A lot of people stress about getting through airports and being on time for their flights, but some early preparation and helpful knowledge can make the process so much smoother.
With these tips for a stress-free arrival to the airport, including packing strategies, using online services, and booking an airport transportation service, you can forget about rushing to your gate at the last minute.
Follow These Tips for a Smooth Arrival to the Airport
You can make your arrival to the airport easier in many ways, mostly by preparing ahead of time. When you aren’t a frequent traveler or you’re heading to an unfamiliar airport, you might not be aware of all the steps you can take or things to avoid to have an easier time catching your flight.
Here’s some of the best tips for making your airport arrival feel like no big deal:
1. Prepare For Your Flight
When you’re booking your flight, consider which seats would be best for you. You might want to be next to a window, close to the bathroom, or at the front of the plane so you can get off faster at landing. Knowing exactly where your seats are can also help boarding go much faster.
You should also check out any regulations for the airport and your destination so you can take care of any requirements before you go.
2. Look Up the Airport Map
One of the best things you can do before ever stepping foot in the airport is to look up a map online.
You can determine where you should enter the airport, which depends on whether you have a domestic or international flight, and each step you need to take once you’re inside, including the exact location of your flight’s terminal and gate.
3. Book Your Airport Transportation
What if you didn’t have to worry about parking, traffic, or driving around the hectic airport streets? When you schedule a drop-off time with a professional airport transportation service, all you have to do is sit back and relax when your chauffeur picks you up at home and takes you right where you need to go at the airport.
4. Pack Strategically
Something that many travelers don’t think about is making sure that all the items they might need are easily accessible in their bags, such as your wallet, passport, ID, phone charger, and boarding pass.
When you’re rushing to get on the plane, you don’t want to have to stop and dig through every bag for the one thing you need. Make sure your essential items are at the top of your bag or in outer zipper pockets.
5. Research Allowed Carry-on Items
Security checks can really slow you down if you forget to leave out banned items, like a whole tube of toothpaste or a large bottle of shampoo. The easy way to remember what you’re allowed to bring in your carry-on is to think of the 3-1-1 rule.
The 3-1-1 rule is that passengers can have liquids, aerosols, and gels in containers of 3.4 ounces or less, all containers must be inside one clear, plastic quart-sized bag, and each passenger can only have one plastic bag.
6. Dress for Speedy Security Checks
Going through security is usually the longest stretch of your arrival to the airport. To speed the process up, you should ensure your shoes and outer clothing layers are easy to remove, and you should probably skip jewelry and belts if possible.
7. Check In Online
With so many passengers going through airports every day, check-in lines can get shockingly long. You can bypass the lines completely by checking in online before you arrive at the airport.
Most airlines have apps you can use to check in and download or print your boarding pass.
8. Arrive Early
This might seem like an obvious tip, but it’s a crucial one. You should aim to arrive at the airport at least two hours before the departure time on your boarding pass. This should give you plenty of time to make your way through security and navigate to the correct terminal and gate.
Contact Cleveland Elite Transportation for a Stress-Free Airport Arrival
At Cleveland Elite Transportation, our professional chauffeurs can help make your arrival to the airport peaceful and convenient. We’ll worry about getting you there safely and on time, while you focus on the more important things.
If you need help finding the best airport transportation service or want to book your pickup or drop-off time today, contact us at 216-333-2833.