In 2010, you're more likely to find sweats and T-shirts in first class and you better plan on arriving hours before your flight. Prepare for delays, security hurdles and crowded seating.

Following the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day, the regulations, the lines and the security hassles have increased.

At least the U.S. has taken a tougher stance. The new rules started this week require that all passengers flying to the U.S. from countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism or certain other countries "of interest"--including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria go through enhanced screening. These could include full-body pat-downs, a physical inspection of personal property, or screening by one of the 40 advanced-imaging machines located in 19 U.S. airports.

The Transportation Security Administration didn't name the countries of interest, but the directive included nations on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism. Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are listed on the State Department's Web site as having that designation.

In addition, the majority of passengers flying from anywhere in the world to the U.S. will now be screened using enhanced security measures, said a TSA official.

Passengers should come prepared to wait. One airline is recommending that passengers arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international ones--or about one hour more than usual.

While some people may be put off by the body scans, believing their rights are being violated, they better think again and be patient. Innocent lives are at risk.