air travel tips ~

Are you traveling next week for Thanksgiving? Fortunately, we aren’t flying for the holiday, but I did fly this week for business, so I thought to share my air travel tips for those who may be flying this Thanksgiving. I used to fly frequently and considered myself a “quasi-professional” air traveler, but after being out of that channel for a while, I gave myself a refresher. It helped my trip go smoothly, and I hope it will help you too. May the force be with you! 

There are so many ways to manage information ~ from smart phone notifications and boarding passes, to the tried and true paper list. Do what works for you, but keep important info in one spot that is easily accessible. The more you have to dig through a bag, the more frustrating the trip.

BEFORE YOU GO ~

• SIMPLICITY {INFO} IS YOUR FRIEND ~ My preference is to take a moment and put important info – hotel shuttle number, contact info, trip specific addresses, etc. ~ into a single note in my iPhone. It takes a few minutes beforehand, but then it is all in one spot, and I can make a call directly from the number in the note. Even if I have the full contact info in my phone, having all the info in a single note saves me some aggravation. Otherwise I could be searching through my phone trying to remember if/or how I added the hotel info to my contacts. I also use the TripCase app to help manage travel specific info.

• THE PLANE, THE PLANE! ~ Checking your ticket for the type of plane you’re flying can help with seat selection and best luggage for the trip. You can usually see the plane interior layout on the airline website. For example, I flew the MD90 this week, which only accommodates normal carry-on roller bags in overhead bins on one side of the plane ~ so fewer roller bag spots! The other side of the aisle works for smaller bags or soft carry-ones. If your plane is full, you could be checking your roller bag at the gate once overhead bins are full. 

• APPS, APPS, APPS ~ Check for new apps or updates to existing apps. Airlines, airports, parking facilities and the TSA have their own apps now – in addition to city and destination apps. I keep all these apps in a designated TRAVEL folder on my iPhone. These are lifesavers for everything from e-boarding passes to scheduling a shuttle pick-up time for parking.  

• BAGS, BAGS, BAGS ~ Pick the best bags for your trip ~ hard side, soft side, rolling or shoulder carry. If you’re checking, be sure to know the limits ~ quantity and weight. If you use a rolling bag and a personal bag, opt for a personal bag with a trolley sleeve ~ that open band of fabric across the back of the bag that slips down over the roller handle ~ so much easier to roll through the airport. Bluwaterguy recently found out about the importance of trolley sleeves in making things easy to handle. He is now a convert!  
• If carrying-on, see the note above about checking type of plane. Also check TSA guidelines for carry-on luggage. I usually prefer a small rolling bag to a shoulder carry, but knowing I was on an over-sold flight on the MD90, I opted for a soft shoulder carry, so I could smush it into a bin on the non-roller side of the aisle. And you know what, that is exactly what happened. The overheads were almost completely full, and I would have ended up gate checking my roller. Not exactly the end of the word, but when your timing window is tight, baggage claim is a pain ~ and Murphy’s Law, the more important the bag, the greater the likelihood it will go astray!

TRAVEL DEPARTURE ~

• CREATURE OF HABIT ~ If you have an airport parking plan that works, or a recommendation from a knowledgeable source, go with what you know. Even if it costs a few dollars more, it saves you piece of mind. That said, have a back-up alternate in case your planned lot is full, or the shuttle times have changed, etc. The parking facility and airport apps are a great way to plan ahead. Some will even let you reserve a spot!

• SECURITY ~ Wait times vary so much by airport, day, time and events, the TSA app is my best friend. You can also check times on the TSA site or on the airport site for peace of mind ~ otherwise it can be anxiety city!  

• EXTRA COMFORTS ~ Wear a 3^rd layer of clothing, as light a jacket as possible for the season, that you can roll up for storage. My 3^rd layer jacket is like an extra bag, without the charge! I load up all the pockets and send it through the screening machine with my carry-on. A scarf or other wrap will also serve as a blanket or pillow on the flight. Don’t get me started on airline blankets. Eeeek!
• I also take a refillable water bottle and small snacks. Leave the bottle empty until you’re through security, and then fill at a fountain or water station. Can’t tell you how many times the snack has saved me from the Cinnabon stand! Of course coffee is still a must purchase.

TRAVEL ARRIVAL ~

• WHEW ~ You and your bags made it to the destination! And you just want out of there! Not so fast. As you deplane, check your arrival gate, as you could well be departing again from the same gate, or one close by. If you’re arriving at an unfamiliar airport, or one that you’ve been in before but it has been a while, pause once you get near the concourse exit. Look around at the screening area and airport entrance on the way out. This will help when you return for your home-bound flight. Note check-in kiosks and bathrooms, as both are key when you are running short on time! Pay attention to ground transportation pick-up and drop off. It’s great when friends or family are your transportation, but when it’s a taxi driver with an unintelligible accent, you want to know where to get in and out.

My trip ~ Murphy’s Law ~ So I had the right bags, navigated parking and the airport like a pro, and made it through security in good time, but my corporate travel reservations left me with some challenges ~ like no assigned seat on either flight, and I could not get a boarding pass loaded on my iPhone. Thank you American Express and Delta {sigh}. So I printed my boarding pass from home outbound, and the airport kiosk on the return. Got to the gate as soon as possible each flight and was able to get a seat assignment both ways. Smushed my soft sided shoulder-carry bag into a hard-won overhead bin space, took two Advil with my water and Fig Newtons, and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t glamorous, but it could have been worse. And that was just a two-day trip!

I’m a good solo traveler. If I start flying more often again, I’ll get some airline status back and hopefully some perks. Until then, I’ll continue to remind myself that some common sense tips help to ease things along. It takes a little conscious effort, but it’s worth it. 

How ever you’re traveling next week for Thanksgiving ~ even if it’s just from the table to the sofa ~ I hope these air travel tips help with your next flight. If you see me in the airport, say hello. I’ll be the one refilling my water bottle and trying not to look longingly at the Cinnabon stand. Safe journeys y’all ~~~