When you travel as much as the pros do, you start to figure out tips and tricks to make the travel experience easier and more comfortable — and you pick up a lot of crazy stories along the way. We rounded up three of the sport’s most well-traveled pros to give you the inside scoop in preparation for your next trip. Study up!
Parks’ travel tips:
• Always try to snag a pillow or blanket from first class on international flights when you walk by. It is frowned upon, so make sure to hide it if you get one.
• I always pat the plane on the way out for good luck. It works — I’ve never crashed!
• Be nice and help ladies and old people lift their bags on the plane. I’ve been consciously trying to do it at least once or twice every flight. It’s like Delta CrossFit.
• I always try to keep my clothing bag the same size as a large carry-on bag. That way if you miss the cutoff time to check your bags, you can still bring your clothing bag as a carry-on.
Worst person to travel with:
Rusty [Malinoski], the notorious line skipper. I can’t even deal.
Most memorable road trip:
My dad and I drove six hours in the wrong direction one time. Just so you know, Greenville, South Carolina, and Greenville, North Carolina, are two totally different cities, and are really far apart from each other!
Grubb’s travel tips:
• Don’t always go for the cheapest fare. Stick to one airline and build your SkyMiles status.
• Keep your pockets empty except for your phone. Makes security quick.
• Take off your hat when you step up to the window of any customs official.
• When sleeping on long flights, wear a hat and pull the blanket over your head. It blocks all the light and distractions, and the bill of your hat keeps the blanket away from your face so you don’t get hot.
• Put your shoes on the conveyor first, before your bags, so you can put them on quickly, then grab your bags and go.
Miles you’ve flown:
1.5 million
Airport floor you’ve slept on:
Portland
Bucket-list destination:
Maldives
Danny’s travel tips:
• If you can’t get the first-class upgrade, try to grab a seat in the last exit row over the wing — otherwise known as poor man’s first class. The first exit row won’t recline, but the last row rivals first class for legroom.
• Get TSA Pre-Checked. You go through a shorter line and you don’t take off your shoes or remove your laptop. The Pre-Check line is usually about five to 10 minutes instead of 30 to 45 minutes.
Memorable travel story:
I was running super late and needed to catch what was the last flight of the day out of Orlando. After deciding I wouldn’t have time to park, I left my truck on the ticketing curb with the keys in it and ran inside. I checked in and checked my bags just before the cutoff time. When I went outside to park the truck, it was hooked up to a tow truck. The driver told me it was $50 to get the truck back and I could pick it up at the tow yard. I picked it up three days later and discovered a new form of airport valet that was almost the same price as airport parking!
