10 Airport Travel Tips (For Comfort And Confidence)

Make these 10 Airport travel tips a chapter in your travel bible! Read this now and save yourself hours of headache and frustration at airports. I’m sharing some advice I’ve learned through my years of extensive travel. I was raised by parents who were travel agents so I got to see all aspects of travel from the inside out and ever since I was a kid I’ve been traveling to far off destinations and learned early on how to prepare to execute any trip. Here are a few airport travel tips to navigate them with comfort and confidence – 10 to be precise!

The first step in any journey is getting through the airport. While this may seem overwhelming, it’s really quite simple if you take an orderly approach to it and you stay organized. The best thing you can do when you are in an airport is to have prepared everything you need prior to getting there. Make this one of your new airport travel tips comfort and confidence list!

1. INCREASED VISA-BILITY

If you are traveling abroad, do you NEED a visa? Not all countries require visas, those that do will normally want you to fill out that paperwork ahead of time. You can find out more about visa requirements per country at the US Department of State website. For instance, Australia requires a visa, Canada does not; in fact, you can simply drive across the US border into Canada with only a Passport ID Card. Nifty!

You do NOT want to be arriving at the airport with your family only to find out that you can’t even board the plane because you didn’t fill out paperwork that would have only taken you 10 minutes. You will be the pariah of your family for all eternity!

TOP TIP: some airports will allow you to fill out emergency visa paperwork on site, for an exorbitant fee, of course.

While we are on the subject of visas, also make sure that your passports are up to date. They expire every 10 years and those dates creep up on you very quickly. If you are renewing your passport, it is very easy nowadays, simply follow the instructions online at the same Us Dept. of State website above.

TOP TIP: while you are renewing your passport, I would also suggest getting a Passport ID Card which is basically an ID form of your US Passport. It’s an extra nominal fee but worth it in case you lose your passport and can also be used as a form of ID to get through TSA security for any flight, foreign or domestic.

2. PICK YOUR SEATS ONLINE

Did you know you can pick your seats online? Companies like Travelocity allow you to choose your seats at the time of reservation. I love Travelocity and have been using them for years (I do not have an affiliate relationship with them, btw), but you can use whichever online booking company you choose. The point is to not have to get stuck with a seat for you or your family that you might not want! See Tip #8 to make this even easier!

As someone who is 6’3″ and has a way-above-average muscular mass I always make sure I have a comfortable seat. It’s imperative for me. Practicing my own airport travel tips means I’m always in super chill mode knowing I have a comfy position awaiting me, you can travel with confidence too.

3. GET TO THE AIRPORT EARLY

I almost hate to write this as once word gets out about this it will impact my own comfort. Just joking, but ironcially maybe not. If you get to the airport early, it will drastically cut down on wait times in the check-in and TSA lines.

TOP TIP: The rule of thumb I was taught is: 2 hours before domestic flights; 3 hours before international flights.

If you have to return a car or have special needs you might want to tack on an additional hour, depending on the airport. This has been my experience especially at larger airports such as Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Dulles (IAD), SeaTac (SEA), and many more, where the rental car returns are literally miles away from the actual terminals and require shuttles.

When I was a kid airports were boring, devoid of activities and basically boredom traps. In this day and age all airports have free WiFi, food for miles, tons of coffee options, and all sorts of neat activities. Heck, there’s always a bar! I even saw a theater in the Portland airport. Go early and just plan to hang out – hey, I found some of my favourite books at airports!

4. TRAVEL INFO AT THE READY

I’ve seen so many people flustered and blustery at the check-in kiosks and it amazes me – they need my airport travel tips. Here’s a system to have all of your information at the ready BEFORE you leave the house or hotel. Have that information on your phone, or print it out if you’re old school. That information should include:

• Flight number or confirmation code
• ID – drivers license, passport, or passport ID
• Credit card for possible overages
• Rental car confirmation code (if applicable)
• Hotel confirmation code (if applicable)

The first 3 are necessary to get on the plane, the last 2 you should have so that you don’t have to fuss looking for them when you land. You should be at the ready to get your bags, get your car, and land in your hotel. Once you pass the flight check-in kiosk, early, you might have to screen your bags through TSA and then hand them over to the airlines – you’re now ready to get into the TSA line with your boarding pass.

