Happy TRAVEL TUESDAY, friends!
It’s another edition of…
Today, I’m going to share my little “ways” for AIR TRAVEL WITH EASE.
In the history of all the funny quotes I’ve ever shared, this one here is without a doubt the one most representative of me.
Bahahahaha! Funny and true.
As you might imagine, I get asked A TON about traveling with ease. I get asked by my clients, by my friends, and by my sweet blog readers.
I love to travel. I love to travel often. I’m always ready to board a flight and head somewhere.
“Flying with ease” was a blog reader suggestion earlier in the spring that I jotted down. I know many of you would like to travel more but the hoopla that surrounds getting from your front door to your seat on the plane is enough of a pain to discourage you. I always, always want to encourage traveling, so I’m going to share a few tips and hopefully give you a confidence boost that you CAN travel with ease.
Let’s be real, these tips all very obvious/basic/not super unique, but the main point here is to encourage you. I would love to help minimize some of the “airport anxiety” and build your confidence instead.
I can’t stress this enough, just like most things in life, practice makes perfect. The more you go through “the airport steps”, the easier it will get.
Here are 10 WAYS TO MAKE AIR TRAVEL EASIER:
#1: SIGN UP FOR ALL THE THINGS
If you are going to fly once every decade, then no, you don’t need to sign up for all the things.
BUT if you’re going to fly once every year or so, then I say go for it.
What are “all the things”?
TSA PreCheck is the first one. The government often makes things a bit more complicated than it needs to…but I honestly don’t think they make it terrible to get your TSA Precheck (all things considered). I do think it makes traveling much easier if you know you can skip the longer line for the shorter Precheck one. It might be a pain upfront to get it…but it will simplify all of your airport arrivals for the next five years (and it’s easy to renew after that!).
If your airport has Clear (which is a privately run company that expedites airport security), and you travel enough, I would look into that as well. I have both and honestly, it depends on the airport which line I get in when I arrive. DFW has very, very few Clear stations, so I almost exclusively use TSA Precheck there, but I find it very efficient to use Clear at other airports (like in Orlando).
If you travel internationally often, I do think Global Entry is worth the time and money to get as well. If you travel internationally with your kids, it’s free to get it for them as long as you have it and/or applying for it at the same time.
These are all just little things that can give you a bit more “ease” when you’re arriving at the airport and/or trying to get through the long US border control line upon landing.
Speaking of signing up for all the things…
#2: SIGN UP FOR LOYALTY PROGRAMS
Yup. Whichever airline is the one you use most often, sign up for their loyalty program. We live in Dallas, so American Airlines is the program we use (and some of my Dallas friends use Southwest)…but if I lived in Atlanta, I’d sign up for Delta’s…if I lived in Chicago, I’d sign up for United’s…and so on. Sign up for the airline you tend to use the most.
Signing up for these programs is as easy as going to their website and signing up. No fees, just sign up.
Why?
Because airlines love their loyalty programs.
Even if you don’t travel a ton, I think you’ll find that it can benefit you. Depending on the airline, you could get baggage allowances, priority lanes at check-in, you could board earlier, get designated phone numbers to call should you have any issues and on and on. It just doesn’t hurt anything to sign up, so do it…and see if you don’t quickly find a bonus or two just from being a part of their program.
#3: ARRIVE EARLY
Hi, my name is Shay, and I don’t like to be rushed at the airport. Boarding a flight at the last minute, while sprinting, in a full sweat and slight panic is NOT how I want to do it.
If you have any unease whatsoever about the airport, arriving early can only help to diminish it.
Get there early so that the TSA lines don’t matter as much.
Get there early so that you have time to get through security and find your gate without sprinting.
Get there early and enjoy a meal or a drink or simply reading your book at the gate.
Arrive early and so many potential travel issues naturally just go away.
#4: WEAR THE RIGHT THINGS
This is a bit of trial and error, but if you want an easier visit to the airport, make sure you’re dressed for it.
If you have on too many layers while going through security, they can ask you to start taking them off. If your shoes and/or belt have too much metal on them (or your jewelry!), it will complicate your walk through the security line. If your shoes don’t slip on or off easily, that can make things harder. I love jewelry, and I love a layer…but when I’m standing in the TSA line, I take all of it off and stick it in my tote. This way, I go through the line with minimal issues and then just add them back after my tote is scanned.
I noticed years ago that often my Apple Watch would trigger something, so I started just putting it in my tote right before I went through and bam, problem solved. After it’s scanned in my tote, I put it right back on. Taking the watch on and off is way easier than causing the machine to go off.
You can certainly bring all the layers, all the jewelry, all the things to the airport, just don’t walk through security with it all on you. Let that stuff ride through on the conveyer belt and you go through as “simply dressed” as possible. It makes that portion of the security line way easier.
#5: TSA IS ON YOUR SIDE
I think a big part of traveling with ease right now is keeping in mind that the TSA agents are on our side. They are looking out for people who are trying to hurt us (the innocent travelers). They are not working against us. They are working FOR us.
I travel through a lot of airports and honestly, they all kind of do it differently. Some agents/some airports/some lines are way more particular about things while others are not. Instead of fighting that particular agent’s system (“I didn’t have to take my MacBook out the last time I traveled.”), just comply. I see way too many people make airport travel “less easy” by smarting off to the TSA agents who are just doing their job to protect all of us.
