Before your Trip
Consider signing up in your airlines' program. Add this number to your itinerary to get mileage credit It's free, and you earn miles towards a free flight (25,000 miles for a domestic ticket). Miles expires 18 months or sometimes 2 years after your flight, unless you fly again in the next 18 months. get a mileage credit card, or make purchases through your airline's SkyMall, such as SkyMiles Shopping (Delta). Even if you don't plan to fly again, maybe you have family that would appreciate your miles if they fly the airline you chose. (You have to pay to transfer miles to a friend or family member, but it could be a gift or something).
If you have not already done so, choose your seats on your airline's website by going to My Itineraries, logging in with confirmation number and first and last names, and choosing seats together. This is the only way to ensure you and your traveling companion will be able to sit together on the plane. Flights can be overbooked, so don't wait until you get to the airport to choose seats.
Before you select your seats on your airline, go to SeatGuru.com, click on your airline, select the appropriate plane. Red means a terrible seat, green means a good seat, white is average, yellow has some drawbacks. Do not sit at the back of the plane where people stand in line to use the lavatory (bathroom).
Packing
Try to pack carry on only to avoid bag fees for checked bags of up to $120 roundtrip (2 suitcases per person roundtrip)... $50 for one suitcase per person roundtrip.
If you do take carry on only:
No liquids, gels, aerosols, flammable, or sharp objects. Sometimes they (TSA) even take nail clippers away from you.
You may take liquids that are in containers of 3 oz. or less AND fit into 1 (one) Quart sized plastic Ziploc type baggie.
I pack in the baggie a travel sized toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, lotion, and hand sanitizer... germs love planes, and the bathrooms are not very clean either!). (Find these at Walgreens or RiteAid for example). Anything liquid or liquid-like (toothpaste) that does not fit in the baggie must be put in your checked luggage or left at home.
Liquids include: Toothpaste, shampoo, some deodorants, applesauce, yogurt, etc. (PB&J sandwich is OK.)
In your carry on, pack an empty, disposable 16-20 oz. water bottle. When you clear security, find a water fountain and fill up your water bottle(s). You will want it on the plane. The air is very dry! If security takes away your empty bottle, well, that's why it was disposable! 8 times out of 10 I have no problem. If they do take your bottle, pay the $2 or $3 in the concourse to buy water. They don't give you enough to drink on the plane. I can't emphasize this enough on longer flights!
Also pack any food (no liquids!) you will want. Airport prices are steep and airlines charge $5-$7 for "snack boxes" of cheese, trail mix, cookies, and the like. Basically nothing, except maybe a (non-alcoholic) drink, is free on the plane anymore.
All food and drink bought in the concourse (after security) is allowed on the plane. (This is why you can fill your empty bottle at the drinking fountain after you pass through security).
Suggested to pack in your carry on:
Necessary prescription medications (in original containers in your name, with a doctor's note if necessary)
Non-prescription meds (4 oz. max. liquid, eg. cough syrup).
A good book and/or magazine
Other activities you like to do (such as knitting)
A light jacket or sweatshirt (it can be chilly on the plane)
A travel pillow if you want (to help you sleep)
A camera (optional...I love to take pictures from the air)
Checking in Online and paying baggage fees
Checked bags should weigh 50 pounds/23 Kg. or less. Don't get caught paying outrageous fees for an overweight bag!! Weigh yourself with and without your bag on your bathroom scale before leaving home.
Many airlines now charge $25 for the 1st checked bag, and $35 for a second checked bag if you pay your bag fees at the airport. But, if you check in online and pay your bag fee online before going to the airport, it is often $2 less for the first bag, and $3 less for the second... $23 for the 1st bag and $32 for the 2nd bag. Fees are each way/direction of travel.
You can usually check in for your flight between 2 and 24 hours in advance on your airline's website.
Go to the airline website, find your itinerary, and enter your first and last name and 6 digit confirmation number. If you booked more than one ticket on the same itinerary, there will be 1 confirmation number for all of you, so you only need to do this once (and again when leaving your destination on your return). Select the number of bags you plan to check. Be sure if you are taking 2 bags that you assign 1 bag to your name and 1 to your travel companion's, so as to pay less. Better yet, pack carry on size suitcases...1 each (small roller bags, for example) and pay nothing. Remember that you are limited to 1 carry on PLUS a laptop, briefcase, or purse (your "personal item") for each of you.
