For most travelers, the flight to and from your destination is the least liked part of the trip. Airports can be stressful, and airplanes can be uncomfortable and downright boring. However, I have always loved airports (except of course when my flight gets delayed or cancelled). I love the prospect of adventure and meeting new people. I have also always loved the non judgmental culture inside airports. No one judges if you are in pajamas at 4 PM or drinking whiskey at 5 AM.
Flights still can be stressful though, and thats why I have decided to share my tips and tricks for making travel day as easy, cheap, and pain free as possible.
Before you leave
Making travel day easy and affordable starts loooong before you ever actually leave. It starts the day you decide to go on a trip. There are many factors that go into cost and ease of your flight, that have to be taken into account right when you decide to go on an adventure.
Peak Season
Everywhere you visit will have a peak season, which is when the majority of travelers decide to go to that destination. Major holidays, when people have time off of work, will drive prices through the roof. So avoid traveling during major holidays if possible.
Generally, people like to travel to places when the climate of that area is best. So, often you will need to decide between best flight and best weather for your trip. Sometimes the best time to travel to a destination is right before or right after this “prime weather” time. This will be when flight costs lower, but weather is still good enough to be pleasant for your trip. Another plus of this is that it is likely going to be less crowded if you travel at this time. Going during the off season, not during a holiday will give you the cheapest flight prices, but often you are sacrificing the quality of your trip by doing this.
Weather
The weather plays a huge factor in the ease of your travel. During winter time, flights are less predictable and more likely to be delayed or cancelled due to bad weather. You can avoid this by traveling during the Spring or Summer time. However, if you’re limited to certain travel dates and must travel in winter, there are some things you can do to make your travel experience better. The first things are choosing quality airlines and airports, which we will discuss next. The next thing you can do is either buy direct flights, or make your layovers exceptionally long. I generally recommend one hour layovers at minimum for all flights (two for international flights), but double this AT LEAST when flying in bad weather. This gives you a little wiggle room in case your flight is delayed or cancelled. If you are flying in particularly bad weather, it may even be a good idea to have overnight layovers. This will take a lot of stress off of you in the case that something does happen to your flight, and will save you a lot of money in rebooking flights.
Airport
This is something people don’t often think about when booking flights, but choosing the right airport for connecting flights can make a huge difference in how stressful your travel date is. Read the reviews on the airports that you have the option for layover in. In particular, look at things like weather in the region the airport is located, and likelihood of cancellations. Some airports are simply designed to be more efficient and therefore have less cancellations and delays than others. These are things you want to know before choosing a flight. Other things to look at are cleanliness and food options, but in my opinion this doesn’t matter as much as what I stated above.
Note: I would much rather spend a few hundred extra dollars on traveling through a better airport than not.
Airline
Some airlines are better than others, plain and simple. Most people simply buy the cheapest ticket they can without caring about the airline quality. But remember what you’re willing to pay is the quality that you will receive. Bad airlines are more likely to cancel flights, and less likely to reimburse you for said flights. They often also wont help you in the rebooking process and will leave you stranded at airports. Also, bad airlines wont take care of their airplanes to the extent that the good ones do, and therefore are putting your safety in jeopardy. Bad airlines are more likely to overlook issues with the aircraft. These are things you have to think about when buying a ticket.
Though you may save some money by going with a cheaper airline, you will make your money back in tenfold by choosing an airline that is less likely to cancel, and more likely to pay to rebook you. Not only this, but in my opinion the money you save is simply not worth the stress it costs later. Also, with cheaper flights you are sacrificing comfort and service, which make a huge difference on longer flights. Having a TV or a comfortable seat can make the difference between a happy flight or you internally screaming the whole flight.
In the USA, my favorite airline is Delta, and Alaska is pretty good too. I will never fly frontier or spirit airlines again, and most people who have flown with either will say the same thing.
Time
Traveling on weekdays can make hundreds of dollars worth of difference when it comes to flight cost. Generally speaking, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly (followed by Wednesday and Thursday) while weekends are the most expensive time to fly. The airport will also be less busy on weekdays generally, which can make going through security and getting to your gate much easier. So, if at all possible, always fly on a week day.
The other thing to consider is time of day that you fly. Most people will claim that red eye (overnight) flights are the worst, but I would actually argue the exact opposite. Red eye flights are generally the cheapest option for airfare, simply because so many people avoid them. Not only this, but flying overnight makes it easier to sleep on the plane, which makes flying a breeze and cuts down on your boredom during long flights. Also, generally the airport is less busy late at night which can make traveling much easier, and your plane is less likely to be crowded. Lastly, red eye flights will often get you to your destination in the early morning. This gives you a full “freebie” day of vacation, instead of getting to your destination in the evening and being required to pay for a hotel that night without having experienced anything yet. This is why I am very pro night flights, and opt for them whenever I can. I recommend you do too.
Travel Date
Your date of departure has finally arrived, and you are bubbling with excitement. But first you have to endure your day(s). Airport, security lines, and sitting on a plane. But there are ways to make sure your spirit isn’t dampened.
How the Airport Works
If you haven’t been to the airport before, or don’t remember how it all works, read this section. If you know the basics of the airport, skip this section.
Arrival
When pulling into the airport, there should be three separate roadways. One will lead you to parking, one will lead you to the arrival gate, and one will lead to the departure gate. If you are bringing your own car and don’t have anyone driving you, you will need to head to the parking lot. Note however that this can be very costly – over $100 for a week. If you have someone else transporting you, head to the arrival gate.
