Yahoo Lifestyle Frequent Flyers Are Sharing "Airport Life Hacks" That'll Save You So Much Time, Money, And Patience
From planning to packing, mastering the art of traveling makes taking trips SO much easier. A Reddit user asked, "Frequent flyers, what are your airport life hacks?" Here are the most helpful tips to keep in mind before you pack your bags again:
1."Always travel light. I know it's overused advice but it's the best. I learned how to do a Navy roll with my clothing and easily fit a week of clothes in a carry-on. It's made all the difference in the world walk off my flight with a backpack and be ready to go on my way. Plus, people usually pack way more junk than they'll use. It's made my travel much more relaxing to just have the essentials. Also, implement the free hotel shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, etc. so you don't need to pack a giant bag of toiletries."
2."Once the plane lands and the seatbelt sign is switched off, just chill. Stay comfortably in your seat until people start exiting the plane. There is no point standing with your head hitting the overhead locker for five minutes — it's not going to get you off any sooner."
3."If you're at the gate waiting and your flight is delayed, figure out where your airline's customer service desk is and stand on the side of the crowd closer to that direction. If your flight gets canceled for whatever reason, speed walk to the customer service desk before the rest of the people at the gate figure it out. When a flight is canceled airlines try to rebook passengers on the next available one to their destination. If there are only three empty seats on the next flight, you want to make sure you are one of the first three people in line."
4."Always pack an empty water bottle and fill it before you board. If you're smart, pack two empty bottles and have them filled for the plane. Staying hydrated is key, but water bottles at the airport cost a crazy amount. If you go through security with water in the bottle, you'll have to discard it, so make sure it's empty."
5."Take all that stuff out of your pockets before you get to the security checkpoint and put it in a small compartment on your carry-on. Now you have one less thing to juggle while trying to keep your beltless pants up after going through the x-ray machine."
6."Know what to do before you get to the TSA line. Have your ID and boarding pass ready, take off your shoes, remove your laptop/tablet, etc. Watch those ahead of you and see what they do if you don't know. On that note, wear shoes that you can quickly slip off and on."
7."Getting Global Entry was worth it! I would have missed a flight waiting in line for over two hours after returning to the U.S., but instead, I waited not even five minutes, scanned my passport, and looked into a camera. Not to mention, I have TSA PreCheck for five years!"
8."Sit outside the VIP lounges and get free wifi."
9."Compression socks, especially if you are traveling for a long period, or have been actively walking, exploring, etc. at your destination before departure. I walked my damn feet off on a week-long study abroad trip to Dubai and wore slip-on shoes on the plane. Every one of us (15+ people) couldn't wear our shoes after the first flight as our feet and calves had swelled up so much. Being unable to raise your legs to rest them while on a 12-hour flight is unbelievably painful. No sleep makes connecting flights and that whole process such a literal pain. Worst travel experience of my life."
10."Study the terminal maps before you get to a connecting airport. Knowing where you're going, especially with limited time to make a connecting flight, is a godsend."
11."Sanitize your seat and tabletop once you get on the flight. This is irrespective of what class you fly. They surface clean between passengers, and you would be shocked at how rancid the seats are. Take some sterilized wet wipes on with you and clean right away."
12."Turn the brightness on your phone up when presenting your boarding pass in security lines or when you board the plane."
13."If you have a lot of time to kill, find the area in baggage claim where pets are reunited with their owners. It's a blast watching those dogs get out of their carriers, and they all behave differently."
14."If you fly a lot, get a rewards credit card with that airline. After flying frequently for work for a couple of years, I now have platinum memberships with different airlines. This means I get free checked bags, priority boarding, and access to the airport lounges with free food and booze. The best of all? Free upgrades to first class if there are open seats. Not to mention all the free flights I've gotten from racking up points on the card. My company reimburses my flights, so I charge them to the card but get to keep all the points for personal use."
15."Early morning flights FTW. A lot less can go wrong with the first flight of the day. That plane is typically there overnight so you aren't waiting on crew or equipment. Security lines are shorter. Traffic to the airport sucks less."
16."I've been flying for a long time and have an invisible disability. You would never know anything is wrong with me by looking at me. When I fly alone I always talk to the check-in desk about whom I should speak with about my illness before boarding, in case anything should happen. Sometimes they preboard you so you have more time to sort it out with the flight crew."
17."It doesn't matter how much time you think you have before your flight. Find your gate first and confirm it is the right one for your flight. Then, set an alarm on your phone to give you plenty of time to get back in time to board. Missing your flight because you don't realize how far away your gate is will be a mistake you only make once, but better not to make at all."
18."You will eventually lose your luggage. Be ready by having cash and overnight essentials on your person."
19."Pilot here. The flight attendants have heard every single attempt from passengers to lie and cajole their way into first class. If you want better treatment and maybe an upgrade, bring a box full of truffles or chocolates, treat them like people, and be very nice. If there is any opening in a nicer seat, they might hook it up. If you get an upgrade, don't boast about it to anyone. You could get the crew in trouble and they'll never do that again."
20."If you have a problem with a flight, the person working at the counter is the one person who can help you and the one person who was in no way responsible for causing your problem. Treat them like your salvation, and don't let loose on them the anger you have for the airline. If you're having a bad day, there's a good chance they've dealt with 300 people also having the same bad day. If they look like s--t, offer to get them a coffee."
What's your best airport life hack? Share yours in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
