A weekend city break, a big family holiday, or a last minute business trip: whatever the reason you find yourself stressed out at the airport, here are a few insider tips. From secrets on how to jump the check-in queue to how to get an upgrade.

Tips for before you arrive

1. Know where the airport is

Figure out where the airport is and how you get to it in advance. I find Google Maps travel planner useful but it’s always best to check directly with public transport sites for timetables.
Chris Sharp, Business Intelligence Administrator

2. Screenshot your boarding pass

If you’re using a boarding pass on your mobile phone, take a screenshot of it and save it in your pictures folder on your phone (rather than relying on the airline’s app or on a good internet connection at the airport).
Jon Thorne, User Satisfaction Manager

Or:

3. Always print out your boarding pass

Although we live in an age where you can check in with your smartphone and email, you never know when your phone may just run out of battery or pack in.
Sam Ayles, PR Executive

4. Get a flexible friend

Certain credit cards targeting travellers offer perks like free access to airport lounges. For example, I hold a card which gets me a priority lounge pass for two entries each year at Singapore (no minimum spending on the card required).

Another card I’ve got gives me free airport limousine transfer from my home to the airport as long as I’ve booked my travel on the card and I spend the minimum set amount.
Hollie Tan, Accounts Executive

At check-in

5. Skip the check-in queue

During holiday times airports like London Gatwick can get EXTREMELY busy. You could be standing the check-in queue for ages.

The trick in that case is not to join the queue but to go and sit in a café and read a book. When the airport is that busy they call out the flights that are due to depart first and let their passengers through as a priority. You can therefore sit and relax while you wait for your flight to be called. When it is you can go straight to the front of the queue.
Sam Heyman, Test Engineer

6. Skip the security queue

If you’re really cutting it fine for time, a polite word to an airport employee almost always results in a queue jump at security. Failing that, a plea to fellow passengers in the queue is your next best option.
Lisa Imlach, PR Executive

7. Remove your Crown Jewels

At security, if you don't want to set off the alarms after waving goodbye to your hand luggage, keys, mobile phone, laptop etc, make sure you remove all the Crown Jewels you are wearing. Apparently, my watch, earrings, necklace and ring MIGHT set off the alarms. On a recent visit to the airport, I was subjected to the most intimate body search of my 50 year-old life (bearing in mind I travelled back and forth to the Far East from the age of 10). And I was only travelling to the Shetlands!
Alison Stimpson, Executive PA

8. Take a spare plastic bag

Take a spare ziplock bag or two to get your toiletries through security checks – it’s ridiculous and annoying that some airports will charge you a few quid if you forget one!
Rachel Evatt, Product Director

9. Never join the security queue with kids in

Go for the one with the ‘suits’. It will move much quicker.
Alistair Hann, Skyscanner Chief Technology Officer

10. Wear matching socks

I make sure I wear socks of the same colour and don´t look to old! Just in case I have to take off my shoes.
Angel Guirado, Market Development Manager, Spain

In the departure lounge

11. Fly at a time when it is socially acceptable to drink whisky

Try to fly at a time which means it’s socially acceptable to taste the whisky samples at duty free - i.e. not 6am.
Chris Sharp

12. Set an alarm so you don’t miss your plane

Set an alarm on your phone to go off at boarding time, it’s easy to get distracted in the departure lounge.
Chris Sharp

13. Keep the kids entertained

If travelling with kids, ensure you have their game consoles handy (and FULLY CHARGED) to allow you to have as stress-free a time while waiting to depart. Having three kids myself, it’s definitely on my MUST DO list for the airport. Each of the kids has a small backpack containing game consoles, pens, pencils and a pad of paper so they can draw etc. Plus it saves on the wallet if the kids happen to spy those $1-a-go arcade machines. I’m now a master at noughts & crosses, hangman etc…
Ronnie Walker, Senior Engineer

15. Get some work done

Connect to WiFi and get some work done.
Or:
- read the economist from cover to cover. It's something to look forward to.
- Get your shoes shined
- Buy clothes, and do other things you would have to do anyway, so use the dead time.
Gareth Williams, Skyscanner CEO

At the gate

15. Don’t queue to get on the plane

Sit comfortably in departures where you can see the boarding desk and (assuming you have a pre-allocated seat) read your book until the last possible minute. When the queue is down to one person, get up and casually stroll through the departure gate onto the plane. The plane won’t leave without you until they have at least called out your name.
Dom Porter, Software Engineer

On the plane

16. Bump yourself up to business

Always wait until the ‘flight closing’ announcement before boarding the plane. Then, if you see any empty seats in Business Class, as you work your way through to Economy, sit in one of them, on the basis that it must be available, given that the flight was closing. Hope that the flight attendants won’t question it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t!
Mark Logan, Chief Operating Officer (Mark says this is a tip from a ‘friend’. He would never do this!)

