I want
to be a robe person.

I want to adopt that
lifestyle when I come home.

I, I thought that last time I stayed
in a nice hotel, and, I thought, "I

should be a robe person," and I'm not.

Ian Andersen: more

Brandon Giella: haven't adopted it

Ian Andersen: you have to wear of
like, like your or- your, your,

you know, regular clothing, right?

Brandon Giella: Totally, But think
about the psychological benefits

that you just feel like a better
person 'cause you put a robe on,

Ian Andersen: I really need a pipe though.

If you're gonna

Brandon Giella: Ah.

Ian Andersen: you really
have to have a, like

Brandon Giella: 100%.

Ian Andersen: like yeah.

Brandon Giella: A velvet, robe
with your pi- bringing us full

circle back to your velvet suits.

Yes

Ian Andersen: Or, tweed.

Tweed, you know, with, with the patches.

Like,

Brandon Giella: you go.

Ian Andersen: that.

But yeah.

Brandon Giella: There you go.

Gosh,

Ian Andersen: thought
about this at all, ever

Brandon Giella: have s- I have
so many internal, ways of being.

I wanna be a monk.

I wanna be a tweed jacket,
pipe-smoking, robe-wearing gentleman,

Ian Andersen: Like on the, on the
porch, like 7:00 in the morning drinking

coffee and reading your newspaper and

Brandon Giella: Oh, man.

Ian Andersen: a pi- Like

Brandon Giella: Oh

Ian Andersen: like
aesthetic just sort of like

Brandon Giella: Right?

Ian Andersen: wonderful.

Yeah

Brandon Giella: I just feel better about
myself picturing myself on a porch.

Yeah, I just, I love that.

Ian Andersen: Reading a
newspaper, smoking your pipe.

Like, there, there's justâ¦

Yeah.

Brandon Giella: Ah, a girl can dream.

what, anything, anything
else, Rachel, Ian?

Last thing on separating the
seasoned from the unseasoned, or the

ridiculous in this context, but never
ridiculous while you're traveling

Rachel Satow: you.

know, I think all of the ridiculous things
we talked about and, like, the, just the

borderline unhinged things like brushing
your teeth in a public bathroom and

Brandon Giella: 100%.

Rachel Satow: a floor that
is very well-trafficked just

because it's next to the plug.

I think are so many things that
are just weird and will only

happen when you're traveling.

But at the same time, it's almost like the
rule of travel is to embrace the weird,

and you have to just be comfortable with
being uncomfortable and doing things that

you wouldn't do in any other scenario.

And, my takeaway is just embrace it.

Ian Andersen: Yeah.

Brandon Giella: Very soon

Ian Andersen: the forgive others'
foibles so they forgive yours, right?

Brandon Giella: That's right.

That's right.

Rachel Satow: Exactly.

And

Brandon Giella: That's right

Rachel Satow: products home.

Brandon Giella: Take the tiny products.

Take, I, I, the used ones.

I'll say the used ones.

I'll leave the unused ones.

No, that's fine.

We can d- we can disagree about that.

Yeah.

Rachel Satow: it's fine.

Brandon Giella: So embrace, embrace the
weird, have a little grace for yourself

and others, even though I know we
were just joking about everybody else,

but have a little grace for people.

And then take the tiny products home.

Those are the three rules of traveling.

All right.

Fair enough.

Well, guys, thanks so much.

Always enjoy this conversation and
hearing travel tips from the pros, and we

will see you next time on Travel Buddy.

Rachel Satow: Thanks,

Ian Andersen: Thanks Raina