Embrace the journey! These airport hacks are here to help bring the fun back to the travel experience, so you can get out there and have a stress-free getaway.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of packing a bag, getting on a plane and landing in a new and exciting destination for the first time. Unfortunately, sometimes the time spent in the nitty gritty of travel can be tedious (hello, security line!). But don’t worry, we got you covered. Read on for 13 airport tips and tricks that will help make your time in transit easier and even more enjoyable.
Here are the top airport hacks to make travel easier:
We’ve got the airport tips and tricks that will help you get more sleep, move through security with ease and arrive refreshed for your next big trip.
- Bring a portable battery charger
- Pack an empty water bottle and a travel toothbrush
- Wear your bulky shoes/clothes to avoid baggage charges
- Pre-order your food from airport restaurants to save time
- Book accessibility features for travellers with disabilities
- Charge your devices safely at the airport
- Pre-book lounge access during school holidays
- Use the check-in line closest to business travel
- Check for additional drop-off facilities to avoid airport charges
- Don’t rely on airport WiFi
- Find a good sleeping spot
- Set your watch to the timezone you’re travelling to
- Avoid long security lines with a pass
1. Bring a portable battery charger
A must on every list of airport travel tips is to bring a portable battery charger in your carry-on luggage. You never know when you might end up at a gate (or even a flight) that has no access to a charging station. Carrying a portable battery charger with you at the airport means you won’t go without your phone or in-flight entertainment. Just remember to recharge it during your trip so you aren’t left stranded on the return flight home.
2. Pack an empty water bottle and a travel toothbrush
To save space in your carry-on bag (and stay hydrated along the way, of course) be sure to pack a collapsable water bottle. This way, once you’re through security, you can find a water station in the departures area and avoid the pricey bottles of water sold in the airport shops. Most Canadian airports have water stations to help reduce plastic use from the thousands of commuters that pass through on-the-daily.
And if you have a long-haul flight ahead of you, make sure to pack carry-on friendly toothpaste and toothbrush to freshen up before and after your flight. It also doesn’t hurt to have a few other toiletries handy (deodorant, hair brush) to spruce up, particularly after an overnight flight.
3. Wear your bulky shoes/clothes to avoid baggage charges
Wearing your running shoes and bringing your heaviest sweater on a flight is one of the true airport travel hacks. Bulky items obviously can take up the most space in a suitcase, so try your best to wear your bulkiest clothes while in transit so you can save space in your luggage. In some cases, it can help you pack only a carry-on rather than a checked bag, which will help you save money on your trip.
Plus, having a warm sweater on the plane, no matter the season, is always a good call as they tend to run pretty cold. A sweater or scarf also makes for a decent pillow in a crunch if you end up having to catch up on some sleep at the airport.
4. Pre-order your food from airport restaurants to save time
We don’t know about you, but travel definitely makes us hungry. So it’s no surprise that this handy airport hack is becoming more common in airports worldwide, where travellers can put in a food order at an airport restaurant ahead of time. If you’re travelling within Canada, both Vancouver and Toronto International Airport have restaurants that offer this service through Uber Eats.
So if you have a tricky layover and want to eat somewhere in the airport, consider looking into pre-ordering your food from an airport restaurant. This way you can pick up your food and head to the gate without waiting in long lines. Plus, it saves you from eating plane food which can sometimes be hit or miss.
5. Book accessibility features for travellers with disabilities
An airport is a place that can be an overwhelming and overstimulating environment. Although work has been done to improve accessibility in airports, there is still a lot left to develop. If you or someone you are travelling with has a disability, look into booking features that may help ease the stress of travel.
In Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, for example, lanyards are now available for those with invisible disabilities to make sure staff are aware when helping travellers through security.
6. Charge your devices safely at the airport
Along with a public (unsecured) WiFi connection at most airports, charging your devices can be a potential safety hazard as well. If you’re used to using only a USB port to charge your phone or tablet one of those public charging stations at the airport, think again. It’s been noted recently that these stations are sensitive to hackers and put your electronics at risk to malware. In this case, we recommend carrying a universal travel adapter (you only need one!) so that you can charge your devices directly in a power outlet rather than a charging station. Plug your USB into the adapter and then into a power outlet so that your phone and/or tablet is better protected.
