8 Tips for Germ-Free Travel

Who doesn't want to create a comfy cocoon while soaring 30,000 feet above the ground? Feel free to nest, but bring you own fluff from home. "Airline pillows and blankets are meant to be changed after every use and flight, however there are no government rules regulating this as such," says Bill Miller, SVP of the discount flight site CheapOair.com. Roughly once every couple of months, an aircraft interior will go through a thorough cleaning, but there's no way to know whether the cover in your seat came straight from the dryer or the dirty hamper. "Per FAA guidelines, an airplane inspection, called a C check is done after a certain number of flying hours -- usually every 18 to 24 months. During that C check, an airplane is overhauled and everything is examined and cleaned," says Miller.

Err on the side of caution and bring your own carry-on comforts, like the Cat Nap Transit Pillow. It comes with a removable ultra-soft and washable fleece cover so you can snooze without worrying about getting sick.