17 Airport Tips and Hacks to Make Your Travel Easier

Jan 1, 2020

Traveling these days is all about trying to get ahead of the next passenger in the queue. With so many frequent travelers opting to fly to their destinations, the airport can be quite a stressful place. If you’re a few minutes late, you can find yourself at the end of a long line, which can set your stress levels sky-high.

Even if you are well in time and sitting around wondering if you should get a snack, you’d probably be put off by the expensive rates. And if you’re sitting around doing nothing and want to log into the airport Wi-fi, the list of networks that show up can be quite daunting. Which one do you select?

To get around these issues, it’s always a good idea to be aware of a few insider airline tips and tricks to make your time at the airport stress-free. We’ve put together a few useful airport hacks and airport travel tips to make your next trip easier.

1. Book a Red-Eye flight

Night flight

If the jostling crowds at the airport bother you, consider booking a late-night flight. These flights are usually cheaper and less crowded than regular flights. A late-night flight will also give you a chance to catch up on your sleep so that you’re ready to start your day when you land.

2. Pre-book your seat

Plane seat
If you’re traveling with family or on your own, it’s always best to select your seats when you book. Most airlines allow you to pre-book the seat of your choice, which is the best way to go.

You won’t always get the seat of your choice when you check-in at the airport. Imagine being in the middle seat on a long flight!

3. Do a web check-in

There’s nothing like checking in online to avoid standing in a queue. When you check-in online all you need to do is print or screenshot your boarding pass. You then need to drop off any baggage that you may be carrying at the drop off point.

If you don’t have baggage better still, as you can walk straight on to security.

4. Check the status of your flight

Before dashing off to the airport it’s always a good idea to check the status of your flight online. There are various apps that you could download to find out if there is a change in the status of your flight. You could also check on the website of the airline.

If for some reason there is a delay or the flight has been canceled you could call the airline to reconfirm.

5. Take a snack with you

Snack
The eating places at airports are usually overpriced so rather than wasting your money on a sandwich that isn’t worth that much, take your own snack along. If you’re okay with spending so much on a snack then familiarize yourself with the layout of the airport so you won’t waste time hunting around for something to eat.

6. A power bank and a multi-plug adapter

Buy a portable charger so that you don’t have to wait in a queue to charge your phone at the airport. A good portable charger can be very handy on a flight too, especially if there’s no charging port onboard.

A multi-plug adapter can also be useful when you’re traveling in a group as you can plug it in and multiple users can charge their phones.

7. A few Ziploc bags

These are always handy to have as you never know what you’ll need them for. You could pack your snacks in the Ziploc bags or keep any liquids in them to prevent spilling.

8. An empty water bottle

You’re not allowed more than 100 ml of liquids as you go through security so if you have a full water bottle it will probably end up in the trash. However, an empty bottle can be filled once you’re through the security checkpoint or on the flight.

9. A scarf and warm socks

If you’re not carrying a jacket it’s best to have something warm for the flight as it can get quite chilly up in the air. You wouldn’t want to be shivering for most of your flight. You can read here about what to ‘Airport outfits to wear on a long haul flight.’

10. Take a picture of your parking spot

If you’re on a short trip and have left your car at the airport, be sure to know which level your car is parked at. It saves you a lot of time on the way back.

There are cheaper parking spots that you can avail of in the US and Europe, so be sure to check out these services before leaving your car at the airport.

11. Put some sort of bright identity mark on your luggage

Luggage
Sometimes another passenger may have exactly the same luggage as yours, so trying to understand which belongs to you on the conveyor belt can be quite a headache. Make life simpler by putting some distinguishing mark on your luggage.

Another good idea is to take a picture of your luggage so, in the unfortunate event of it going missing, you have something more concrete to show the airline staff.

12. Reconfirm that your luggage is going all the way for a layover

If you’re on a long flight sometimes you may have to collect your baggage and get it rechecked in for a layover. Don’t take it for granted that your baggage will go to your final destination. Make sure to ask the airline staff about it or you could miss a flight because you didn’t know.

13. Head towards the left at the airport security

Rather strangely, the security line on the left is usually less crowded with people as compared to the ones on the right.

This is probably because people naturally tend to veer towards the right. With the business and first-class usually being nearer the left, you may suddenly get lucky and be allowed to jump to that lane if the queue is shorter.

14. Keep all your electronics like your laptop and phone in one tray

It’s a usual practice to ask passengers to take electronics out of their bags when passing through security. If you keep all your devices in one place, in one tray, you won’t waste time at security.

Make sure that you’re not carrying any loose change or keys in your pockets that will set off the metal detectors. Take off your belt and boots too so that you’re not sent back by security and inconveniencing fellow travelers.

15. Find an empty gate during delays

Once you’re through with security and are heading to your gate, you could stop at one that is closer to the gate that you’re supposed to depart from if it’s less crowded. However, don’t stop at a gate that is too far away. Also, don’t plug your ears with headphones or you could just miss the announcements.

16. Don’t stand in the queue if you have to rebook

If for some reason your flight has been canceled don’t wait in the long queue to rebook. Look for an airport phone and call the airline to rebook your flight instead.

17. Keep all your information ready for immigration

If you’re traveling internationally, to avoid any delays when you arrive to make sure that you have all your information handy. You don’t want to be rummaging about for your passport and reservations at immigration. Take time to fill out the travel declaration card correctly.

If your flight delays for more than 3 hours, or was canceled, you may be eligible for compensation up to €600 based on EU 261 rule.

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