Here are a few good ideas slash rules of thumb to follow when traveling via flight:
1) ALWAYS pack snacks. Meals would be even better, but I certainly understand the necessity of packing lightly. Thus, snacks will do. This will help you to avoid spending over $10 at McDonalds on just a few items. This will also help you to retain your energy, so as not to look like a starved, crazed lunatic as you inhale your $10 worth of McDonalds in under three minutes.
2) Never bring a bag that does not have some kind of device to aid with walking. Wheels are ideal; the 360 degree swivel wheels even better. If one is still stuck in the days of the caveman (as I seem to be) and is using a duffel bag, MAKE SURE that your duffel has a shoulder strap. This will help the traveler to avoid blistering those hands that are so needed for dialing the phone in a mad attempt to get ahold of a friend/family member/distant acquaintance to come and get you if you are stranded in LA.
3) Always remember to bring your phone and laptop chargers. This also implies bringing your cell phone and your laptop. These two items will be vital in retaining any sense of sanity in your 24 hour attempt to keep your head above the dangerous waters of LAX.
4) Never take the word of just a single airline representative. It is helpful to get the opinion of four or five on any single issue. Some representatives are new, some are tired, and some are just plain bored.
5) Always keep your ears open when searching for a flight. Listen to every conversation going on around you, and pay especially close attention to any exchange of information that goes on between a fellow traveler and an airline rep.
6) Find a particularly nice rep and become friends with him or her. Granted, you will have to do this a total of three times as the reps change shifts in your 24 hour marathon, but sometimes you get lucky and your rep-friend from your first segment will return on your third one. Having an ally is incredibly helpful in your journey through the airport, especially when trying to get onto an overbooked flight.
7) Location, location, location. All airport seating may SEEM the same, but do not be deceived by the black leather(ish) benches. An ideal location will include a WORKING wall socket (refer to rule #3), will have a bench that sits against a wall (that way nobody can sit back-to-back with you, so you are free to stretch and lean back), and will have four consecutive seats without arm rests. Now, this arm rest-free bench may seem like an impossible novelty, but stay strong! Stick it out and search for those few ideal sleeping benches. It will be worth it in the end!
8) Always have some kind of scarf/jacket with you. This will serve as an ideal pillow to lay your weary head upon.
9) Try to stick around the moderately crowded terminals. This way, it will appear that you are waiting for a specific flight that could potentially be leaving soon. When your faux flight boards, publicly pay specific attention when the standby list is called. When your name is not called, act fairly disappointed (but watch yourself here-an overreaction will draw unnecessary attention to yourself and will cause difficulty in any further attempts). Then, casually gather your belongings and hop to a nearby gate to repeat the process. As a bonus, hanging around these moderately crowded terminals also generally means that you are close to food, stores, and bathrooms.
10) Manage your time! Do not do anything the easy way. You have a full 24 hours to complete a few tasks (all of which are made up to make you feel productive). Utilize every hour! Instead of briskly walking to different locations, set a slow pace for yourself. Frequent stops to tie your shoes, readjust your bags, or pretend to intently read the "arrivals and departures" information on the screens are all very useful tools to achieve this goal.
In the end, all of these combined will greatly enhance your 24 hour journey. The most important thing, however, is to find a friend that is willing to text/instant message you frequently throughout the 24 hours. Do this, and you will surely make it out of LAX alive.
