We’ve all heard them before. Weary yet seasoned travelers swear that if you use your cell phone on a plane it will crash or that if you don’t guard your hotel room key your identity may be stolen. As technology advances, it’s hard to tell what rumors are merely myths and which have a shred of truth to them. Here we’ll shed light on a few of the most common travel myths.

Blackberries and Cell Phones

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Myth: Using your cell phone in flight will cause the plane to crash. Myth, myth, myth. And, seriously folks, how many times have you seen people try to “sneak” a phone call on a plane? Dozens, I’m sure. How many of those planes have crashed? None – or you wouldn’t be reading this article.

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In all reality, the FAA has not proven that electronic devices interfere with the operation of an aircraft. They’ve left it up to each individual airline to set their own guidelines for use. You may not break a federal law, but you may break a specific airline’s rules – and that can get you into almost as much trouble. Make sure you check the guidelines for your specific flight.

Airplane Cabin Air

Myth: The air in an airplane cabin is the perfect place for viruses and bacteria to breed. Yes and no. Yes, the air inside an airplane cabin may be the perfect host for viruses and bacteria to breed, but not for the reasons you might think. Rumor has it that airlines recirculate air instead of replacing it with fresh air. Some airlines do this, but not all, and certainly not in an attempt to save money.

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You will, however, spend a couple of hours in close contact with a 100-200 complete strangers and there’s no way to escape the myriad of colds and other illnesses they may be carrying. Drink plenty of water, wash your hands, and keep the air vent above your head turned off during your flight in order to avoid contracting an illness.

All-Inclusive Cruises

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Myth: An all-inclusive cruise includes all expenses. This is another myth, but it used to be true. Today, however, cruise lines are famous for adding extra “perks” that will definitely result in additional charges before the end of your stay.

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Most cruise lines, for example, will allow you to pay a flat rate for “unlimited soda” throughout your stay. They don’t include this in the original cost of your cruise, though, so it gets tacked on in the end. All-inclusive also doesn’t include fees for special trips when you dock, for spa services when you’re on board the shop, or for the tips you should leave the crew members when you leave.

Hotel Room Key Cards

Myth: They key card your hotel gives you can be used to steal your personal financial information and identity. Sometimes we wonder who comes up with this stuff.

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Your key card is used to store your room number, arrival date, and departure date. That way the card will open your door while you are there and will stop opening your door after you’re long gone. It’s encrypted to work with the doors only and none of your personal information is ever stored here.

European Travel

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Myth: It’s cheaper to take a train than fly through Europe. This is yet another myth. Today it’s actually more expensive to take a train than it is to utilize a local airline if you’re flying from one European destination to another.

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Trains may be advantageous, however, if you’d like to see the countryside without making a lot of stops along the way. In that case, you might want to consider coughing up the cash to spend a few extra hours on the train and take in some sights.

Airport X-ray Machines

Myth: The airport x-ray machine will destroy your laptop files. This is, in short, nothing more than a myth. X-rays use a specialized form of energy that allows them to see through things with light, but they don’t use any sort of magnetic energy.

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You will run into problems if you accidentally walk your laptop through a metal detector. You’ll probably set off the alarms and we’re pretty sure that magnetic energy WILL cause some serious damage to your electronics.

Car Insurance and Rental Cars

Myth: Your personal auto insurance will pay if you cause damage to a rental car. Myth part 2: Your credit card will pay for the damages if you don’t have insurance.

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I’m going address the second part first. Your credit card will not cover damage to your rental car unless you have your own insurance to pay first. It’s a secondary coverage and they simply won’t pay if you don’t have a primary source of coverage to take care of the balance.

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Your personal car insurance will pay for your damage to a rental car, yes – but only if you have similar coverage to what the rental car company required. For example, you can’t have liability coverage only on your beat up 1989 Ford and expect to have full coverage on a 2006 Toyota Camry rental. Your personal insurance also will not cover the “loss of use” time the rental car carrier will charge you for – the amount of time they can’t rent the car because it’s out of commission for repairs.

In short, it’s better to purchase the rental car company’s insurance. It only costs a few dollars more and is guaranteed to cover all possible scenarios.

Hopefully you feel a bit more comfortable traveling by train, plane, or car. Remember, travel myths are just that – myths. If you hear something questionable, take a few minutes to look it up. I’d hate to see you avoid what could have otherwise been a pleasant travel experience because of a silly rumor!