Cheap Flights to Santa Monica from HK$3,312

We've rounded up all the info you need to make your flight a pleasant experience. Follow our insider tips and you'll be zooming through the airport and enjoying Santa Monica in no time flat. What to pack in your hand luggage:

• Firstly, and most importantly, pack in your passport, official ID, bank cards and vital medications. Next, you'll want some extra in-flight entertainment to while away the hours. A juicy book and a laptop crammed with your favourite shows are good options. If you intend to catch more than just forty winks, a quality neck pillow and some noise-cancelling headphones will also be useful. Finally, leave some space for a toothbrush and some deodorant to ensure you step off the plane looking and feeling fresh.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• Leave all your full-sized bottles of shampoo and hair gel in your checked baggage. Any liquids in your carry-on suitcase larger than 3.4 ounces (100 millilitres) won't be allowed on. Sharp or pointed objects, like your precious pocket knife, and dangerous products which are flammable or explosive, such as aerosols and gasoline, are also restricted.

What to wear on a flight:

• Go for comfort over style. Prepare for changes in temperature by layering up, and pick flat, slightly roomy shoes like sneakers.
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a risk on long-distance flights. It results from blood clots forming due to poor circulation and inactivity, so do some gentle leg and foot exercises in your seat and consider wearing compression tights or socks.

The answer is — be prepared. We've put together some handy tips and tricks for a hassle-free trip through airport security. Look out Santa Monica, here you come:

• Airport security personnel first need to determine that you have a valid passport and boarding pass before anything else. Keep them close by.
• Time to strip down. Well sort of. Your belt, jacket, keys and other contents of your pockets, like your earphones, will need to go on a tray through the X-ray machine. Make your life easier by removing them as your turn draws near.
• All electronic devices, including your phone and tablet, will also need to be separately scanned.
• Any liquids or gels, such as hair oil or hand cream, that you want to bring on board need to be in containers no greater than 3.4 ounces (100 millilitres). Also, they all must fit inside a quart-size (one litre), clear zip-close bag.
• It's also likely that you'll need to take your shoes off to be X-rayed, so wearing lightweight sneakers is always a clever idea.
• Sharp or pointed items are prohibited in the cabin. They'll be seized at security, so put them in your checked baggage.