One of the most stressful parts of traveling during the holidays is trying to navigate the airport. Millions of Americans will be flying to their destinations this holiday season, so it’s important to be prepared and do everything you can to ensure that you make your flight. You’ve probably heard that you should arrive at the airport a few hours beforehand, but something else to consider is how you can get through airport security quickly.
Maneuvering through security checkpoints is usually very time-consuming, but we’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be. In this blog, we share some tips to make sure that you’re getting through airport security as fast as possible, so that you can relax and look forward to your holiday break.
1. Check Your Passport Ahead of Time
If you plan on traveling to an international destination this holiday season, you should check your passport’s expiration date right away. The last thing you want is to get to the airport and find out that your passport is expired. Not only will this cause delays, but it could also make you miss out on your trip altogether.
If you find that your passport is expired, there’s still a chance that you can renew it in time for your trip. The first thing you need to do is visit the Expedited US Passport Renewal section of our website. While here, you can complete the passport renewal application process and submit any required documents. Our team of travel experts will then review your information and work with you to get your new passport in hand in time for your travels.
2. Review the TSA’s Rules
The TSA has many rules and regulations when it comes to airport security. It’s important that you review these ahead of time so that you know what to expect. This is especially true if you don’t fly often, as the rules can change from time to time. For example, if you are bringing a carry-on piece of luggage instead of checking in a bag, you can’t bring certain items, including full-sized toiletries. Making yourself aware of these rules will help speed up the process of getting through security, and ensure that you’re not slowing the entire line down.
3. Arrive at the Airport Early
You should always plan to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours early for a domestic flight, and 3 hours early for an international flight. However, when you are heading to the airport during the holiday season, we suggest arriving even earlier than normal, due to large crowds. Don’t risk missing your flight because you arrived at the airport too late. Instead, get there ahead of time so that you can go through security, find your gate, and take some time to relax before your flight.
4. Dress For Success
When deciding what to wear to the airport, it’s crucial that you keep in mind a few things. The first thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want to wear clothing that you won’t have to mess around with too much while going through airport security. You probably want to avoid wearing anything you have to take off such as a belt or jacket. Another thing we would suggest is wearing shoes that you can easily slip off, so that you don’t have to waste time tying and untying them.
5. Choose the Best Line
When you are about to walk up to the security checkpoint at the airport, look around you and see if there are multiple lines available for you to choose from. If this is the case, try to pick the line that has the least amount of people, or the one that looks like it’s moving the fastest. Just try to keep in mind that because a line has less people doesn’t always mean that it will be the one moving the fastest.
6. Have Your Documents in Hand
Not having your travel documents in hand can cause delays, and slow down the entire security process for both you and those waiting in line behind you. Make certain that you keep your travel documents in a safe place that’s also easily accessible. TSA is most likely going to want to check your ID, boarding pass, and possibly your passport, so be sure to keep these items close by when approaching security at the airport this holiday season.
7. Pull All Electronics Out of Your Bag
Something that people always seem to forget to do is pull out their electronic devices. This is a requirement that the TSA has in place, and is one of the most important things that you can do in order to get through security as quickly as possible. To help speed up the process, right before you are about to go through security, take out your laptop, tablet, phone, and any other electronic devices, and be ready to place them in the bin.
8. Be Patient
Although it seems like the airport is always crowded, it’s going to be extra busy during the holidays. This can cause delays and you may not get to your gate as fast as you normally would, but don’t let this frustrate you. Instead, try and practice patience. While you’re driving to the airport, get into a mindset that the airport is going to be busy, and prepare for what’s ahead. All you have to do is get through the airport and then you can sit back, relax, and focus on enjoying your holiday break.
Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season! What are some other tips that you have for getting through airport security quickly? Which of these tips will you be using at the airport this holiday season?
