Save Time on Air Travel by Packing Right and Making Your Connecting Flights

Save time on air travel by packing right and making your connecting flights. These are time saving tips from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plus some packing advice they don't tell you.

Time Saving Tips for Air Travel: Packing Advice

Packing light makes everything easier from getting through security to getting around the airport. I have a few black nylon shoulder bags in assorted sizes that I prefer to wheeled luggage because it's so much easier to run to make connecting flights. Similarly, I almost never check baggage. If you must check luggage, put a distinctive label on them so you can identify your own bags in the crowd on the carousel.

Contrary to the TSA's recommendations, I do not pack outer garments and shoes. Just wear styles you can remove quickly such as outerwear that's loose fitting, unlined and has no closures. For footwear, use slip ons or flip flops. If I'm standing in line anyway, it doesn't take any extra time to spend a few seconds putting them in a bin and back on. Special mention should be made of laptops. If you don't have a checkpoint friendly bag, you can still save time by having nothing but your laptop in the bag. Glue a business card or other identifying mark to the bottom to avoid the nightmare of picking up the wrong computer. Of course, you should cooperate fully with all airport personnel. In the rare instance that someone really does have an attitude problem, it's all the more important not to give them any pretext for causing a delay.

Time Saving Tips for Air Travel: Connecting Flights

I think "minimum connecting time" is about as reliable as the rhythm method of birth control. Connecting flights are easiest if you stick to the same airline, but that often impossible if you're trying to get the best price. Ask travel agents or local residents for their advice on what's realistic for individual airports. When you don't have time to stand on line or look for signs, ask any airport employee for directions to the gate because they usually know. Check in advance whether your next back-up flight would be in a few hours or require an overnight stay. Again, if you don't have wheeled luggage, it's much easier to run without creating a menace to others.

You can save time on air travel with these time saving tips. Use this packing advice and you'll miss fewer connecting flights.