The Wise Traveller’s Top Tips

The best way to avoid problems at the airport, is to pack as light as you possibly can. The more suitcases you have, the more time and nuisance they’re going to be. You’ll have to carry each of those bags from the cab, train or car park into the airport, and each one has to be checked in, weighed, X-rayed and inspected. In short, every bag will serve to delay you ever so slightly, no matter how efficient you think you are.

If your master plan for quicker travel includes a carry-on bag, then you need to know the rules the airline has in place for those bags. Trying to squeeze a larger bag into the overhead storage bin can delay things for you and everyone else. There are all kinds of rules the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has in place for what can and cannot come aboard the flight; from the size of your moisturiser to that Swiss Army knife you carry everywhere you go. All airlines post these guidelines on their websites, so check them out before leaving your house.

The best way to avoid being delayed is to give yourself plenty of time. Most airports have a variety of ways to spend your time while waiting; from shops, restaurants and bars, to complimentary Wi-Fi and charging stations for your laptop. Leave home early and avoid the stress of dealing with long lines and slow airline employees.

Modern life has made checking in for your flight a whole lot easier. Thanks to the internet and smartphones, you can now check in up to 24 hours beforehand, and have all of your travel documents ready before you even get to the airport. If you listen to our advice to travel light, then you can avoid the check-in process altogether, and go straight through airport security to your gate. Adapted from an article on howstuffworks website