Check-in and Checking Bags
Generally when you walk into the airport, there will be separate desks for each airline. If you have a bag that needs to be checked, or haven’t checked in, head to this desk. If you don’t, head directly to security. Often there will be small machines that you can check in on directly in front of the actual desk. These can save you a lot of time by cutting down on wait time. Unfortunately, if you have a checked bag, you will need to wait through the line and talk to the front desk.
Security
Security is often the most time consuming portion of the airport. Have your ID and ticket at the ready for the first phase of the security. There will be employees sitting at desks waiting to check these, before allowing you to go through the machines. Each country has different rules for what is required when going through security, but I will just discuss the general requirements. You will need to place all of your luggage, as well as anything on your person (including metal belts) on a table to be pushed through a scanner. Keep technology, liquids, and clothes pieces in separate bins. This is when you will need to take all liquids, metals, and technology out of your suitcase.
You will then need to go through a machine and be scanned. One thing to make this go smoothly is to make sure there aren’t any folds in your clothing (my issue is always having rolled up jeans), and make sure you have completely emptied your pockets. If you do get stopped, theres nothing to worry about. You will be patted down and checked to make sure you aren’t dangerous. Once they have checked you, you will be allowed to leave. This is when you retrieve your bags and head through.
Terminal/Gate
If it is not labelled on your ticket, you can figure out your terminal and gate by looking at the screens placed intermittently throughout the airport. Find your destination and time, and you should be able to find your gate number on here.
Once you determine where you should be going, it’s always a good idea to head here and check it out regardless of how early you are. It is a good idea to stay in the immediate vicinity of your gate, and find things to do around this area. Once everyone is checked in, the plane is allowed to leave whenever it wants with minimal warning. So you need to be in the area in case they decide to leave early.
Boarding
About thirty minutes before departure, passengers will begin to board. Those with small children or disabilities board first, then first class, then they go down the list of boarding groups. Often they will not let you board early and will send you to the back of the line if you come up early, so stick with your boarding group.
How to do it Right
Checking In
Always check in prior to getting to the airport. Generally, I will check in the night before or the morning of, depending on the time of day I am traveling. Doing this can save you quite a bit of time while actually at the airport, and you can get better seating this way. Make sure you have a printer when you check in!
Packing
The way you pack can make your day more efficient and overall just easier. First is the type of luggage you use to pack. I would say 80%-90% of all travelers use either black or dark green luggage. Do not let this be you! Especially when you check your bag, it can be nearly impossible to find in baggage claim when it looks like every one else’s. It is also easier for people to steal your bag if it is a common color.
Don’t worry if you already have a black or dark green bag and can’t afford a new one. Just get some colorful duct tape or ribbon and attach it to your bag to give it a pop of color that will make it easily recognizable. It is also important to have a tag on your bag that shows your name, phone number, and address in case it is lost.
When packing your bag, be thoughtful of how you organize things. Place all things that will need to be taken out in security on the very top of your bag. This includes any electronics,metals, and liquids. This will make the security line much easier.
Try to pack light when traveling. This can help you avoid checking a bag, which should be avoided at all costs. Checking a bag can add over an hour to your trip, both checking it and waiting for it in baggage claim. This adds time to how long your layovers will be and how early you should head to the airport. They also can be lost in transportation, leaving you without things you will need on your trip. However, sometimes having a checked bag is unavoidable. If this is the case, its a good idea to put all electronics and liquids in this bag so you don’t have to worry about carrying it through security.
Generally, you are allowed to bring one carry on bag and one personal item onto the plane. Pack your personal item intelligently. I recommend a backpack rather than a shoulder bag or purse, since it is easier to carry and won’t fall off your shoulders. In your personal item you should carry anything that you will need while on a plane. I usually carry an empty water bottle (fill it once you get through security), a book, a jacket, my laptop, earbuds, and my ID/wallet.
What to Wear
Comfort is key when you are traveling. You will be walking long distances around an airport, and will be sitting for a long period of time. The temperature in an airplane can range from very hot to very cold, so its good to be prepared for either. I generally wear less covering clothes but bring a jacket in my backpack in case it gets cold on the plane. Tennis shoes or sandals are a good idea for footwear. Keep in mind that you will likely need to take your shoes off for security, so wear something that will be easy to put back on. Wear comfy pants that aren’t restricting to sit in, something like the running pants I am wearing in the picture above.
Timing
Timing is everything when it comes to flying. Arriving to the airport late can lead to miss flights, while arriving too early can lead to huge periods of boredom. Of course, the latter is much better than the prior, but still isn’t ideal. My general rule of thumb is arriving two hours early for domestic flights, and three hours for international flights. However, this can vary based on the situation. Do your research on the airport you are flying through and the time you are flying. See how busy it generally is at the time you are flying, and plan accordingly. Getting through security can take from ten minutes to two hours, so knowing how busy it is and how efficient the airport is can be essential. Generally, the airport is quite busy in the morning and midday, but calms down towards the evening. Although, this isn’t always true.
After The Flight
There are some considerations to take when planning your day after you arrive. Flight cancellations and delays can push your arrival time back hours, or even days. For this reason, it is a good idea not to plan anything on your day of arrival, especially anything that you need to pay for ahead of time. Generally I plan to get some groceries and get acquainted with the town I am visiting for my first day. I have lost plenty of money planning and paying for activities on my first day, and then having flights cancelled or delayed. Learn from my mistakes and take it easy!
I hope you all found this information helpful! Until next time, live free my fellow travel bugs!
Travelbug 