If you’re thinking of showing up an hour ahead of time for your flight this Easter forget about it. Two is a better tactic. Tack on an extra 30 minutes for a pad.
Here are a few finely-honed Cheapflights tips, in addition to some from the TSA:
- Save time hunting for a parking spot by reserving a shuttle to take you to the airport. It’s cheaper than a taxi, and you don’t have to pay for parking. Be sure to call and re-confirm your pick-up time so there’s no confusion.
- Understand that if you take along a carry-on you may have to check it at the gate anyway. Ever-escalating airline checked-bag fees are causing more folks to carry on. If you happen to be in the end of the boarding queue, say zone four or so, there’s a very good chance the overhead bins will be bulging by the time you board. Then, the bag goes in the belly of the airplane anyway. If you’ve got a bunch to carry, bite the bullet and check it.
- Know that if your child is age two or under they may no longer have to remove their shoes or light outerwear when being screened. The same applies to passengers 75 and older at a quartet of test airports: Chicago O’Hare’s Security Checkpoint 3, Denver International’s South Checkpoint and USA Flag Checkpoint, Orlando International’s West Checkpoint, and Portland’s (as in Oregon) ABC Checkpoint.
If you haven’t flown in a while, your coming airborne Easter sojourn might just be a wake-up call. It’s probably going to take you longer to get through the airport. Better plan on it beginning now.
The last time this Cheapflights reporter took wing a couple of weeks ago it was through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. Passage through the planet’s busiest airport can be a pretty pleasant experience – despite its size.
What’s less than pleasant is waiting in line in the wee hours of the morning while TSA percolates passengers through its now exhaustive screening procedures. Granted, they’re important. But that doesn’t render them any less a pain.
The morning I passed through, full-body scans were in force for all fliers. Everything came out of the pockets, including tissue paper – everything including your patience.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: couleewinds)