See your airline's website for more details.
When checking in online, you will print out boarding passes for each person traveling. If you are traveling with carry on only, all you need to do at the airport is go to the security checkpoint with your boarding passes and government ID (eg driver's license). If you do not have a printer at home, you can still check in and pay any bag fees online, and print your boarding passes at the airport using a self-service kiosk, or the ticket counter.
If you are checking bags, you can still check in at home online. Just drop your bags at the ticket counter or where it says "Baggage Drop". Stay with your bags until they are tagged and taken by the airline or TSA employee. Look for the correct 3 letter identification code of your destination city on the tag (eg JFK for New York-JFK) to help make sure your bag will end up at the same place as you!
At the Airport
Arrive 2 or more hours early at large, hub airports. 1.5 hours is sufficient at smaller airports.
Park off airport for less with a parking service that provides a shuttle from the parking lot to the terminal, or have a friend drop you off and pick you up. When returning from your destination, make sure you are there early enough as well. Will you have extra time? Probably, but I prefer that to standing in a long line at check in or (more likely) at security and wondering if I will make my flight. It's not a good feeling to be breaking out in a cold sweat before even beginning your trip!
Security
Before you reach the front of the line, remove your shoes. Place your shoes in a separate plastic bin to be X-rayed, and small carry on bags in the plastic bins provided. (If a bag is larger than the bins, just lay it flat on the belt.
Keep in mind that carry on bags must meet the size requirements or you will have to pay to check your bag. For example, on Delta's website, we read the following:
- Baggage may not exceed 45 linear inches (length+width+height) or 115 cm.
- Baggage must fit easily in our SizeCheck® unit (approximately 22"x14"x9" or 56x36x23 cm).
- Fees apply if your bag is too large to carry on and has to be checked at the gate
Take your quart-sized plastic baggie out of your carry on for separate inspection by TSA personnel.
You should be at the gate at least 30 minutes before your flight. If you are not on board the aircraft 15 minutes ahead, you may not be allowed to board, and your reservation may be canceled.
On the plane
Before boarding, use the restroom. You will have to get up and use the lavatory on the plane, but hopefully not too much. The aisle on most planes is narrow and you can't reach the restroom (in the back of the plane) when the flight attendants have their food and beverage carts out. Use the restroom 45 minutes to half an hour before landing if needed. You will not be able to get out of your seat in the last 20-30 minutes or so of your flight. Expect to have to wait a few minutes if there is a line for the lavatory.
Put backpacks or small carry ons underneath the seat in front of you. Larger items go in the overhead bins above your seats.
In an Emergency
A life vest is underneath your seat, should you need it in an emergency. Oxygen masks pop out of the ceiling in an emergency. Take a look at the emergency briefing card in your seatback pocket, follow along during the safety video and/or demonstration, and look around you to see where the closest emergency exits on the plane to you are. Lights illuminate the pathways in the cabin in an emergency. Exits are generally at the front on either side of the plane, and over the wings on either side, and sometimes also at the rear. Fasten your seatbelt and keep it fastened whenever you are in your seat. Turbulence can happen unexpectedly, even when the Captain (Pilot in Command) has turned off the seatbelt sign.
Look out the window, relax, and enjoy!
At your destination
Take your time getting off the plane. Everyone will be in a rush to get out of their seat and off the plane. Why rush? There's (often) only one aisle, and unless you have a plane to catch, there's no reason to push. Check underneath and around your seat and in the overhead bins to make sure you have everything with you.
When off the plane, follow the signs to baggage claim. If you have only carry on, head for your shuttle or taxi or rental car. If your checked bag(s) do not appear after all bags from your flight have appeared on the conveyor belt, report it to the airline and ask for vouchers to buy necessities while you wait for your bag to be found. 95% of the time, your bag arrives with you at your destination. If it doesn't, report it, and it will probably be found and delivered to the address you provide the airline within 24 to 48 hours.
Peter Greenberg, CBS Travel Editor, suggests opening your bag to make sure nothing is missing or stolen. The main thing is to go straight from your plane to baggage claim so thieves do not have a chance to steal your bag or remove things from it. If you go straight there, you will probably beat your bag to baggage claim.
Questions? Please feel free to contact me!
Josh
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