If you’re unsure of what to do, simply ask them. These are really nice people who are just trying to keep us all safe. Be kind and keep in mind that we’re all on the same team.
#6: CHECK, DON’T CHECK…DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU
People ask me all the time if I check bags or carry on. My answer is almost always “I check a bag”.
For me, handing my bags over and not having to mess with them again until I reach my final destination makes traveling easier for me. I don’t have to worry about overhead space filling up. I don’t have to worry about forgetting my bag/losing my bag/etc. My walk through security is simpler…I personally think it’s just easier to check a bag. BUT if that stresses you out, then you should “do you” and carry on.
There is no wrong answer here. There is just the answer that will give YOU the most peace and ease at the airport.
#7: BOARD EARLY
If overhead space is something you need, then boarding early will make your airport trip easier. Accruing loyalty points is one great way to get “higher” on the boarding list. It’s stressful to board late and need overhead bin space only to get on the aircraft and not find it (or find it somewhere way away from your seat). I always think that boarding the earliest you can board based on your ticket is always an advantage.
#8: DON’T BOOK TIGHT CONNECTIONS
Perhaps the best tip…do not book tight connections.
At my travel agency, we have parameters around tight connections because nothing is more stressful on travel day than a tight connection. Give yourself plenty of time between those connections. You will never regret a longer connection…but you’ll often regret a really tight one.
#9: PACK A SNACK (AND A BLANKET!)
As simple as it sounds, traveling is easier when you have a snack.
Whether your flight is delayed and you’re stuck on board without food or the lines are too long at Chick-fil-a and you can’t grab lunch or you are sprinting to that tight connection and don’t have time to get something between flights…just always have snacks because no one wants to travel hungry.
I also always pack an oversized scarf in my bag too which I pull out as a blanket. I don’t want to be hungry or cold in an airport or on a flight. I bring both and have never regretted it.
And finally…
#10: PACK THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
Andrew and I made a pact many many years ago that we would not complain about travel issues. Traveling brings us joy and is a blessing, and we just decided that no matter what happens, we won’t complain.
Honestly, for the most part, we rarely ever have travel issues…but occasionally when we do, we put on our happy faces and just deal with it. We might talk about it (like with you!), but we don’t complain/let it ruin our day/upset us. That never fixes the problem.
I think if you show up to the airport with a great attitude, you’ll have a much much much better experience than if you show up with a bad attitude. Right?
Just show up positive and hope for the best 🙂 .
And those are 10 of MY WAYS TO FLY WITH EASE.
Since we’re talking about traveling with ease, I thought I’d share a few really cute and practical “airplane outfits” too.
Here are seven example outfits of things I personally like to wear to the airport for my travel days…
DRESS// DENIM JACKET// SCARF// DIAMOND STUDS// BEIS TOTE// SNEAKERS
TANK// SWEATER// JOGGERS// DIAMOND STUDS// SNEAKERS// BEIS TOTE
HALF ZIP// PANTS// DIAMOND STUDS// SUNGLASSES// SNEAKERS// BEIS TOTE
JUMPSUIT// DENIM JACKET// DIAMOND STUDS// SNEAKERS// BEIS TOTE
DIAMOND STUDS// SWEATER// JEANS// BEIS TOTE// FLATS
ROMPER// SWEATER// DIAMOND STUDS// SNEAKERS// BEIS TOTE
DIAMOND STUDS// SLEEVELESS SET// DENIM JACKET// SNEAKERS// BEIS TOTE
Alrighty, of course, I would love to know how YOU travel with ease. Please comment and share!
Don’t forget, I have other SHAY’S WAYS you might want to check out today too…
Just look:
25 Keys to a Peaceful Morning
22 Keys to making Fall Cozy
19 Key Fall Kitchen Essentials
18 Keys to Prepping for a Trip
14 Keys to Simplify BACK TO SCHOOL
21 Keys to Savoring Summer
21 Keys for Working at Home {Summer Edition}
25 Keys to Outdoor Summer Entertaining
25 Keys to Maintaining our Yard
17 Keys to my Holiday Prep
11 Keys to a Cozy Winter
9 Keys to Returning from a Trip
12 Keys to Leaving Your Kiddos When You Travel
13 Keys to Meal Planning
8 Keys to Creating Daily Routines You Love
21 Keys to Elevating the Everyday
13 Keys to Managing Jet Lag
9 Keys to a Cozy Halloween Night
19 Keys to Hosting Festive & Easy Holiday Parties
12 Keys to Adding Activity into the Everyday
17 Keys to Working From Home
9 Easy Afternoon Energizers
14 Simple Luxuries
8 Keys to Finding a Gym
21 Ways I Hygge
12 Ways for a Happier Day
7 Keys to Reducing/Avoiding Motion Sickness
8 Ways to Add “Vacation” to the Everyday
10 Keys to Getting Ready to Workout
8 Ways I Stay Healthy When I Travel
7 Ways to Make the Holidays Fun for Teens
9 Things NOT to do at the Gym
7 Ways to Find Community
11 Travel Finds in my Home
18 Ways to be Summer Chic
10 Ways it’s Good to be Neighborly
Happy Tuesday, friends! Mix and Match Travel Agency would love, love, love to help you travel with ease too. Contact us today for more information on our fee-free, custom travel planning.
I’ll see you all back here tomorrow. xx
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