5. GET A TSA AIRPORT BELT

I learned this trick years ago from a friend who worked for an armored car company. They wore TSA belts as they had to ‘escort’ money from city to city through many airports. A TSA belt is simply an all-plastic belt that won’t set off the alarm bells when you walk through the screening machines, and therefore you won’t have to take off your belt. It’s just one less thing to worry about and one of the best airport travel tips I’ve been using for over 10 years.

TOP TIP: While you are in the TSA line have a strategy to put all of the things that cannot pass through the TSA scanners into your carry on. While I am standing in line I remove my watch, rings, wallet, etc., and place them into a pocket in my carry on. The only thing I have on my person when I go through the scanner is my belt and my boarding pass – and my clothes of course!

As soon as the TSA agent checks your ID against your boarding pass and waves you into the line, put your ID back in to your wallet so you don’t lose it. I recently traveled through Honolulu (HNL) and they suspended the requirement to take off valuables and shoes. That was sweet! Once you pass through TSA, put your boarding pass in your wallet or somewhere safely accessible.

6. TIPS FOR AIRPORT SHUTTLES

If you’re a seasoned traveler shuttles, trams, tubes, rails, and those crazy post-apocalyptic buses they have at Dulles International are as routine as the morning sun. However, for airport newbies, shuttles between terminals may seem like a daunting experience. Be prepared to take a shuttle after the point of check-in and TSA to get to your gate. You may also need to take a shuttle in between your flight and baggage claim, every airport is different. Most airport terminal shuttles are of the tube type and are very comfortable and efficient.

TOP TIP: All the information you need so you don’t get lost is on your BOARDING PASS. Simply stay calm and follow the signage to make sure you are going to the correct terminal; once in the correct terminal, proceed to the appropriate gate. This is why going early is to your benefit. If lost, just ask 🙂

7. I DON’T CHECK IN UNTIL 3?

I can’t say how many trips I’ve been on where I land at 8am and cannot check in to my hotel until 3pm! Arghh! If you can avoid this scenario then it would behoove you to try to plan ahead when you are booking your flights. Just bear in mind that most hotel check-in times are at 3 so you have to figure out what you are going to do in the interim between when you land and when you can safely stow your luggage and other stuff away. It is really is inconvenient to lug your bags and worry about their safety for 6 hours!

Although you can request for an earlier check-in time, hotels will usually only grant you an hour, if that. Smaller boutique hotels may be more accommodating but a bit more flighty with information from my own experience. I stayed at a small hotel in Dallas once that said they could check me in at 11am. When I landed and called they told me that there was no way that was possible! Later, when I got to the hotel at 3pm and inquired about it I was told “oh, you should have called, we have a low occupancy rate and you could have come right over.” I checked out the next day.

This airport travel tip is to try and plan your flight departure and arrival times to coincide closer with your hotel (airbnb, vrbo) check in times.

8. THE 53 DAY TRAVEL RULE

Supposedly there is something called “the 53 day rule” which states that 53 days out is the best time to book a flight as you will find the best deals. I can say this actually worked for me! Instead of booking comfort class on a trip from Portland to Washington DC, I got first class tickets for about the same price! That was lovely, see if it works for you.

9. DRESS CODE AT AIRPORTS!

This is less a travel tip than a pet peeve. For the love of your fellow mankind, please dress appropriately when going to airports and getting on a plane! Look, in all fairness I remember the days when people HAD to dress up when getting on a plane, most people wore dress shirts or suits. Nowadays everyone is in sweats, garments falling in all directions, sloppy and uncaring about their public appearance despite the reality of being in a shared, public space. Have some respect for your fellow travelers and don’t look like a slob, please. Following these airport travel tips benefits more than just yourself if you get my drift.

TOP TIP: you can still dress semi-formally and be comfortable. Wear a comfortable collared shirt, jeans or shorts that look presentable that won’t bind, and shoes. If anything, set an example for your kids.

10. TAG YOUR AIRPORT BAGS

An easy way to lower your stress levels when you get off the plane is to know that once you get to the baggage claim area your suitcases will be immediately visible. Put some identifier on your bag such as a ribbon or other wrap (something that can’t come off during loading and unloading) or buy a unique suitcase that is brightly colored pink camo or something. I tie a bright green ribbon to the handle of my black bag and I can spot it entering the carousel in a millisecond. I’m at the ready and grab it like a bear fishing for salmon.

I hope you enjoyed my 10 Airport Travel Tips For Comfort And Confidence, happy travels and may your vacations bring you amazing and exciting experiences.