Pauls Travel Notes

Depending on your personality type, airports can either be a wonderous gateway to exciting new adventures (Me). Or a nightmare of hustle and bustle, choices to be made stresses (my daughter). In this post we’ll give you 25 tips to survive at the airport and get through the experience with the least amount of anxiety.

I have spent more than 20 years traveling, and for the last 10 years or so I have had to fly every week to get to and from work. The airport is now almost a second home. Going to the airport is still as exciting for me now as it’s always been.

So let’s check in and see if we can put you on the right track to a stress free stop over.

Book Your Parking In Advance

I get that land is valuable, and companies want to make money on their investment. But the price of parking can be horrendous.

Although, on the upside, sometimes the price of parking makes the airline ticket seem quite cheap by comparison.

Go online for your airport and check the prices there. The further out from your holiday that you book, the cheaper it will be.

Also, don’t forget that there are a number of businesses that are a little way out from the airport that have great rates, and they will shuttle you to and from for free.

Photograph Your Parking Spot

You just got off a long-haul flight after a couple of weeks away, and your 8 hours out of sync with the time zone. Good luck finding that car.

When you park up, take a photo of the parking spot. Well, not the actual spot. But the signs near your car which indicate the section and zone of the spot. If you need to catch a shuttle bus from the parking area, take a photo of the bus stop so that you know which one to get off at.

Bring A Reusable Bottle

Everything is expensive at the airport. If you didn’t follow the first tip, then you probably can’t afford a bottle of water anyway.

The airports all have water fountains in them for you to refill your own water bottle. Just remember that your bottle needs to be empty when you pass through the security checkpoint.

Once through, just fill it up and away you go. If you have trouble finding a fountain, then the baby changing rooms and nursery rooms have them. If you’re traveling with a woman, she can fill them for you. There seems to be backlash for men using baby change rooms, so don’t walk into that maelstrom.

Bring Snacks

You can see where this is going. But although price is a factor here, it’s also about what you can buy at the airport. If you’re after healthy treats you may be searching for a while.

I’m sure that there would be some options, but the overwhelming choice will be towards sugary processed snack foods. See how you go filling your toddler with sugar and then putting them in an aircraft for a few hours. You won’t be making friends on that flight.

That’s not me having a go at kids on planes. They need to travel as well. But there’s no point winding them up before the flight. So, grab your self some healthy snacks and come prepared.

Dress For Your Destination

For us, a lot of our travel is to the northern hemisphere. We live in the southern hemisphere. So naturally, in winter it’s freezing as we leave and sweltering when we arrive. The opposite is true for the return journey.

This is where layers come into play. Be able to easily add or subtract clothing while on the move. This will normally mean that you must save some room in your carry-on bag to accommodate a jumper or jacket.

Dress Smart Casual

The days of suits and ties for international travel are well behind us, and good riddance to them. However, there hardly seems to be a week goes by that the news reports, that someone is complaining that they were kicked off a flight for inappropriate clothing.

Now, we can argue about our rights and freedom of expression as much as you want. But your holiday is off to a very bad start.

Smart casual clothing gives you a better chance of an upgrade if there are any going. And it keeps you on side with government officials in foreign lands.

Although you may be heading for a very liberal destination. There’s always a chance that your flight must divert somewhere much more conservative due to technical issues.

If your clothing fits into the fashion catalogue known as “People of Walmart”, then it’s probably not suitable.

Wear Shoes And Socks

As you go through security, you will be asked to remove your shoes. Just as everyone before you have. Now they probably clean those floors once per day. So, you are picking up everything that has gone down before you.

At least if you have socks on, you have some protection. Not a lot. But some. The same applies to the aircraft. If you like to kick your shoes off during the flight, then your socks will protect you a bit.

And when you go the toilet on the flight and the floor seems wet. Just remember that there is no mopping schedule mid-flight. That’s probably not water.

If you can, wear slip on shoes. This makes it much easier when going through security.

Check In Online

Most airlines these days allow you to check in online. This saves you time in the queue and you just have to use the bag drop system. Many also have self serve kiosk style check ins. Don’t worry, staff are on hand if you get stuck.

