Most people find traveling to be very stressful. They have found it even more difficult in recent years since airports have become more crowded. New travel regulations and stricter screening processes have made things even tougher. Some people worry that they will miss their flight if they are held up too long.
You will need to plan your trip carefully to make sure that you get through the airport in a timely manner. Here are some tips that may help you get through the screening process more quickly.
Check in Online Before Your Trip
Most airports have used electronic check-in processes for various parts of your trip. You can use your computer or mobile device to check in between 45 minutes and 24 hours before your flight departs. This makes flying less stressful and can allow you to save up to an hour in line at the airport.
You may also be able to conduct and online screening process with the TSA before your flight. This feature is currently available at 100 participating airports in the United States. You may want to see if your airport participates. The U.S. Customs Department has a Global Entry program that you may want to try as well. Both of these programs can be great ways to save time.
Use Reliable Transportation
You will also want to make sure that the transportation that you use to get to the airport is reliable. You may want to use a service that brings people to the airport on a regular basis. The drivers know which routes are quickest. Many people find this is a lot less stressful to driving themselves to the airport. Taking an airport shuttle may also be a better option than leaving your vehicle at the airport.
Regardless of what type of transportation you use, you will want to make sure that you leave at a reasonable time. It is a good idea to know when traffic is most congested so that you can avoid it. Recent studies have shown that the worst times to travel are Tuesday mornings and Friday evenings between 5 and 6 pm. If you do have to travel during these times then you will want to make sure that you give yourself more time to get to the airport.
Preparing Before Check-in
You will want to make sure that you use your time at the airport as efficiently as possible as well. Here are some things that you may want to do to save time:
- Weigh your bags before reaching the desk.
- Move items between bags before you reach the checkout counter if you are trying to save on baggage fees.
- Have all of your documents in hand before you reach the counter. This will make things easier for you, the attendant and other customers.
The check-in process can be a hassle, especially if you are traveling on a particularly busy day. You will want to make sure that you use it as efficiently as possible.
About the author: Kalen is a freelance travel writer. He talks about the benefits of using kansas city airport transportation services when visiting the airport.