On arrival

17. Make a good impression at immigration

I’ve had some very varied experiences arriving at immigration, particularly in the USA, ranging from being processed quickly in a few minutes to being asked to go off to the interview room for a secondary interview (that was a fun start to my honeymoon). Be smartly dressed, polite and well spoken, make good eye contact with the immigration official and have a clear idea of where you are going next (name of hotel, car hire). Never ever make jokes and do not use your mobile phone. Also make sure you have a credit card to hand and if possible local currency as you may be asked to prove you are able to pay your way If you are travelling on business, never say “I am here to work” as they will be concerned that you are going to be working illegally; a better phrase is: “I am here to have some meetings with business colleagues”.
Robert Smith, Technical Manager

18. Look before you leave

Whenever you get up to leave somewhere at the airport - in a café, a bar or at the gate - always turn round and make sure you haven’t left anything behind - like your tickets.
Suzanne Morrison, Skyscanner Project Manager

19. Travel with a fancy friend

That way you’ll gain access to the lounge as their guest, where you can stockpile glossy magazines, packets of biscuits and condescending looks.
Lisa Imlach

20. Be better than George Clooney

Either get there early or know how to get through the airport better than George Clooney in Up in the Air. When you add people who are unpredictable to a controlled environment, it’s organised chaos.
Matt Smith, Content Partnerships Executive

1. Carry a sand-free beach bag. Sand is so much fun when you're at the beach. However, it's a huge annoyance when you get home and find that it's covered virtually everything you own. With this in mind, try getting a mesh tote bag for carrying your things. Just give it a few shakes at the end of the day, and the sand will fall out.

2. Always protect your face! Bring a mineral water facial spray along with you. This will refresh your skin when it's feeling a little jaded by the sun.

3. We know you care a lot about your hair, so apply leave-in conditioner to your hair. Both the sun and salt water can cause damage to your hair, and they can harm your color, too. To combat this, use a leave-in conditioner that contains a UV protectant.

4. Use lip balm. The sun, heat and salt water at the beach can dry your lips out, so ensure you regularly apply a lip balm containing SPF sun protection

5. Put Electronics, Medications, Toothbrush, and an Extra Pair of Underwear in Your Carry-on. A few important items should always go in your carry-on. A swimsuit is also a good idea if you are going on a beach vacation. You can buy most of these things if your bag gets lost, but having them in your carry-on will save you money and time if your luggage gets lost in transit.

6. Put your room number & Hotel Adress in your phone. It is better to prevent

7. Alert Your Bank and Credit Card Company of Your Travel Plans. This is a great habit to get into if you don’t want your credit card company or bank to put a hold on your card while you are overseas.

8. Leave Room for Spontaneity. Don’t plan your entire itinerary ahead of time. It’s tempting, I know, but those unplanned moments while traveling can be the best memories.

9. Let Someone at Home Know Your Plans. This is extremely important when traveling solo, but it’s still a good idea no matter how many people are in your travel group

10. Put your phone in a plastic bag when you go to the beach. The touchscreen still works through the plastic, so you can use your phone without ruining it in sand and water.

Plus we gather the best hotel deals in beach luxury resorts with amazing kids clubs

Avoid Google, at least in the beginning

Google is a helpful resource when planning a vacation, but if you’re at the beginning of your planning process, try to resist the temptation to hop on with your searches.

If you start with Google, it’s the paradox of choice.There’s so much out there and you just don’t even know what you’re looking for.

Instead have a family meeting to learn how far everyone wants to go, what activities they’d like to do, their thoughts about hanging out on beaches vs. exploring local villages, and so on. Then, let Google help you arrange tours and plan other activities.

Also, knowing when you want to go can sometimes help you put together a list.

Certain places and activities will be more accessible at different times of the year, so once you know exactly when and how long you want the trip to be, the choices can be narrowed down a bit.

Plan ahead and send important things in advance

Of course, school vacation means peak travel times. Planning ahead can help you and your family avoid higher prices, sold-out tours and the headache that comes after learning there aren’t enough seats together on a flight.

If you have young children who are not in school and have flexibility with dates, it is best to travel at non-peak times. For example, the first week of January after the New Year offers lower pricing than staying over the holiday week,.

Having plenty of advance notice of a trip will also allow you to send important supplies (like diapers, baby products, sunscreen, etc.) to your vacation spot before you leave. Many hotels will happily arrange for this. Plus, sending these things leaves room in your luggage for other belongings.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

If you give the hotel information and tell them about yourselves and about your family, everything can be set up for you.

As an example, ask for turndown service at a different time if you know your toddler will be sleeping, bring a notecard with you about the restrictions that are in the local language and give it to them so they can tailor to your needs.  

If your kids have sensory difficulties call hotels ahead of time to ask whether the housekeeping team incorporates any strong smells as part of the room ambience.

Come prepared, but be realistic

Resist the temptation to plan several tours or activities a day, leave some time in the day to rest, you should always factor in travel time and wait times when scheduling excursions and other fun things.

Of course, the trip planning doesn’t end after the hotel and mode of transportation are booked,  plan on bringing “a handful of small gifts in wrapping paper” to keep kids occupied.

Another idea that’s a bit out of the ordinary? Bring blue painter’s tape to distract the kids, blue painter’s tape works wonders on planes, it’s cheap, easy, and it doesn’t ruin any surfaces!”

If you’re looking for something that keeps kids occupied and requires no extra belongings, make the plane ride part of the adventure and talk to the kids about the trip while traveling. It’ll keep them busy and get them excited about the vacation.

And if you’re traveling internationally, don’t forget to check everyone’s passports, not just your own. Remember that children’s passports expire every five years (vs. 10 years for adults), so be sure those are up to date, the expiration date on passports must be valid at least six months beyond your date of travel [for some countries].

Remember that vacations are supposed to be fun!

Planning trips can be stressful, but the research pays off.

It might be a little extra work on the ground before you go, but at the same time once you’re there it’ll allow you to fully enjoy and appreciate the vacation instead of having to be concerned about it when you’re there.

And if you are feeling overwhelmed or spotting too many restrictions on your family’s needs at a certain destination, simply go somewhere else.

Via: Huffpost