Once you’ve checked in you can download a map of the airport to your phone. You will already know which gate you have to go to, so you can plan your route through the airport with minimal stops.

Label Your Bags Well

We use some robust luggage tags which contain our names and contact numbers. Some of the tags I see are flimsy at best and seem unlikely to survive the rigours of the baggage conveyor.

I also try to make our luggage stand out in a crowd. For me this means tying a short length of caution tape onto the handle. If you own a black bag then you’re in for a fun time when it comes to collecting it.

A word of caution though. Don’t make any ribbons or add-ons too long. Otherwise they may get caught in the conveyor system. This could possibly hold up the conveyor or damage your bag.

Know Your Baggage Limits

This has several meanings. Firstly, know how much you are willing to cart around. The hand luggage weight limit may be 10kg(22lbs) but lugging that around an airport for a couple of hours is still no fun.

For that matter, getting it in and out of overhead lockers is no walk in the park either. The second point is to know exactly what you are allowed to bring onto the plane.

You don’t want to get to the airport and find that your bag is too big or too heavy. Either of these things is going to hurt your pocket. Your airlines website has all the details regarding baggage limits.

Make sure that you weigh your luggage before you get to the airport. Trust me, it’s embarrassing to have to unload your bags at the counter.

I had spent a couple of years flying with a carrier that allowed 1, 20kg(44lbs) bag. I then changed site and was told that I could have 2 bags, but they couldn’t weigh more than 10kg(22lbs) each. Luckily, they found a stripey laundry bag that I could transfer some of my clothes into.

Keep Your Documents Safe

Your passport, tickets and boarding pass are vitally important. I always take pictures of these documents and send them to myself on email.

I would caution you though. Once you have taken the picture, fight with every fibre of your being, and don’t post them on social media. You could be forgiven these days for thinking that airlines have to check your social media account to make sure you’ve posted, before they let you on the flight. But that’s just not the case.

These documents carry a lot of vital information about you. And not all of it is obvious. There are bar codes that can give bad people a lot of your details, so keep these things safe.

Once at the airport I like to use a passport holder. This is just a pouch that hangs around my neck. It can holder my passport, a pen and a couple of other documents. This way I know that I won’t just put them down and walk off, and it keeps my hands free.

Pack A Change Of Clothes In Your Carry On Bag

If you have kids, then there’s always a chance of little accidents. If these happen after your main luggage has been checked in, then a change of clothes is very handy.

There is also the possibility of your luggage being lost in transit. It’s not a great feeling to arrive at your destination and realise that your bags didn’t make it. In these instances, it’s handy to have an extra set of clothes to get you by while your making arrangements to re-stock, or just waiting for the bags to turn up.

Protect Your Valuables

Very much like the documents point. If you have expensive cameras or jewellery for example, these should be kept in your hand luggage.

A tip for jewellery is to store it in pill containers. This will stop it getting damaged. The security staff must search a certain ratio of bags that come through, so loose jewellery is too easy to become lost or damaged.

Carrying a couple of A4 size clip seal bags is also worthwhile. They are good to stop leaks, or to carry snacks.

Pack As Though You Are Going To Be Searched

I like to compartmentalize my bags. I have bags inside bags. Using clear pencil cases works well. The security staff can grab them out and see immediately what is there. When they put them back it’s no trouble to arrange them as you like.

Things like charger leads work out well like this, and obviously fluids need to be in a similar clear bag configuration.

If you are planning to carry something that you would be embarrassed to be caught with in a public place. Leave it at home. The cosmic laws of irony would ensure that you are searched if you bring it.

Take A Tour

Changi airport in Singapore, and I suspect, others. Offer a free city tour for travelers in transit.

This serves 2 purposes. Firstly, it helps to showcase their city, and possibly draw in more visitors. And secondly it helps with congestion at the airport.

The tour is only available if you are there between certain hours. But the transits in Singapore tend to be on the long side anyway, so you may as well enjoy a free tour.

