Flying is one of the most popular and convenient ways to travel. In fact, more than 2.9 million people fly in and out of U.S. airports every day.
No matter how often you fly or where you’re going, heading to the airport can be a stressful experience. You never know how long it will take you to get from the entrance to your gate or what types of delays you’ll face along the way.
The best thing you can do is prepare yourself before you head to the airport. Here are a few simple airport travel tips to help you make the most of your experience every time.
1. Pack Your Carry-On the Right Way
One of the biggest hassles of going to any airport is having to make it through the security checkpoints. Lines are long, you have to remove excess layers, and your bag needs to get searched before you’re cleared to enter the airport proper.
The best thing you can do to speed up the process is to pack your carry-on bag the right way.
Store all electronic devices in an easy-to-access compartment. This way, you’ll be able to quickly remove them and place them in a bin on the belt.
Go through your bag and remove any items that airport security might consider hazardous. Things like large containers of liquids, gels, or pastes, scissors, and even knitting needles can create delays at the security checkpoint.
Instead of carrying those items with you, put them in your checked luggage or leave them at home.
2. Bring Snacks and an Empty Water Bottle
Airports almost always have an abundance of restaurants and convenience stores inside. This makes grabbing food on the go easy, but they’re far more expensive than you might think. Those high prices can take a toll on your travel budget before you even leave the airport.
Instead of relying on airport restaurants and snacks, bring food from home. Typically, you won’t have trouble getting through security as long as you’re packing solid foods.
You should also bring an empty, reusable water bottle with you. You’ll be able to refill it at one of the many water fountains near your gate. This alone can save you a few dollars each trip.
3. Plan for Transportation Ahead of Time
There’s nothing worse than circling an airport parking lot for an hour before your flight just hoping that someone pulls out and leaves you a spot. Instead of taking chances, plan your airport transportation options ahead of time.
If you’re going to park at the airport, research your options and find out how full each lot is. If you’re planning on using an airport transportation service to avoid the hassle of parking, make your reservations as early as you can.
This way, you won’t have to stress yourself out trying to figure out how you’ll get to the airport the day before your flight.
4. Get to the Airport Early
Conventional wisdom suggests that you should arrive at the airport at least an hour before your flight. While this is more than enough time if the airport isn’t busy, it’s far from enough when you’re flying during peak hours.
Instead, try to get to the airport at least two hours before your flight.
Remember, you need to check in, get through security, and find your gate before the gate attendants start the boarding process. If things are busy, you may end up using most of that time just getting through security.
By getting to the airport earlier than strictly necessary, you’ll spare yourself the stress of watching the clock. You might have to kill a little time at your gate, but you won’t feel rushed and can instead focus on getting excited about your trip.
5. Print Your Boarding Pass at Home
Though you can check in at the airport, doing so only adds to the stress of your travel day. Spare yourself the frustration of long lines by checking in for your flight at home.
If you have a smartphone, download your boarding pass and let the airport scan it when you arrive. If you prefer to use paper boarding passes, print them off before you leave the house.
You’ll even be able to use these pre-printed boarding passes to check your bags once you arrive. The baggage attendants will scan them, print the necessary labels for your luggage, and send your bags off in a matter of minutes.
If you’re not checking bags, you can head straight to security and onto your gate without delay.
6. Dress Appropriately
Temperatures inside airports and on airplanes can fluctuate by the minute. Dress appropriately for the trip by wearing layers.
Wear loose-fitting pants to help you stay comfortable on the flight. Choose shoes that are easy to take off to get through airport security faster and avoid wearing belts or clothes with tons of metal accessories.
These can trigger the scanners and will increase the amount of time you’ll spend waiting to get to your plane.
7. Don’t Forget the Entertainment
Most of these airport hacks mean spending more time in the airport itself. If you’re not prepared, it’s easy to get bored while you wait for your flight.
Make sure you’re ready by bringing enough entertainment with you for the trip. Pack books, download a few new e-books on your smartphone or bring quality headphones so you can listen to music while you wait.
Follow These Airport Travel Tips Next Time You Fly
If you’re planning a trip, keep these airport travel tips in mind. When you follow them, you’ll be sure to reduce your pre-trip stress levels and make the entire airport experience more enjoyable.
Though every trip and airport will be different, these tips will work no matter where you’re going or how often you fly.
Looking for more tips to help you make the most of your upcoming trip? Check out our latest posts.
