In the next few weeks many of us will be packing and preparing for our summer holidays – and whether you’re jetting off to the sunny shores of Spain or about to trek through the Himalayas, the last thing you want to happen is to arrive at your destination feeling less than fabulous after a flight.

We’ve heard it all – from the lack of circulated air in cabins, to the germs and microbes surrounding us, flying has long been thought to raise your risk of getting sick.

But thankfully, a new study has revealed a trick or two for avoiding illness on a plane.

Firstly, if possible, pick a window seat. Secondly, try to stay put for the duration of the flight. By doing both, you’ll minimise your chances of coming in contact with a sick passenger, which increases your chances of falling ill. If you opt for an aisle seat then you’re more likely to encounter potentially ill passengers (or crew members) and possibly up your chances of infection.

It all seems rather obvious, right? But the study is actually the first of its kind to delve into how diseases spread on planes.

Travelling on 10 domestic flights, where they monitored travellers and crew members, researchers collected data from 1,540 passengers and 41 crew members. As it turns out, people sitting in aisle seats had contact with 64 other people on average, while those in the middle seat had 58 and the window seat only had 12.

How to avoid getting sick on a plane, according to science