Unfortunately, braving long lines at the airport, chasing lost luggage and enduring bland in-flight meals are only half the challenge. Avoid hot spots. They're everywhere you don't want to be. Know which cities are safe to walk around in at night to steer clear of any dangerous areas. Know your airlines.
Code sharing can confuse even the most seasoned travelers.
This is when your ticket is issued through one carrier, but the flight is shared with another carrier, and may even use the other airline's plane. This usually doesn't make a lot of difference unless you're counting on a particular service or amenity. For example, you might pack a power adaptor that fits the outlets on a U.S. carrier but end up on its European code-share partner without the correct plug. Or, if you're counting on a favorite meal on a particular flight, you might have to go without. Another downside to code sharing is that sometimes there are dramatic price differences between tickets for the same flight.