10 Essentials for Summer Travel Survival

Better seats

The discussion of seat reclining doesn't have to be so confrontational if it can be avoided altogether. Though most airlines have monetized the old tall-person tricks of sitting in an exit row or near a bulkhead, TripAdvisor's SeatGuru site can still help passengers find a little extra legroom and avoid seats with reduced shoulder room or cold spots.

A terminal map

If you're going to be stuck during a layover or a delay, it helps to know where the nearest food stand or TGI Friday's is. Either check out your airport's website or visit a site such as Airport Terminal Maps to find restaurants, lounges, showers, nail salons or Wi-Fi hotspots before the panicked masses beat you to them.

An exercise regimen

The folks in coach may be cramped and hunched into ridiculously unnatural positions for hours at a time, but they shouldn't be cowering in fear of blood clots and other foes of the sedentary flier. The American Physical Therapy Association suggests a series of heel raises, toe lifts, ankle circles, overhead stretches and other tight-quarters calisthenics to help take the edge off.

-- Written by Jason Notte in Boston.

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