Tips for Infrequent Flyers

[canyonwalker]

Several weeks ago one of my relatives was flying on an airline for the first time and was nervous about what to do. I'm glad she asked me because as a frequent flyer I have a lot of advice to offer from years of experience. But advice for an infrequent flyer is a not simply "Do as I do." Here's how I kept it simple with Five Things for a first-timer:

1) Download the app and use it

An iconic part of the airport experience is long, slow moving lines. But many of the things people used to stand in lines for can be done online— including from your handheld device. Download the app for the airline you're flying. Use it least one day before your flight to ensure your reservations are linked. Explore the capabilities so you know what you can do and how. With the app you can check gate location and on-time status, choose/change seat assignments, get updates, and more.

Related to using apps is that pretty much all of the basic info you need is online. For example, are you driving your car to the airport and parking? Find the airport website and research their parking options. Figure out where the lots are and how much they cost. Then search for offsite parking and compare locations and costs. Plan your decision and your route before you leave home.

2) Plan enough time— but not all day

"Arrive at the airport 3 hours early" is advice I often hear for (or by) infrequent travelers. Planning enough time in your schedule is critical, but in most cases 3 hours at the airport is overkill. For domestic US travel I recommend being at the curb 1.5 hours before departure. Some frequent flyers boast of arriving just 40 minutes early. That's risky even for pros. As a first-timer you want enough time to take things slowly without getting stressed.

Note, "At the curb" means entering the building to check bags and clear security. If you're parking in a remote lot and catching a shuttle, add time for that (and for the drive, of course) to determine how early you should leave home.

3) Security: dress the part

How to pass through TSA security screening is one of the biggest areas of anxiety for infrequent flyers. Passing the checks is easy if you know what to expect— and prepare for it appropriately. When you get to the checkpoint you'll be asked to remove your shoes and bulky over-clothes. So wear shoes that are easy to remove and put back on. Basically this is not the place to wear high-laced boots. And remove extra clothes, like a chunky jacket or sweater, before being asked so you don't get sent back to do it later.

You'll need to empty your pockets. Store your house keys, pocket change, etc. in a bag ahead of time. Be ready to tuck your wallet, cellphone, etc. into a bag as you approach the x-ray baggage scanner. Do that and then go through the body scanner without things in your pocket.

4) Pack reasonably

Tips for how to pack for travel can fill an entire blog, really even a series of blogs, so I'll keep it simple here. Pack reasonably. Think about what you'll really use vs. what you won't or what is speculative. For example, do you need a second pair of shoes? A third pair? What about dressy clothes? A winter jacket? If so, pack them; if not, don't.

The key point I've learned as a frequent flyer is that packing only what I need is a matter of mobility. With fewer bags and/or smaller bags to wrangle I can move more quickly and easily, not worrying about transfers on foot, via shuttles, or space in rental cars, buses, trains, or taxis. One way to look at packing is to think about how you'll carry your bags for a mile. Inside the airports you easily could walk that far— or farther! If you do need to bring more than you can comfortably carry, plan to check some of your bags.

5) Plan to entertain yourself

One of the truths of flying is that it's a game of "Hurry up and wait." There will be times you're rushing: trying to get through the baggage check line, trying to get through security, rushing to your gate. And there will also be times you've got to sit (or stand) and wait: standing in various slow moving lines, waiting in the boarding area, sitting on the plane, etc.

For these slow times make sure you can entertain yourself. Bring your phone, tablet, laptop; whatever you have. Charge the batteries before leaving home so you don't have to sweat finding a charger right away. Pack a backup battery if you have one. If you don't, consider buying an inexpensive one. Have some games or content downloaded onto your phone/tablet/computer for when you're in the air and there's no wifi (unless you're willing to pay $8, $10, or more for it). Or go old school and pack a book, magazine, or newspaper. Having hours to kill and nothing to do is torture!

Comments

[trent_goulding]

I had a roundtrip from SF-NYC-SF a couple weekends ago, during which I managed to make it through about 5 episodes of my current drama, plus Godzilla v. Kong from the "in-flight entertainment" offering. (The rest was spent napping).

[canyonwalker]

I've never spent the time getting shows queued up on my device. That leaves me at the mercy of what's available on the aircraft's streaming system. I usually fly Southwest, though, where I get free wifi. My Plan A on Southwest is mail, text, and surfing until I get tired, then a simple game until I get tired of even that, then music to zone out with unless I want to sleep.