Plenty of factors impact how enjoyable your trip is, whether it’s skipping long lines to get right to your gate, finding the best seat on the plane, or avoiding turbulence. These tricks will help you reach your destination as happily as possible.
If you check in and print your ticket ahead of time, and choose not to check a bag, you can save lots of time by cutting straight to security when you get to the airport. Those signed up for TSA PreCheck will be able to breeze through security and be well on the way to their gate while others are still waiting to get their boarding passes printed out.
You can check the status of your flight by googling the airline name and flight number. We also recommend downloading the mobile app for your airline and/or an app like FlightBoard so that you make sure not to miss out on any important information. As an added bonus, many of these apps allow for paperless boarding.
If you have time to kill at the airport, know that you can buy passes to the airport lounge even if you fly economy. This can be expensive, but if you order them in advance they are much more affordable. Another option is the Priority Pass, which grants you access to over 700 airport lounges around the world for a year.
Not sure which seats to pick? If you are traveling in a group of two, reserve the aisle and window seat. Unless the flight is fully booked, it is likely that you will get the whole row. However, if someone does buy the middle seat, they will be happy to trade up for a better seat and let you sit next to your companion. For more hints on how to avoid the middle seat, please read this article.
Turbulence can be very stressful to passengers. The possibility of turbulence and thunderstorms increases as the day goes on and the ground heats up, so try to fly in the morning. If you are taking an afternoon or evening flight, try to get seats near the planes point of axis (the wings) so that you won’t feel the bumps as drastically. Also, if you are horrified of disaster, keep in mind that the back of the plane is the safest area in the event of a crash.