Take these steps to make your air travel better

Endless security lines, jet lag, and middle seats don’t have to be necessary evils of flying—not if you follow T+L’s best tips for smoother air travel.

Consider that security line: TSA’s PreCheck expedited program will be in 100 domestic airports by the end of 2013, and there are three ways to join.

As for jet lag, your strategy should be to get on the right schedule while in transit, with some help from Stopjetlag.com. The site tailors a personalized hour-by-hour schedule for meals, rest time, and even sun exposure based on your itinerary.

Perhaps the ultimate air travel dilemma is when to buy your ticket in the first place. We asked Kayak.com to crunch the numbers to reveal when the average fares from the U.S. are at their lowest. Daydreaming about a Caribbean getaway? Procrastinators will be rewarded with an average low of $482 just one to two weeks out.

For the complete list of 100 ways to travel better, check out T+L’s December issue and tablet editions.

Eavesdrop on the Airline Experts

Full of opinions and insights from serious road warriors, the Flyertalk online forums are invaluable. Use them to size up airlines, loyalty programs, and even travel gadgets.

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Time Your Tickets

We asked Kayak to crunch the numbers to determine when the average airfares from the United States to regions around the world are at their lowest.

U.S.A.: 3–5 weeks out $351

Caribbean: 1–2 weeks out $482

Central America: 5–8 weeks out $622

South America: 5 ½ months out $953

Europe: 7–8 weeks out $1,041

Asia: 8–9 months out $1,313

Travel + Leisure: Travelers’ best tips

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Find the Best Airfare

GetGoing: This blind-booking site nets up to 40 percent off flights if you let it pick between two destinations.

TripWatcher: Sign up to receive instant e-mail alerts when fares for a particular route drop.

Airfarewatchdog: The site’s analysts comb airline websites and other sources for the best deals, which appear in a daily e-mail newsletter.

Refund.me: If you think you might be owed money for a delayed or canceled European flight, it’ll help you file a claim.

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Snag an Award Seat

Some airlines make it easier than others to cash in miles for a ticket. According to the annual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey, this year’s standouts include Southwest, which had 100 percent availability in tests, followed by AirTran (95 percent), JetBlue (88.6 percent), and United (80 percent).

Travel + Leisure: Hotel travel tips

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Manage Your Itinerary

Best for Business: Worldmate ($9.99) integrates with your calendar and LinkedIn, making it easy to network while on the road.

Best for Families: The Seat Tracker from TripIt Pro ($49 per year) keeps tabs on cabin seat inventory and will alert you when elusive blocks of up to four seats open up.

Best for Road Warriors: The more trips you log using Traxo (free), the more perks from partner companies you receive: car-rental vouchers, free travel insurance, and even free flights.

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Speed Through the Airport

TSA’s PreCheck expedited security program will be in 100 domestic airports by the end of the year. Here, three ways to join.

Sign up on the Go: The TSA’s new airport enrollment centers ($85 for five years) are currently in Washington Dulles and Indianapolis airports, and expanding to others soon.

Be a Trusted Traveler: Join through one of Customs & Border Patrol’s Trusted Traveler programs, such as the popular Global Entry ($100 for five years), which also speeds you through U.S. immigration lines.

Rely on Loyalty: Enroll through the frequent-flier program of one of TSA’s partner airlines. Note: if you choose this method you’re only eligible for flights on that carrier.

Travel + Leisure: Best airport security checkpoints

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Beat Jet Lag

The trick is to get on the right schedule while in transit. Sign up for a personalized plan with the website Stopjetlag, which will give you an hour-by-hour schedule for meals, rest time, and even sunlight exposure, based on your travel itinerary.

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Wait in Comfort in an Airport Lounge

Buy a Day Pass: All the legacy carriers sell them for their lounges both here and abroad for roughly $50.

Find an Independent Lounge: Airspace has a small network of lounges in domestic airports, which American Express Platinum card members can access for free. In Asia and Canada, look for spaces from Plaza Premium ($49 per visit); No. 1 Traveller ($45 per visit) and Servisair ($28 per visit) have lounges throughout the U.K. Services such as Lounge Pass (from $35 per visit) and Priority Pass ($27 per visit, plus $99 annually) partner with airlines and independent companies to offer access to locations worldwide.

Choose the Right Card: For an annual fee, some credit cards—including American Express Platinum ($450) and Chase’s United MileagePlus Club Card ($395)—offer complimentary access to both airline and independent lounges. American Express also recently opened the Centurion Lounge at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Access is free for travelers with Centurion and Platinum Cards, and $50 for all other American Express cardholders.

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Wear the Right Fabrics

Stay Warm: Cashmere wraps and sweaters are lightweight, but perfect for chilly planes.

Stretch Out: Lycra jeans move with you but maintain their shape. The best contain at least 10 percent Lycra.

Keep It Crisp: Look for wrinkle-free twill shirts and pants from brands such as L.L. Bean and Brooks Brothers.

Consider Comfort: Knit blazers are more pliable for ease of movement and less creasing.

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Don’t Lose Your Luggage

Spy on Your Suitcase: Plant it with the palm-size Trakdot ($50, plus $13 annual fee). The small box automatically transmits its location using a GSM chip, allowing you to follow your bag’s route via SMS, e-mail, or the Trakdot app and website.

Pick the Right Carriers: The airline with the best record for luggage handling over the past two years? Virgin America, which averages just 0.88 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Following close behind: JetBlue (1.88) and AirTran (2.02). American Eagle, on the other hand, averaged 6 incidents per 1,000 passengers.

Ship Your Bags: Consider sending your bags straight to the hotel (or golf course, or cruise ship) through a service such as Luggage Forward or Luggage Free. Overnight delivery of a 25-pound bag from New York to L.A. will run about $150—more than your airline charges, but considerably less than UPS.

See All of Travel + Leisure’s Air Travel Tips

Edited by Brooke Porter, Nikki Ekstein, Amy Farley, and Jennifer Flowers. With reporting by Peter Schlesinger and Bree Sposato.