For an extra layer of protection, carry a tiny USB data blocker with you. It works as basically another barrier between your device and the charging port, and it’s easy to pack with you wherever you go.
7. Pre-book lounge access during busy travel periods
During the busiest travel times of the year, airport lounges can quickly fill up. March Break, peak summer months, and the December holiday season are definitely some of the busiest travel times of the year, where you’ll want to arrive at the airport prepared as much as possible.
To make sure you are not left lounge-less during the busiest of times, pre-book lounge access so you don’t have to wait in line in hopes of a spot. With this airport travel hack you can roll in, enjoy the amenities, and decompress before your journey or during that long layover.
8. Use the check-in line closest to business travel
Here’s an airport hack you probably didn’t read about before. When heading towards the check-in counter at the airport, try and stand in the line that’s closest to business class. If there aren’t any business travellers waiting, the clerks tend to pull up the next in the economy line – that could be you!
9. Check for additional drop-off facilities to avoid airport charges
If you are planning to drive to the airport, doing a little research ahead of time might save you some money. Lower cost, long-term parking is often available near major airports and can be a cheaper rate than at the terminal parking station. In Vancouver, there are Park-n-Fly options close to YVR and just a quick Skytrain ride away.
10. Don’t rely on airport WiFi
WiFi can sometimes be spotty in even the best of airports. When planning for a long layover, make sure to download your favourite shows and movies, podcasts, and books before you get to the airport so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute to try and connect to the airport WiFi. Nothing (nothing!) could be worse than getting ready to board a 12-hour flight and none of your entertainment is available offline. Also, make sure your boarding pass is downloaded and take a screenshot for good measure just in case you run into any issues.
11. Find the best sleeping spots available
Sometimes the only way to get to a destination requires a ridiculously long layover. Other times, your flight might get delayed a couple of hours and you’re forced to curl up in the airport and try to get some sleep. This is why finding a good sleeping spot can be crucial – it’s the airport travel hack everyone wants to more about.
When on the hunt for your ideal sleeping spot at the airport, we recommend looking for quiet corners and benches not too far from your departure gate. A travel-friendly sleeping pad can go a long way if you have to resort to sleeping on the floor. Also, make sure you pack an eye mask and ear plugs to help block out the noise and light. And for all you solo travellers out there, you don’t want to miss your flight if you end up snoozing too long! To avoid this from happening, write your wake up time on a sticky note and place it on yourself before going to sleep (ex: “Please wake me up at 6:00 a.m.) Oftentimes, a kind soul will wake you!
If you know you have a long layover, have some snacks packed in your carry-on as most airport shops and restaurants close overnight. It also might be worth it to check if the airport offers cots for travellers during a flight delay, or better yet, check to see if your airline is legally obliged to provide you with a hotel voucher for any major flight delay. You can check your passenger rights as of 2023 according to the Canadian Transportation Agency here.
12. Update your timezone on your watch and phone
Jet-lag can really cut into enjoying a trip. From sleeping in too late or not being able to get to sleep at all, time changes can wreak havoc on the body’s internal clock. If you’re trying to avoid the jet-lag crash, start trying to slowly adjust to the timezone of the country you are travelling to while waiting in the airport.
Set your clock to the time in your destination country and make small changes throughout the day leading up to your flight to start getting on another timezone. Sleep, eat, and adjust activities according to the new timezone – at least it gives you a few things to do in the airport!
13. Avoid long security lines with a pass
Here’s one final airport travel hack we’re leaving you with. Programs like NEXUS help Canadian travellers bypass long security lines both within Canada and between Canada and the United States. Consider applying for this program to make for smooth sailing at the airport. And make sure your passport is up to date!
We hope that this list of airport travel tips will have you covered for an amazing and stress-free getaway. From how to make the most of your vacation days to getting the best last-minute flight deals, you’ll discover more about how to travel hack like a pro.
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