There are also other distractions at the airports as well. Some have swimming pools and gyms, others have gardens. Airports are becoming nicer places to spend time in.

Here is a link to the Singapore tour. I believe that it is temporarily suspended due to Covid-19, but should resume soon.

Bring A Book

Okay, I’m probably showing my age here. Perhaps I should have said, download a book. That’s much more 21^st century.

People reading this in the 22^nd century will probably marvel that we downloaded a book, and then still had to read it. They’ll probably download it straight into their consciousness.

Anyway, a book, or a movie, maybe a podcast. Whatever works for you. Download it so that you can enjoy it offline. This will help pass the time waiting for flights.

Book A Night Flight For A Quieter Airport

Airports tend to be busier in the morning and early afternoon and then taper off. So, arriving at the airport will be a much calmer experience for you.

A word of warning though. In most places storms and bad weather are more likely in the afternoon and evening than in the mornings. So, you get a smoother flight in the morning, and a nicer airport in the evening.

Use A Powerbank

Airports are improving all the time and doing their best to keep up. It’s fair to say that the last 10 years have seen an incredible technological change to the way we go about our lives.

Travellers these days carry a lot more electronics than they used to and the need for power is huge. Most airports have increased their available power points dramatically, but it’s still not enough.

Bring your own power bank or risk joining the line with the others.

Prepare For Security

Going to work each week sees me lining up at security with all the other workers. 10m form security, belt comes off. 5m from security boots come off. Just as I hit the security table, the bags are already open, and my gear is ready for inspection within about 20 seconds.

Don’t be the person who gets to the head of the line and asks what they need to see. It just holds everyone up.

Go to the airport website and check their requirements. Most airports are similar these days, but there are a few regional variances.

Security is one of the areas that stresses people out. So, be prepared and just sail through it.

Using Travelators

There is no advantage to be had by standing on a travelator. If there was, they’d find a way to put seats on them.

Travelators only work if you walk on them. They are designed to move you quickly around the airport. This is not the tour.

Stay Alert When Wearing Headphones

It seems that everyone is plugged in somehow these days. Just make sure that your headphones, earphone or earbuds or kept at a low enough volume that you can hear announcements.

Some airports are huge, and you don’t want to find out that the gate has changed at the last minute. That could involve a lot of running if you missed the initial announcement.

Of course, common etiquette says that I shouldn’t be able to hear your device when its in your ears. I don’t have great hearing at all. So, if you ever see me singing along to your music. That’s a sign.

Currency Exchange

Don’t do it at the airport. Ever. It seems convenient to have it right there, but this one will cost you big time.

Frankly, you’ll get a better return on your money by setting it on fire and enjoying the warmth that it gives off.

Hold onto your money and change it at the bank. If you need money for when you get home for transport or something. Arrange that before you leave, and tuck some notes away in your bag, so that you don’t get caught out.

Frequent Flyer Programs

If you are a reasonably frequent flyer then this can be useful. There are several benefits that come with membership, which include priority check in, increased luggage limits, lounge access and potential upgrades.

You can also boost your points by using a credit card to do your shopping. I should stress however, that using a credit card for this purpose only works if you have the discipline to control your spending and pay your card off completely every month.

Lounge Access

If you are a regular traveler but haven’t got the status credit points for lounge access, then consider buying it. For a fee you can get access for a year.

For me traveling every week, the initial fee would be saved quickly by getting breakfast and a couple of coffees before each flight. Once inside the lounge, all of this is free.

They also have more comfortable chairs, showers, alcoholic beverages and lots of power points. All in all, a much better way to spend time at the airport.

Compensation For Delays

If your flight gets delayed, in many cases you will be eligible for compensation. This is much more formalised in Europe, but still applies around the world.

When the flight gets delayed or cancelled, lots of people rush to the counter to arrange compensation and complain. The smart ones ring the airline to arrange a new flight. Then they go looking for compensation.

So that’s it. 25 tips to survive at the airport. Which ones did I miss out on? Let me know and I add them in.

For more travel tips I have several other posts. You can click the links to go and check them out.

25 Tips To Survive At The Airport