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Lots of good advice here. I travel for my job - each and every week - so here's my advice:
If you buy a discount ticket and your plans change, you're up a creek. I would go to Expedia, find the cheapest ticket, then go to that airline's website to buy it so you don't pay a broker's fee. You can get a "non-refundable" ticket that still allows you to change the itinerary for a fee if you miss your plane or can't make the flight for some other reason. The airlines will rebook you if
they cancel the flight, but if you have a super-discounted fare, you may be responsible for additional fare costs and fees, so be careful.
Check in online. You can print your boarding pass at home, choose your seat and enter the amount of luggage you'll be checking.
Don't forget almost every airline charges at the counter for checking luggage! If you can, just pack your things in a carry-on bag. Even if you check bags, get your boarding pass when you check in online so you can pick your seats. You want a seat close to the front of the plane on the first leg of your flight so you can be one of the first off to make your connection. It can take 10 to 15 minutes to empty a plane if you're in the back.
Make sure you have at least one hour layover between flights. Your next flight will board 30 minutes before take-off, and you will need time to get from one gate to the next.
When you get to the airport go to the check-in counter, check your luggage if you need to, and ask them to tell you how to get to your gate after you go through security. They will also give you a boarding pass for your connecting flight.
Luggage: Try to take only a carry-on bag if you can. Sometimes on smaller planes they will "gate check" your carry on - that's okay. It means you leave it on a rack right outside the plane door before you board, but
you pick it up right when you get off. Make sure you know if your luggage is being "gate checked" (you will take it through security yourself) or checked through (sometimes if there is too much luggage on the plane they will take it and check it through to your destination for you). If you gate check it, DON'T FORGET IT!
When you get off your first flight, sometimes there is an attendant at the end of the ramp to tell you where you next gate is. Sometimes, though, there isn't. Find the nearest set of monitors marked "Departures" and look for your destination city. It will be in alphabetical order. Find the departure time and the flight number, and it will tell you what your gate is there. Then follow the signs in the airport to the gate.
Carry-on luggage and security: Your digital camera is fine in your personal bag. You can only carry liquids (nothing flammable) in 3oz bottles - as many as you can fit into a three ounce
clear bag. This is the size of a ziploc "quart" size baggie. No big tubes of toothpaste, shampoo, medications - nothing over 3 oz. or else they will take it. NOTHING that even remotely resembles a weapon, even if it's a toy. Your carry on bag must fit through the x-ray machine, so keep that in mind. You will have to remove your shoes and coat and put them through the x-ray machine. Don't wear anything with a lot of metal or else you'll have to remove it. I put my jewelry in my purse, then put it on after I go through security just to save any possible hassle. NOT my diamond ring though. Just the chunky stuff - big necklace, watch, etc.
You will need to show your boarding pass and your ID to security, so don't stick them in your bag (which will go through the machine). At the gate, they will not need your ID - just your boarding pass, which they will take and give you part of it back with your seat assignment.
You are allowed usually one carry on bag and one "personal item" like a briefcase or purse. HOWEVER some airlines don't even allow that. Northwest lets me fly from Ithaca to Detroit with a purse and a computer bag, but when I try to board on the same size plane leaving Detroit, they only allow one or the other (and those SkyHags are NOT nice about it either). They don't care if you just got off a smaller plane with the same thing - they make you gate check one of the bags. So keep all of your valuables (like your camera) in your bag on the plane if you take a personal bag and a carry on.
They charge for EVERYTHING on the plane, even water. Ryan Air is even thinking of charging for the toilets! Eat before you go, take a couple of bucks for a soda on the plane if you want, and absolutely take a pack of crackers or a bag of trail mix and keep it in your personal bag. I can't tell you how many times it has saved me when my flight has been delayed and I was starving but nothing was open or I had to stay by the gate in case the flight was called. Speaking of, if your flight is delayed, don't wander too far from the gate. Sometimes they will suddenly start to board and I've seen people miss their plane because they thought they had lots of time when they didn't.
Good luck, leave yourself lots of time and don't get stressed. If things get delayed or cancelled, don't get upset because it doesn't help at all. Have the airline's 1-800 number written down so you can call for help. A lot of people wait in long lines to get rebooked and you can be on the phone getting it straightened out. It's a good idea to have a credit card in case of emergency (like your flight gets cancelled and you get stuck overnight somewhere). Airlines no longer automatically get you a hotel room anymore unless you're a frequent flyer.
Hope this helps - I gave you a lot of worse case scenarios, so I hope I didn't scare you! I'm sure you'll have a great time!
