16 Ways to Get Through the Airport Faster

16 ways to get through the airport faster

By Ed Hewitt

NBCNews.com

Get ahead of the game

1) Sign up. The TSA recently indicated that it will be trying out a new trusted traveler program at select

airports this fall, but the ability to submit to a background check and breeze through security is not yet a widespread option. That said, the U.S. Customs Department's Global Entry program seems to be thriving, so it's a good option for frequent international travelers, especially as the federal government contracts

and customs lines potentially get longer.

2) Gear up. Personally, I have found that buying more stuff is not always the best solution to travel problems, as one of the most serious travel problems for many people is having too much stuff in the first place. But there are a few items that are useful enough away from the airport to justify buying mostly for the airport, including slip-on shoes, clear zip-shut sundries bags and TSA-friendly laptop cases to help speed you through security.

Before you leave home

3) Check flight status. I feel like this tip is almost so obvious that I should not even include it, but I find that even in my own travels, I often fail to do this one simple but critical thing. Then this summer, I almost got burned. A very early morning flight for my son and me was canceled; luckily, I have a TripIt account, andfound out about the cancellation before anyone else in the house was even awake. Had that not been the case, I am certain that in the rush to leave before dawn, I would not have checked flight status, and would have gotten a ride to the airport with all our stuff, waved goodbye, headed into the terminal, stood in line

and only then discovered the cancellation. So — check flight status.

I recommend doing the same before abandoning your ride or your car just before you head to the terminal; flight status updates change by the minute, so a last-second check is always a good idea. Most airlines will text you flight status updates if you sign up on their Web sites, and sites like FlightStats.com and TripIt.com will do the same by text, on the Web and through smartphone apps.

4) Check in online. Especially if you are not checking bags, this can save you a heap of time. I have found that when checking bags, having the pre-printed boarding pass in your hand doesn't help all that much, and check-in agents often reissue another boarding pass when you check in your bags — but it sure

doesn't hurt.

5) Before you leave for the airport, put your ID, credit card and boarding pass (if applicable) in an easily accessible part of your wallet or bag. There are two reasons for this: one, by going through this exercise, you make sure that you don't leave home without these crucial items. Two, you don't waste your (and

other people's) time fumbling around for them at the moment you need them.

6) Pack everything else out of reach. Clutter is the enemy of smooth passage through the airport; pack out of reach and sight anything that you will not need between your front door and your airplane seat.

7) Check the airport parking situation online (Excelsior Limousine recommends hiring car service to the airport—saving much time and reducing stress.

8) Check the airport maps, hotel shuttle info and rental car counter details for your destination airport. If navigating your home airport is relentlessly confusing, it will be even worse at an unfamiliar airport at your destination. Flight status updates frequently include the likely arrival gate, so checking the maps at your

destination airport can help you get through the baggage pickup, find the rental car counters or shuttle pickup locations, and find rendezvous spots for shuttles to your airport as available. If someone is picking you up, you can also pre-arrange a pickup location so he or she can find you without too much hassle. (Ask Excelsior Limousine about arranging car service

At the airport: Before check-in

9) Prep your documents. Before you get in line to check in, or at least before you get to the front of the

line, dig out and have in hand all the items and documentation you will need to check in. Having this stuff

out makes everyone happy — you, airline agents and the people behind you in line who appreciate your

efficiency.

10) Weigh your bags. Many airports are installing scales in front of the check-in areas; if you suspect your

checked bag might be overweight, weigh it before you get in line, and do any swapping between your

bags before you reach the check-in counter. This also avoids any scrutiny from the check-in agents about

your carry-on bag starting to swell (another topic altogether, which I won't go into here).

If you are really serious about baggage weight, you can even weigh bags at home — buying your own

luggage scale is inexpensive and will prevent surprises at the airport.

Between check-in and security

11) Stow everything except your ID and boarding pass in your carry-on bag. This way, when you get to the front of the security line, you are not finding stuff in random pockets, messing with your phone, dropping credit cards and keys (or losing them — I have seen it happen), spilling crumpled cash all over

the place and generally ticking off everyone behind you. By the time you get in the security line, you should be as close to ready to go through the actual security machine as possible.

12) Take inventory of what you will need to do when you get to the front of the security line. Do a quick mental review of everything you are wearing that you will need to remove (such as shoes, jewelry, watch, jacket), and what you have inside your carry-on bag that might need to be taken out (liquids, electronics).

When you get to the front of the line, blast through your mental inventory and make it happen. Done well, you can go from fully clad for winter weather, with laptops and iPads in your bag, to a T-shirt, pants and socks, and all your sensitive electronics in their own bins, in seconds.

On the other side of security

13) Check the flight status boards again. Unless you are really early, your actual flight time is getting close, and this is when you will start to see gate changes and more reliable departure time estimates.

14) Go directly to your gate for any breaking information. As you probably know, relying on status board updates can be risky — the official system updates sometimes lag behind the reality you will find at the

gate. Only by showing up at the gate can you really know your flight status, get a sense of how crowded the flight is, figure out what kind of terminal amenities there are and more.

Troubleshooting

15) Program airline 800 numbers into your phone. If you get stuck due to a delayed or canceled flight, you are going to want to be proactive in figuring out your options, as airline folks are typically understaffed and under siege in these situations. If you have the phone numbers of airlines that fly preferred route

programmed into your phone, you will get a lot farther a lot faster than if you don't.

16) Download apps that help. When the previously mentioned flight with my son was canceled, TripIt notified me very early on, and also gave me access to a list of other flights on the route for that day, both on my original airline and on other airlines. When I called my airline armed with this info, I was rebooked in minutes, and we went to the zoo for the morning.