The Tips You Need To Know For The Airport

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Now that I think about it, airport experiences are either frustrating or pleasant. There seems to be no middle ground. Whilst I can’t guarantee you won’t have an annoying neighbour in the seat next to you, I can give you a bunch of tips to improve airport journeys. For additional certainty, I’ve tested out the below points and have asked my friends from across the globe to do the same.

Split The Sockets.

Someone taking up the only socket at the airport? It happens. The solution? Carry a multi-socket adaptor so various devices can be connected from one plug. Even if this means sharing with a stranger, at least you’ll both be able to charge your items.

No WIFI For Your Pass?

Download your boarding pass, rather than screenshotting. If your iPhone is on low-saver mode, you might find the photo of your pass doesn’t open without Wi-Fi.

Liquid Tetris.

Struggling to fit all your liquids into one clear bag? Remove the lids on items such as perfumes, creams and makeup. You can put the lids back onto your products when you pass luggage checks. When it comes to airport tips, you couldn’t get more simple than this.

Let’s Talk In Code.

Familiarise yourself with the 3-letter-destination-codes for your location as, believe it or not, some of them aren’t obvious. This will save you major time when locating your baggage on the suitcase carousels.

Coins, But Not The Money Kind.

Buy some universal trolley/cart coin for your region. These are so useful when you need a locker or trolley, don’t have cash on you and don’t want to insert your card details into a dodgy-looking machine.

Final Countdown.

Set an alarm for when your gate closes. No more looking at the departures board every 15 minutes.

Skip Queues.

If you know you’ll buy something from Duty Free, order online to collect at the airport. Self-explanatory.

Bed For The Night.

Sleeping at the airport? Search up ‘sleeping spots’ so you can see where others have slept. Some areas of the airport are locked off at a certain time, as I once found out. Don’t make my mistake of sleeping right by the airport door either!

Need A Snack? Get Your Pots Out.

You know those convenient little pre-packaged ramen, porridge or instant rice pots? Pop a few into your bag because you’ll be able to get food in you with just hot water. As someone who is gluten-free, you can imagine how hard it is to find suitable snacks when at the airport, besides the typical industrial-tasting brownie. That’s why I started bringing my own oatmeal pots with me for long journeys. This airport tip is also handy if you’re travelling on a budget or don’t want food which will spoil across a long day of travelling. Just try to avoid getting the water from a plane if possible! Read my previous post on airplane insights to find out why: Airplane Secrets You Might Want To Know About…

Can’t Carry Your Bags? Invest In A Luggage Clip.

Let’s be honest, airports sell a lot of pointless accessories. However, one of the most underrated items surely has to be the luggage clip? This tiny piece of kit has been a major game-changer for when I travel alone, as it literally stacks multiple bags/suitcases together.

Complimentary Services Are Exactly That, Complimentary.

A lot of people feel hesitant to approach the free facials or makeovers at duty-free. Trust me though, if a service is complimentary then there won’t be a cost. Prior to the pandemic, my friend flying from London Gatwick used to get complimentary facials all the time. Another had fragrance consultations. Still not convinced? After looking up World Duty Free groups on the web, I found direct reference to the fact these services are free of charge and typically take between 2-10 minutes. You’ll almost always walk away with samples or relevant information. These very samples are a dream for travelling because they tend to be the perfect size for a short trip.

Zip-Lock Bag Your Phone + Passport.

You know when you go to the bathroom and have nowhere to put your phone and passport other than the wet surface near the sink? Put your passport/boarding pass/phone in one of those clear airport bags. Win.

Make Your Luggage Noticeable But Be Cautious.

We all know that making our suitcases identifiable is a good idea, but be careful with how this is done. Allow me to explain. A few years ago I put a few ribbons, luggage tags and string to my suitcase so that I could be sure it was mine on the carousel. Well, it turns out that multiple tags got stuck onto the conveyor belt, meaning staff had to damage part of my bag to get the conveyor belt moving again. It was definitely awkward at the time. One of my friends also had a similar experience where her DIY ribbon got caught, meaning the whole zip on her bag had to be ripped off. That’s why I rely on taping a sticky note onto suitcases with a hard shell. If I have a suitcase which is made from a soft material, I put thick tape in a contrasting colour all over the handle.

Don’t Want Tangled Necklaces? Straw It.

It sounds crazy but if you pick up a few straws from food spots at the airport, you’ll be able to keep your necklaces completely tangle-free. Just undo the fastening of the chain and slide one end down a straw then clip it back together. Sure, it might look strange but your jewellery will be so easy to take off and store. Hands down, one of my favourite airport tips of all time…

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8 Comments

  2. Good tip with the suitcase; I have a red suitcase (out of a million red suitcases out there), and I distinguish mine by tying a bit of ribbon on the handle, in the colors of my university. Subtle, but very recognizable! Another tip I’d add is to bring an empty water bottle and fill up at the airport water fountains, especially since you can’t carry water through security (and bottled water costs a fortune at the airport!). It’s been ages since I last walked an airport, but I’ll definitely be keeping these tips in mind the next time I take a flight. 🙂