I don't know about you, but I tend to look at people's shoes a lot, especially when I travel. Over the course of the past year, there was a particular shoe style I kept seeing on people's feet. If you're thinking flip-flops, we're on the same page. What kills me is that there are so many shoe trends out there that are just as easy and comfortable as flip-flops but are significantly more protective of your feet.
I wanted to know how flip-flops rank on the airport practicality spectrum for travel shoes from the experts themselves, so I reached out to TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein and a flight attendant for a major airline. While you can certainly wear flip-flops to an airport, Farbstein pointed out that "they are thin-soled, [and] they still will need to be removed at the TSA checkpoint, which typically means bare feet on the floor." So making the security process easier certainly isn't a valid reason to wear them.
The flight attendant told me, "As flip-flops are great to slide on to head down to the pool, as a flight attendant, they are not my footwear of choice when exploring a new city. They offer no support, which is basically my worry." I asked what she thought of wearing them to the airport and flying in them, and she responded, "I mean, it's gross. There are so many bacteria. Wearing flip-flops, you can get blisters, and then bacteria can get into your feet." Yikes, right?
Instead of flip-flops, here are six shoe styles that are much better options for the airport. See which celebs travel in them and shop the styles below.