7 Airport Hacks to Remember Before Your Next Flight

Raise your hand if being at the airport is your favorite thing about going away. Nope? Anybody? I didn’t think so! Airports can be hectic and are a bit of a necessary evil if you want to get from A to B. Having said that, airports don’t have to be a complete nightmare. Keep these airport hacks in mind before your next flight and being at the airport won’t be such a terrible experience:

1. Keep to the left

When you’re going through the dreaded security check at the airport, always opt to go for the line on the left. As a result of being right-handed, most people inevitably pick the right one, meaning that the left one is typically shorter.

2. Screenshot your boarding pass

Taking a screenshot of your boarding pass could save you potential embarrassment and a lot of time should your airline app freeze or time out when passing through security. It only takes two seconds to do and is definitely worth the effort.

3. Pack a multi-outlet power strip

Power sockets are like gold dust at airports. To avoid flat batteries and limited power, bring a power strip to the airport with you. By doing so, you’ll be able to charge up all of your devices and maybe even let others charge their batteries too.

4. Get some shopping bags and avoid excess baggage fees

If you’ve got more hand luggage than you should have, you can avoid excess baggage fees by going into any gift shop in the airport and asking for a large shopping bag. Once you’ve got one that’s big enough, throw your extra bits in there and carry it on board with ease. Airlines will not charge you for that extra bag as it looks like you’ve just bought the stuff.

5. Board early if you’ve got a carry on

It might be annoying and against what you’d normally do but boarding early when you’ve got a carry on is essential if you want to secure some overhead storage space. And, as is shown by this On Holidays Claims report, crowded overhead bins is not something that you want to be sitting beneath.

6. Bring an empty water bottle with you

Bringing an empty, non-spill water bottle to the airport with you will ensure that you don’t have to pay through the roof for water at the airport. Instead, once you pass through security, you can head to the nearest water fountain and fill it up for free.

7. Ask for a ‘fragile’ tag to be put on your bag when checking in

Baggage handlers are not the most gentle when doing their job so, whether you like it or not, your bags will not be handled with care. To avoid your luggage being thrown from cart to conveyer belt and visa versa, kindly ask the check-in clerk to put a ‘fragile’ tag on to your bag as it contains some gifts that you’d like to remain in one piece when in transit. It will work and your luggage will receive some complimentary V.I.P. treatment from the baggage handlers.

If you’re like the majority of travelers, you’ll love airports for their practicality but dread them for the stress that they can cause. On that note, I hope that the above hacks will help to change your view of airports and make you enjoy being there rather than absolutely dread it.

Got anymore airport hacks to share? Let’s hear them!