Airports and flying can be stressful and frustrating, and millions of Americans hate the experience. Moreover, the airport can get really expensive. Let’s look at some ways you can make your time there smoother and less costly.
1. Check-in Online
For most flights, you can check in online the day before. This gets you your boarding pass so you can go straight to the counter to check your bags or straight to security if you are going carry-on only.
2. Wear Bulkier Clothing
This depends on the season, of course. Bulkier clothing on you means more space in your bags so that you can fit more in.
3. Get TSA Pre-check
The TSA Pre-Check line is usually shorter and faster than the regular security lines. You also get an exemption from annoying things like taking out your laptop and removing your shoes.
4. Sign up for Global Entry
This one is good for international travel. It has all the benefits of Pre-Check and has the added bonus of expedited customs screenings when you return to the U.S.
5. Sign up for CLEAR
CLEAR is run by a private company. It verifies your biometric information. Although it’s the most expensive of these options, it allows you to skip the whole security process entirely.
6. Take the Red Eye
For starters, red eyes are often the cheapest flights available. They’re a drag, but you also move through the airport at times when it’s the least crowded and busy.
7. Weigh Your Bags at Home
This can save you the unpleasant choice of a hefty surcharge or leaving things behind if you go over. Most airlines set 50 pounds per bag as the allowable weight.
8. Choose Security Lines With Fewer Agents
When you see more agents, it usually means there’s training going on. That makes it more likely your bag will be flagged for inspection. Fewer agents could also mean being short-staffed, in which case they may be less inclined to flag bags for silly reasons.
9. Pick a Security Line at the End of the Terminal
People tend to gravitate toward the security line in the middle of the airport. If there are multiple lines, you’ll find fewer people the farther the lines are from the middle.
10. Pack in Layers
This keeps your checked bags organized and helps you fit more in. For your carry-on, it means you can more easily get things you need while keeping stuff you probably won’t need at the bottom.
11. Pack So That Certain Items Are Easy to Remove
You often have to remove items like laptops and liquids and send them through separately. Packing them so that they’re easy to remove and replace will save you time and frustration.
12. Go Carry-on Only
If this is an option, it saves both time and money. You won’t have to pay to check bags, and you can head straight to security when you arrive at the airport.
13. Exchange Money Before You Leave
For international travel, do money exchanges before you get to the airport. At airports, you’re often hit with ridiculous exchange fees that they charge you because they can.
14. Get the MyTSA App
With this app, you can check ahead of time on what you can and can’t bring on board. You can also get information about delays, arrival times, security wait times, and more. If you don’t like clutter on your phone, you can simply delete the app after your flight.
15. Park at a Nearby Hotel
Some hotels, and you must always check first to avoid getting towed, will let people park in their lots for a small fee, and you can also use their shuttles. This can save a lot over airport parking.
16. Use Airport Lounges
In some airports, airlines with a hub there offer lounges or clubs for their customers. Sometimes, a membership is required, and sometimes, one-time passes are available. These lounges are quieter and more comfortable than the rest of the airport is, and there are complementary foods and beverages.
17. Drop Off and Pick Up Where It’s Less Busy
There’s no law that you have to drop off at Departures and pick up at Arrivals. When one is much busier than the other, use the other to save time and stress.
18. Keep a Charger With You
You could go to the airport with your phone fully charged only to face a long delay. Being able to keep your phone charged is critical, and you should have your own rather than being overcharged for one at the airport. It’s best to have a portable charger so that you don’t have to compete for limited power outlets.
19. Pack Just What You Need
This will save you time at home and when unpacking, but it can also save you money. The more you pack, the heavier your bag gets, putting you closer to fees for going over the limit. Applied to your carry-on, this makes it easier to find things you need.
20. Find Deals on Luggage Fees
One of the most unwelcome developments in recent years has been the imposition of fees for checked luggage. When you check in online, see if the airline offers packages that reduce those fees. Alternatively, see if you can use rewards card points for the fees. And don’t forget that Southwest allows two free checked bags.
21. Personalize Your Luggage
Have you ever missed your bag and had to wait for it to go around the carousel again? Have you ever mistakenly grabbed someone else’s bag that looked like yours, or had that happen to you? Put tags, ribbons, or other unique identifiers on your bags, or buy bags that are pretty much guaranteed not to look like someone else’s.
22. Four Wheels, Not Two
When you buy a rolling suitcase, you can spend a little less on one with two wheels. Four wheels are better, though, because you can have the bag next to you or in front of you, making it easier to maneuver.
23. Don’t Wrap Gifts
If you’re flying somewhere with gifts, have reusable gift bags and wrap the gifts after you get to your destination. What if that wrapped gift gets flagged for screening? Say goodbye to the wrapping.
24. Check Your Flight Status Before You Leave
Before you leave your home or hotel, check to see if your flight has been canceled or delayed. It can save you an extra round trip, and you’ll be more comfortable where you are than you’ll be at the airport.
25. Know Your Destination Airport Code
If you’re checking bags, know the code for your destination airport. Then, check for the code when the bag gets tagged. That can prevent the nightmare of lost luggage.
26. Leave Jewelry at Home or Put It in Your Bag
Jewelry can set off metal detectors. If you have to travel with it, put it in your bag when you go through security. It might keep you from having to go back through or from enduring a humiliating pat-down in front of everyone there.
27. Wear Slip-on Shoes
Having to remove shoes has been one of the most annoying security procedures implemented since the 9-11 terror attacks (this measure actually came about due to the failed shoe bomber from later that year). Slip-on shoes make the process of removing them and putting them back on easier.
28. Have an Empty Water Bottle
Once you get through security, you can fill your bottle or tumbler at a water fountain for free. It beats paying outrageous prices for beverages in airports.
29. Pack Plenty of Snacks
Speaking of outrageous prices at the airport, that applies to food as well. Since you can’t go down the road for something cheaper, they can charge you whatever they want. Pack some snacks and wait until you’ve left the airport for a real meal.
30. Check for Free Wi-Fi
Most airports now have free wi-fi that you can connect to. Sometimes it isn’t that great, but it’s better than using up your own data when an alternative is available.
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