10 popular travel tips that are no longer true

This myth may have been true back in the '60s, when flights were a much rarer thing than they are today. Back then, the demand for a flight would naturally increase as the date approached, there being few other options. These days, a plethora of alternatives for the most popular routes means that demand is leveled out. In fact, you’re more likely to get a last-minute deal from an airline trying to fill seats. According to recent studies, the best time to buy a ticket was between six and seven weeks out. Here are 20 more airplane myths you need to stop believing before you book you board your next flight.

The air on a plane may absorb every last drop of moisture from your skin like silica gel, but it doesn’t make you sick. In fact, airplanes spend a considerable amount of energy pumping in, filtering, warming, and pressurizing fresh air from outside the cabin. Some of the air is indeed recycled, but it passes through numerous HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters that draw out bacteria before being pumped back in the cabin. So what does get you sick on airplanes? The tray tables, lavatory handles, and headrests that are contacted by dozens of passengers a day, who aren’t all paragons of personal hygiene.

The boom in sites like Priceline and Expedia has resulted in the misconception that the only way to get a good deal on a room is to use one of these online third-party bookers. In fact, many hotel chains, like InterContinental and Wyndham, offer rate guarantees and encourage customers to book directly with the hotels. Hotels will also frequently have discount or perk offers that third-party websites aren’t privy to, and it’s generally far easier to deal directly with the hotel than with a booking agent. On top of this, hotels give the upgrades, not booking agents. And don't miss these 11 other secrets travel booking companies don't want you to know!