10 Tips for a stress-Free day at the airport

Before you leave home:

Once your flight is within 24 hours, you need to pay attanetion to the online check on your device. This tip is almost so obvious that we shouldn’t even include it, but we find that even in our own travels,we often fail to do this one simple but critical thing.

A very early morning flight for my son and me was canceled; luckily, I had an account and found 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 early and often. Check in Online: Online check is mandatory on most flights, make sure you got the boarding ticket and boarding time (not the flight time) and terminal on your map as location. Most airlines will text you flight status updates if you sign up on their websites.

Security pre checks: TSA Precheck is wonderful. We travel frequently with our children (5 and 7 years old) and the process is very streamlined. It’s super easy to sign up, get your card, get your background check and fingerprints taken at the office, and get yourself enrolled in the program. These programs are run by the Transportation Security Administration – where you can apply. Simply put, TSA PreCheck is a game changer. When you have to check bags, the time it takes to get through security can easily top 30 minutes. With TSA PreCheck you can breeze through security in just five minutes. And your carry-on is screened at the same time as your checked bag.

Mobile Passport: Get your documents and vaccination certificates on your mobile phone. Rather than waiting in line for a boarder officer or a machine to confirm you your identity, you can send a selfie, information and customs declaration form to Customs and Border Protection using the app. C.P.B. will approve you, also within the app, sending you a receipt to display on your phone that lets you slide through passport control through a special lane. Mobile Passport is available to U.S. passport holders and Canadian passport holders when entering the United States.

If you haven't tried it yet, here's how it works: Download the Mobile Passport app before you start your trip at home and set up basic information like passport number and expiration date, flight information. You will have to answer some questions, but the process should not take longer as 5min.

So if You're about to fly back to the States or Canada from overseas after a fun time abroad. What do you need to do? Keep your passport nearby and download the Mobile Passport app for Android or iOS. Make sure you save your personal information, like passport number, expiration date, and photo. You can do the same for your family members traveling with you. When you arrive back in the U.S.

Airline miles or other reward programs.

Apply for a credit card that gives you airline miles or other perks that you can use on your next trip. When you go on vacation, the first thing you should do is look for a credit card with a large signup bonus on airlines or frequently travelers club. At the Airport:

You can get access to the security checkpoint at airports quickly if you are an airline elite member. Members of some airlines have access to an expedited security process at the Fly By Checkpoint Priority. This benefit is usually — but not always extended to any companions traveling with the elite member, so it can’t hurt to try and bring them along with you. Passengers who hold a status from one of these programs may qualify for this benefit. If you have been priority member collecting miles and package, it could be worth to the check for an update or a new program with another airline.