Shutterstock
No one likes going to the airport. You have to wait through long lines, deal with airport security, shuffle around and find your gate, all just to wait for hours while they get the plane ready for boarding. It’s a completely exhausting process, but one that you can make a bit easier with a few helpful tips.
Here are a few tips to make your next flight a breeze.
There are a hundred different things that can go wrong when you try to board a plane. You need to get through security, and that can take a lot of time. You also need to worry about finding your gate and sorting through any issues you might have with your luggage or with your ticket. If you’re lucky, you might even avoid a lengthy delay to your flight due to things like weather, technical problems, or other unforeseen events.
To avoid having to worry about all of these issues, just try to get to the airport as early as you can. It’s a good idea to get there an hour or two before your flight so you can handle any issues that might arise.
There’s bound to be downtime during any flight. Whether that’s before the flight or during, you’re going to have a few moments to yourself to just sit quietly and think. If you want to do something other than quietly mulling over how ridiculous airports are, you should bring some entertainment in your bag.
A good option would be to stash a novel (or two) in your bag so you can catch up on some reading. If you’re not much of a reader, you could instead slip a portable gaming console like a Nintendo Switch or a Steam Deck into your carry-on bag. Nothing beats stomping on Goombas at 12,000 feet.
Pack ahead of time and make sure you have no items in your bag that could cause issues with airport security. Don’t bring any bottles of liquid that are over 12 ounces–you can’t get on a plane with those. Likewise, don’t try to bring your pocket knife or a box cutter. Even if you have legitimate uses for these sharp objects, airport security is going to take them. So leave that fancy pocket knife at home, and if you need one on the ground you need to bring some money and buy one yourself.
