This week is Independence Day here in the US and is a BIG travel period for less-frequent travelers. You know what that means–inexperienced travelers who aren’t familiar with the travel process, and lots of them. I’m not going to lie–there will be crowds, but there are ways to prepare so that you can survive this week’s crazy holiday travel.

For the frequent travelers

If you are a frequent business traveler who has to fly this week, here are a few tips to make it as painless as possible:

• Expect delays and allow extra time for EVERYTHING. Security, boarding, restaurant, and customer service lines will all likely be impacted by the increase in travelers this week.
• Avoid lines at the airport if you can. A few suggestions: don’t check your bag (which is always a suggestion but especially helpful right now!), use your phone as a boarding pass or print it out at home, and be sure you are using security checkpoints with TSA Pre-check. 

For the less-frequent travelers

If you don’t have TSA Pre-check or are a less frequent traveler who happens to be flying this week make here are a few tips for you:

• Don’t check your bag if there is any way you can avoid it. If you have to check, make sure you are in the right line. My poor sister was told she had to get in line to check her bags, waited for 45 minutes, then when she got to the front of the line was told she was in the wrong place. (Cue panic attack, seriously.)
• Be sure when you go through security that you have everything ready when you get to the front of the line–your ID and boarding pass are out and ready;  laptop and liquids bag are easily accessible; your shoes slip right off; and you have nothing in your pockets. (Also, what are you waiting for?? It’s too late for this week but Pre-check is so helpful during busy travel periods and I highly recommend it.) Once you get through security grab all of your bins, bags, and shoes and move off to the side to put everything back together.

For everyone

• Bring snacks (granola bars, peanut butter crackers, fruit), just in case you get stuck in a super long line and don’t have time to grab food before your flight.
• Have entertainment, whether it’s work, a book, or a show, in case you are stuck in one of those 45-minute lines or there is a flight delay.
• If there are flight delays while you’re at the airport, it’s a good idea to both stand in line to talk to someone AND call the customer service line. One may be faster than the other, but it’s hard to know which one.

Readers, are you flying this week? Let us know how it goes!

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