Want to avoid getting sick on a plane this holiday season? Medical expert reveals best seat

Americans nationwide are getting ready to travel for the Christmas and holiday season, with many flying to see friends and loved ones. A record 3.1 million travelers were screened by the TSA on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend - and even more are expected over Christmas.

But with crowded airports and packed planes, it's easy for illness to spread.

The biggest risk for travelers won't be what they touch - but what they breathe, said Dr. Neha Pathak, chief physician editor of health and lifestyle medicine at WebMD. 

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"Most respiratory viruses like flu or COVID spread mainly through the air and [through] close contact, not from tray tables or armrests," Pathak told Fox News Digital.

She added, "Your hands are really the critical piece here. . . . If you clean them regularly and avoid touching your face, you can dramatically reduce any risk that comes from surfaces."

She said that when it comes to surfaces, the classic "stomach bug" is the pathogen that concerns her most.

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It's "incredibly hardy," she said, referring to viral gastroenteritis - an intestinal infection that includes such symptoms as watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting or nausea and more, according to the Mayo Clinic. "And it can survive on surfaces for days."

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She added, "That makes it the perfect candidate for surface transmission in places like airplanes - especially bathrooms and high-touch areas."

"The virus that gives you vomiting and diarrhea is more likely to hitch a ride on a tray table than the viruses that cause flu or COVID," she said.

With that in mind, Pathak revealed that to avoid getting sick, a window seat far from the bathroom is the best place to sit on an airplane. 

"You will have fewer people brushing past you, less exposure to aisle traffic and, overall, fewer close contacts," said Pathak.

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She also recommended wearing a mask for those wishing to avoid getting sick.

Pathak said she turns on her overhead air vent, washes and sanitizes her hands frequently, and avoids touching her face - especially her mouth or nose - while traveling on a plane.