Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Jarrett Arthur
Occupation: Self-Defense Educator and Instructor
Hometown: New York
Residence: Los Angeles
College: University of Vermont
College major: Environmental Science and Chemistry
Website: JarrettArthur.com
Twitter: @JarrettArthur
Facebook: Jarrett Arthur
Instagram: trainwithjarrett
YouTube: Jarrett Arthur
Short bio: Jarrett Arthur is a Los Angeles-based self-defense instructor and educator with 10 years of teaching experience. One of the highest ranking female black belt instructors in Krav Maga, her main focus is teaching and empowering women and kids. Jarrett founded a self-defense system for moms and childcare givers called M.A.M.A., which stands for Mothers Against Malicious Acts, and she has been featured on Ellen, Access Hollywood, Good Day LA, in the NY Times, Fitness Magazine, and more.
How often do you fly? About once every month or two.
How many countries have you been to? 5
How many continents have you been to? 2
Earliest travel memory: Riding the Amtrak from Los Angeles to New York with my mom and sister. We moved from Southern California to the northeast when I was 4 and for some reason we took the train. It was a lot of fun and I loved looking out the window as the country whizzed by.
Favorite American city: Bar Harbor, Maine (in the summer).
Favorite international city: Gothenburg, Sweden.
Least favorite country: I don’t have one.
Country with the meanest immigration officers: Germany. Although, my husband (Swedish) argues that it’s the U.S.
Favorite World Heritage Site: Acadia National Park, Maine.
Favorite airline: jetBlue and Lufthansa.
Favorite aircraft type: The bigger the better.
Aisle or window: Aisle.
Favorite U.S. airport: Burbank/Bob Hope. I spend most of my time there.
Favorite international airport: Gothenburg Airport (GOT).
Favorite hotel: I love the Bellagio in Vegas.
Favorite cruise line: I’ve never been on a cruise.
Favorite travel credit card: AMEX jetBlue.
Favorite island: The Big Island, Hawaii.
Favorite beach: Elafonisi, Crete, Greece.
Favorite hole-in-the-wall: It was Sushi Nozawa in LA, but it’s since morphed into the not so “hole-in-the-wall” Sugarfish. Still my favorite though.
Favorite bar: I don’t drink so I usually avoid bars.
Favorite fruit: Anything in the berry variety.
Favorite food: Sushi.
Least favorite food: Eggplant.
Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Cranberry juice in the air, ice tea unsweetened on the ground.
Favorite travel movie(s): Dumb and Dumber.
Favorite travel show(s): Any show with Anthony Bourdain in it.
Favorite travel book(s): I love Himalayan expedition books like “Into Thin Air.”
Right now I am reading: “Anything That Moves” by Dana Goodyear.
5 things you bring on a plane: Laptop, book, pillow, snacks, water.
What do you always seem to forget? I’m pretty neurotic about packing and prepping so I don’t usually forget anything.
What do you like least about travel? Flying.
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? The tackiest magnets imaginable.
Favorite travel app(s): FlightStats.
Most embarrassing travel moment: I have a seriously sensitive digestive track, so eating while I’m traveling is a scary endeavor. I’m sure I’ve had plenty of embarrassing stomach issue stories while traveling, although a specific one doesn’t come to mind.
What’s your dream destination? I’d love to go to Australia and New Zealand.
Best travel tip: Traveling is super fun but it can be dangerous. Do your homework and take time to prep before you leave so that you’re not in a serious situation should something go wrong while you’re away.
I never eat when I fly. No reason in particular. Just don’t. Flight attendants on my most recent flight to Paris kept giving me cookies (which I kept until I arrived in Paris) — they must have thought I would STARVE. I am quite thin and probably look hungry.