The Important Clothing Tip Travelers Should Follow ASAP After Getting Off A Plane

There's nothing that can ruin a perfectly planned vacation faster than getting sick, and infectious diseases are one of the most common health hazards of vacations. Unfortunately, getting sick after traveling by plane is a relatively common occurrence. Bringing a change of clothes with you in your carry-on bag may help you avoid coming down with something the next time you travel.

Commercial flights are practically petri dishes for germs. Although many airlines advertise the fact that they're equipped with high quality HEPA air filtration systems, they only clean the air as it passes through them. If you're sitting next to someone who's coughing and sneezing, those filters won't help you.

If you've invested a lot of money into a vacation, or looked forward to much needed time off work, getting sick when you arrive at your destination is pretty devastating. Instead of spending your days sightseeing, you might be forced to hole up in your hotel room with a fever for several days. If you're visiting family or friends, you could end up spreading an illness to your loved ones. It's a good idea to take precautions to avoid getting sick while traveling, especially if you're planning on taking a trip during cold and flu season. Along with wearing a mask and washing your hands, it's a good idea to change clothes as soon as you exit the aircraft.

It's not uncommon for travelers to hit the ground running as soon as their flight lands. With limited time and a lot to experience, you may have made plans to sightsee, grab a nice meal, or check out nightlife as soon as you arrive at your final destination. There are plenty of travelers who wait to check in to their hotel or Airbnb, and instead spend the morning exploring. If you travel on a red-eye flight, you might not even be able to check in to your hotel until much later. If this sounds like you, just make sure you pack an extra change of clothes to change into. 

Changing your clothes when you land is particularly important, especially if you were traveling via a long-haul flight. Karen Duus, a microbiology and immunology professor at Touro University told the Huffington Post that germs can survive on your clothes long after your flight touches down.

Don't think that you're in the clear just because you've de-planed. "A few hardy bacterial and fungal spores, parasite cysts, worm eggs and protein-coated virus particles can potentially last for months to years if they are not removed by soap and water, neutralized or wiped away by disinfectants, or washed away in the laundry," Duus said. Even if you wore a mask during your flight, you could still be exposed to germs on your clothing. 

Many travel experts emphasize the importance of packing light. Rick Steves, for example, advises travelers to avoid checking a bag altogether, and instead packing all of their belongings in a carry-on bag.

That being said, if you're someone who checks a bag, make sure that you pack at least one change of clothes with you in your carry-on or personal item so that you can slip out of your dirty travel clothes as soon as you land at your destination. Bring along a plastic ziplock or reusable laundry bag for dirty clothes that you wore on the airplane, and keep them contained in the bag until you are able to properly wash them.

Alternatively, you can drop them directly in the laundry hamper as soon as you arrive home at the end of your trip. Make sure to do this before you sit down on the furniture or hug your loved ones to avoid spreading germs. For more tips on staying healthy on vacation, check out our guide on how to avoid getting sick while traveling.