Guess what? I love going to airports!! You may ask me why on earth I would love going to the airport, and my answer would be told in three parts. Number one, going to the airport means that I am going on a trip and that is always going to get me excited.
Number two, if you have the right attitude and perspective, airports can be super fun places to hang out. They literally have everything you need in them, food, water, alcohol, books, gum, hygiene products, electronics, free WIFI, clothes, perfume, chocolate, washrooms, places to charge your phone etc. Airports are also filled with interesting people from all over the world, so you have the opportunity to be social and make new friends. Also, a lot of societies rules do not apply in airports, for example, you can eat Chinese food at 8:00 am and no one is going to judge you because they are doing the same thing. Watch my video about things to do in the airport if you need some inspiration on how to have fun in the airport.
Number three, after being on 103 flights, I am now a master at getting through airports so I do not get stressed out about going through security, customs, and the boarding process.
However, I know that my love for the airport life isn’t shared by everyone. A lot of people dread even the thought of going to the airport and can’t wait for the whole process to be over. The process of checking in, going through security, customs, finding your gate, catching your connecting flight, finding your bag, boarding the plane, and delays can be very overwhelming and make someone feel a huge amount of stress. If that sounds like you do not fear Cass is here to save the day! YAY! Here are 10 very simple steps you can take in order to have a happier trip to the airport and eliminate any unnecessary stress.
I made a vlog to go with this blog. You can watch it here, and below. (ps please subscribe to my Youtube channel because more great videos will be coming every Thursday!) And if you are ready to keep reading, great! Grab a drink maybe a snack (hummus) and enjoy.
10 Tips To Have A Better Airport Experience:
1.Weigh Your Bag At Home
Please weigh your checked bag before you leave your house. Why is this important? Because airlines have limits on how much your bag can weigh, and they will charge you ridiculous prices if you go over the requirements. If you don’t want to pay the overcharge you are going to have to take items out of your bag and leave them behind.
One time, I was traveling by myself and I didn’t weigh my bag, even through I knew better. My bag was 6 lbs over and I was charged $106 USD. Unfortunately, I had to pay it because I really didn’t have anything I could afford to leave behind. Folks, learn from my silly mistake and weigh your bag. You want to weigh your bag right after you finish packing, so you know if you need to take things out or if you want to add items in. Knowing for sure how much your bag weighs will also make your check in process faster.
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Use Your Phone
Instead of printing confirmation emails and boarding passes and worrying about where you put them, have everything on your phone instead. Every airline has their own app, and you can check in, and have an electronic ticket and boarding pass saved on your phone. You will be able to scan your phone instead of having extra pieces of paper. If you have an iPhone, the wallet app will also be able to help you keep track of your tickets. You will be saving trees, as well as eliminating any stress you may have of keep track of your ticket. Pro tip: make sure your phone is charged.
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Bring Just A Carry On
This is honestly hard for me because I do like packing extra clothes. For the record, I have been known to extend my trips or add new destinations to my trips so bringing extra clothing kind of makes sense for me. However, if you aren’t going to be adding any spontaneous adventures to your trip I recommend only bringing a carry on. Just taking a carry on is going to save you time and money. There is a check in bag fee that usually is $25, but carry ons are free! So, if you do not check a bag you save $25. You also won’t have to wait for you bag at baggage claim, thus saving you time. Bring just a carry on will eliminate any fear you may have of your bag getting lost because you will have it with you during your flight.
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Cleary Mark Your Bags
Use bag tags, bandannas, tape or anything else that will allow you to notice your bag from a mile away. Everyone’s bag looks the same, clearly marking it makes it easier for you to spot yours at baggage claim. Writing your name and address on your bags is also smart incase it somehow goes missing. I recommend marking and labeling all of the bags you have with you, even carry ons.
[su_quote] …a lot of societies rules do not apply in airports, for example, you can eat Chinese food at 8:00 am and no one is going to judge you because they are doing the same thing.[/su_quote]
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Do Not Stress Or Panic
At no point during your time at the airport should you stress or panic. Even if your flight is delayed and you have a connecting flight, if your flight gets cancelled, if you can’t find where you are supposed to be, if you can’t find your bag, etc. do not panic. Remain calm. Breath in and out. The airline and airport staff are there to help you. Airline staff really do want you to get to your destination on time and happy, that’s actually why they are there. Be nice to them and ask for help when needed. Pro tip: If you feel like you are going to start stressing take deep breaths and if you need to grab a drink.
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Bring Something To Do While You Wait
Bring something to entertain yourself with while you are waiting at the airport. Pack a book, magazine, watch Netflix, draw, do a crossword puzzle, get some work done, write in a journal, play a game on your phone, play solitaire with a deck of cards, eat something, or anything that you can do by yourself, in public, that you love. This will come in handy if your flight is delayed.
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Be Prepared For Security
Getting prepared for security starts before you even leave your house. Know what is in your carry on bag and pockets. You can only have liquids that are 100 ml or less, and they need to be in a bag. So while you are packing your carry on, make sure your liquids are the right amounts and packed correctly. Once you are about to go through security, remember that EVERYTHING needs to be in a bucket, even your carry on bag itself. Do not be afraid to grab more than one bucket, I always use three. Remember that your laptop needs to be turned off, and placed in its own bucket. You will need to take off hats, shoes, belts and jackets and place them in a bucket.
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Make Sure You Have The Correct Documents
You should make sure you have all the correct documents way before you get to the airport. This should be done while you are planning your trip. You want to make sure you have the right visa, if necessary, so you can successfully enter the country you are trying to enter. There are different types of visas and rules vary from country to country, so please do your research. You should also make sure you have all the correct vaccines necessary.
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Relax And Read The Signs
Airports are clearly labeled, and most airports all around the world are labeled in English. It is so wonderfully helpful. If you don’t know where you are going, look up and follow the arrows. If you still do not know where you are going or need help, be nice and ask an airport employee. They will likely know the answer and will send you in the right direction.
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Do Not Line Up At The Gate Before They Call Your Group
The airlines have a system for the boarding process. Every passenger will be put in a group (groups 1 – 4 /5 or A – D/E) and every ticket will let each passenger know what group they are in. Then when it is time to board the plane the airline attendant will call each group one by one. Stay seated until your group is called. You are just going to be standing and blocking the hall. If you try to go up before they call your group they will send you back and you would have just wasted your time. Relax and remember that everyone is going to get on the plane, following the system just helps it go faster for everyone.
Try these tips the next time you go on a trip and let me know how they boosted your airport experience. If you have any questions about traveling and spending time in airports, please comment below or contact me. If you are a travel pro, comment below with some of your favourite travel hacks.
Sending love and joy to all your voyages,
