Ashley Glasson is brand director of LNA Clothing. The California-cool clothing brand, known for its rocker-chic basics, expanded into swimwear this year; its second swim collection arrives next month.
Glasson prefers Delta Air Lines for international trips but has a newfound love for Alaska Airlines domestically. Her annual mileage tally is 100,000 miles to 125,000 miles. She lives in Beverly Hills with her dog.
Here are her tips.
Don't take that sleeping pill until this exact moment
"A friend of mine likes to take certain sleep aids when she travels. One time, though, she called me from a terminal while wandering around — her flight had been delayed and she'd had to get off. I wasn't sure if she was going to make it back onto her plane. So when traveling with a sleep or relaxation aid for those longer-haul flights, you should always wait for the captain to announce 'in-flight team, seats for takeoff.' Never find your seat, get settled and take the pill, only to find yourself sleepwalking off the plane from unforeseen maintenance issues that have you deplaning and delayed."
When considering making a hotel your regular haunt, ask this question
"I stay at the Ludlow in New York because it feels like home now — I'm there once a month. The best perk about being a regular is that most hotels keep a folio on you, noting what you like. This person likes to stay in corner rooms on high floors, for example, or they prefer red to white wine. But what really makes a difference is if the hotel staff doesn't change over too often. Most of the staff at the Ludlow have been there for as long as I've been staying there. It's a good test of a hotel: Ask the staff how long they've worked there. If they've been there for a year-plus, that's a good sign to me."
Treat the airport lounge like a jet-set version of 'Cheers'
"And when you're a regular flier on a certain route, get to know the people at the airline lounge and put in requests for what you like. Some people don't go to the airport to go to a lounge, but I like it. When I started going to the Alaska Airlines lounge at JFK, they didn't have Aperol and didn't know what an Aperol spritz was. So I asked them about it. Now it's on the menu."
Airport staffers can provide more info than the airlines
"I follow airside operations on Instagram and check them on the way to the airport, especially during extreme weather, to see what the situation is like that day. At any airport, search the hashtag #airsideops or #ATC to find accounts to follow."
Save space in your toiletry bag with this product
"I carry a jade face roller, which is an in-flight routine habit that I've picked up from my sister who is very, very into beauty. A lot of women like to travel with facial products, but they're the hardest things to pack — there are so many of them. A jade roller from Herbivore is an easy way to depuff your face while you're still in the air so you can arrive looking refreshed. It gets the circulation going in your face. On a long-haul flight, I use it both in the middle of the flight and upon landing."