Comedian and design nerd Tim Ross shares his travel hacks

Comedian Tim Ross knows where to find extraordinary architecture and which plane seat to avoid - and thanks to his No.1 packing rule, he'll never be caught with fluffy hair.

Comedian and design enthusiast Tim Ross knows how to choose the right seat, but has zero advice about loyalty schemes.

I travel to… 

Spend time with my family but I also love travelling for work, because it almost always involves my passion for architecture and design. Last year it was Great Britain, Denmark and New Zealand. Over the years, I’ve visited some incredible buildings but also performed in places like Trellick Tower, a heritage-listed Brutalist high-rise in West London. It’s not just the architecture but the people – I’ve met so many people all over the world through design and that’s one of life’s great joys.

I plan the trip… 

Myself. But nobody gets a date wrong in a hotel like me. I book a lot but if it’s a family holiday, my wife, Michelle, just seems to know the places to go and has a knack for finding the best hotels. She is good at taking charge on where we are going which means I don’t have to make decisions and I really like that. For international travel I always use flatbeds.com.au – I’ve been using them for 10 years and they are the bomb.

Inside my carry-on you’ll find… 

A small plastic bag with hair product in it. My tubs always get confiscated, so I put enough for the flight there and back in the bag. If I have a shower during a stopover there’s nothing worse than getting to your final destination with fluffy hair.

I pack my suitcase… 

Really well at the start and it all goes out the window after the first hotel. Then it’s all stuffed in like a complete mess. In my first two years of touring and flying in the late 1990s, I used a plastic bag for a toiletries bag. I think that’s a good insight into my mind and packing style.

Comedian and design enthusiast Tim Ross never travels without hair product in his carry-on.

I like to get to the airport… Early, because I’m often travelling with a lot of equipment for filming or performing live. That can take a while; I’m always loitering around oversized luggage with huge bags.

As soon as I check in, I… Head to the lounge, have a cup of tea and refrain from posting a photo of my boarding pass.

My favourite type of travel companion is… I used to quite enjoy multiple beverages on the plane, so someone to drink with was always right up there, but more recently I’ve been content travelling alone.

On the plane I dress… As I always do. I will never wear a tracksuit on a plane, I think that’s admitting that it’s hard to fly. If you dress like normal, you feel normal.

Tim Ross says he'll never wear a tracksuit on a flight. Picture: Caroline McCredie

I’m a points person but… I wish I was all over what to do with my points but it seems like you need a degree to work out how to use them. I accumulate them like mad and then can’t work out when to use them.

I am not loyal to one airline because… I like to mix it up to keep them on their toes and enjoy the differences.

My preferred plane meal is… Pasta is always the safest. I never eat the bread rolls but I do eat the ice creams when they come around.

My best tip for beating jet lag is… Walk as soon as you get there and stay up as late as you can that night, but if you really need to nap, you must nap.

Tim Ross has learnt from experience to choose a plane seat away from the toilet. Picture: Alexander Mayes

The plane seat I always choose in economy is… I’ll take a window seat when I can, as far away from the bathroom as possible. I was on a flight to New Zealand years ago and after the movie every time the bathroom door opened we got a big whiff. I actually ended up using the external lock that the flight crew use to open the bathroom in an emergency to shut the door (when it was empty) to get a reprieve from the smell.

I save money when travelling… I’ve stopped drinking so that’s been quite the saver.

The destination I think is the best bang for your buck is… New Zealand is very well priced.

I always get travel insurance… Because I don’t want to be in a hospital in Turkey for the rest of my life and then have to pay it off by washing sheets in their boiler room.

Tim Ross is touring Australia with his new live show The Australian Dream?

Originally published as Comedian and design nerd Tim Ross shares his travel hacks