Air traveling might be one of the most stressful ways of transport. And although it has become more accessible through the years, many challenges make air traveling tiring. Some issues people have been anxious about include rebooking in case of changes or cancellations or just experiencing flight delays while in the airport. However, tight connections and document preparation are also regular issues.
Air traveling companies have encountered challenges through the pandemic, especially in helping customers get through the documentation process. However, after many of them closed their activities due to a lack of clients, another distressing period followed, and now people are choosing road trips instead of flying since there are more benefits and it’s a greener way of transportation. But since there might be times and distances that require traveling by plane, you should prepare for the next trip with these stress-free tips.
Get A Lift To The Airport
Airport parking can often be expensive. Finding the right parking lot is also not always simple, plus you may need to wait for a shuttle bus once you’ve parked. You can save yourself a lot of stress by arranging someone to drop you off at the airport instead. This could be a friend or family member. Alternatively, you can order a taxi to take you to the airport. If money isn’t an issue, you could even explore luxury airport transfer options as provided by this DC car service. Plan to leave for the airport early in case there is traffic.
Apply for Pre-Check
Given that we usually spend around two hours at the airport to ensure check-in is done, saving some time while traveling is essential, and a pre-check is the solution. A TSA pre-check is the perfect opportunity to save time and money. Although this would be beneficial if you’re traveling for work, it’s also a good idea if you usually travel a lot during the year. For the TSA pre-check, you’ll have to complete a background check, and the team at the airport will take your fingerprint. The final step is to pay a certain fee of around £42.
This pre-check will spare you the time spent in queues at the security line. However, you need to check in with your airline company to see if they provide a TSA check and the requirements. In the UK, this is called a Global Entry membership, and for the people who want to get through faster in USA airports, there is another $100 fee. The card lasts for five years, and you can renew it anytime.
Get Accustomed to New Surroundings
One of the most stressful things about air travel is that you’ve never seen the destination airports and are unfamiliar with the layover. Especially if you’re traveling to bigger cities where these terminals are enormous, you might be scared of getting lost. Luckily, you can now find all the details about the building’s layout since most of them provide a map of the airport so you can have an idea of where you need to go to avoid losing time. You can also see where essential amenities are located, such as the restrooms or restaurants.
You may want to avoid consuming food on airplanes because they’re overpriced and don’t offer varied options. Finding restaurants that provide menus for your needs is best so you can grab a bite of healthy and nutritious food to prepare for the short or long flight. Finding the parking lot and understanding the payment process are also important. For example, if you’re traveling to the US, you can check the parking at Newark airport for the day and hour you need and get the best deals for parking spots.
Take Pictures
Sometimes, the best way to remember where you parked your car or what documentation you provided is to take a picture of everything; you’re doing so that you won’t be stressed about forgetting to do something. It’s essential to have important information about your belongings offline so you can check whenever needed. At the same time, some airport locations are confusing, so if you get a Boston Logan airport parking lot, you may want to take multiple pictures of the surroundings. Other essential things you need to take a photo of include your checked baggage so you can easily recognize them. Although it would be best to put some stickers on them or paint them differently, a picture of the luggage is always a good idea to ensure you can distinguish it from the multitude of baggage.
Bring All Necessities
If you’re stressed about staying in places with many people and are worried about your hygiene, it would be best to bring all your things and avoid staying anxious and stressed. However, you’ll need a bigger carrier to fit your belongings, but it’s a small price for your well-being. Here are some things you may want to bring with you to provide maximum comfort: face masks, hand sanitizer, hand cream, wet wipes, disposable gloves, nasal spray & eye drops, toothpaste & toothbrush, a foldable water bottle, microfibre cleaning cloths, slides, cell phone sanitizer, air purifier, paper soap sheets for hand washing, tray table covers, airplane seat covers, etc. Since there have been a lot of diseases lately, it’s best to look for your hygiene and ensure you’re always clean and your belongings are sanitized because, unfortunately, airports have germs and other unpleasant bacteria laying around, so you need to be careful.
Check the Airport’s Luggage Requirements
Unfortunately, luggage has some weight limits you need to respect; otherwise, you might need to pay expensive taxes at the airport. At the same time, you’re only allowed to bring certain items to avoid security members from taking them from you. Therefore, it’s best to always check the airports’ website and thoroughly read all recommendations and guides to ensure your baggage won’t bring you any trouble. For example, if you have a carry-on, you usually need to choose a smaller bag or backpack that falls under the airport’s size requirements. In this small luggage, you’ll have your necessities, such as your documents, phone and basic hygiene belongings. Your checked bag also has some size and weight requirements that you need to comply with. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay a considerable tax and lose time at security checking.
Bottom Line
Air traveling is one of the most stressful ways of transport. And although people have turned to road trips, traveling by airplane is still in demand and you may need to choose this method sooner or later. It’s so important to understand your rights when experiencing air travel issues and knowing your options for cancelled flight compensation is made easy through incredible resources like AirHelp. They are truly the best claims service in the world, where you can check for free in only a few minutes to discover your flight compensation options. And so, if you want to avoid airport stress-related issues and stay relaxed during the trip, you can check the tips discussed above and make your life easier.
