Happy April!! I am thrilled to be flipping the page on my calendar today and putting this winter in my rear view mirror!
Let’s be honest here…sadly, air travel is not the least bit glamorous any more. I can’t begin to tell you how many times people have told me they LOVE
to travel but absolutely can’t stand getting to where they are going. I am right there with all of you. I actually enjoy flying, but the wait at the airport drives me insane. Whether it is arriving at the airport three hours early, a delayed flight or a long layover, sitting around a crowded airport is definitely NOT how I like to spend my time! Over the years, I have come up with a few coping mechanisms which make that wait a bit more tolerable…
Get TSA PreCheck…
This
may be the best thing since sliced bread…if you haven’t gotten TSA
PreCheck or Global Entry yet, then you are missing out on my best travel
tip yet. Go here for more information and skip to the head of the line
(and keep your shoes on!)
Arrive early…
And, enjoy the airport (yes, you heard me correctly!)
Two hours to kill and nothing to do? Soak up a little culture – many airports have rotating art exhibits. Recently, I had a long wait at the San Francisco airport and discovered an amazing art exhibit sponsored by the San Francisco Museum of Contemporary Art. Or, pamper yourself with a manicure or a massage now offered at many airports. If all else fails, have a glass of wine and a
snack at one of the airport restaurants which are often much better
than the food court options.
Take advantage for benefits you may have with your credit cards or airline loyalty programs and head to an airport lounge. If you have a long delay or layover, it might be worth it to shell out for a day pass to an airport lounge.
How do you pass the time at airports? Do you think getting there is half the fun or do you tolerate flying just to get to where you are going?
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| Go HERE for more of my travel tips! |
Great post, Sandy! The Mister and I have the pre-check because of our AMEX and it is a dream. Travelling has been such a pain lately but that makes it a little bit easier. Enjoy your Easter!!
Well as you know I hate flying…but do love to travel:) I must know what lounge is that above? THAT Is where I want to go…wowza, that is gorgeous!!
Great tips…and anything to avoid those dreadful lines and having to bare your feet on that yucky sticky floor!!
Sandy, I've missed your posts! And this is just in time for my trip to Carmel this summer. I actually can't stand flying, and it's no longer what it was once as I remember it in the 60s. So elegant and almost just for the wealthy jet-sets! So good to see you and your bright post. Have a super first day of April! Anita
Sandy these are great thoughts on making travel less stressful. When I fly again I am going to check out the TSA pre-check!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Ellipsis: Dual Vision
Great tips as always Sandy! We're getting ready to go home and visit the Philippines and I'm getting a bit stressed out with travelling, this surely helps! One thing for sure, since we are travelling overseas, Duty Free stores are wonderful!
Sandy these are excellent tips! I could not agree more about the PreCheck, it makes life a lot easier. As for the rest, there are some fabulous airports to spend time in around the world, and some are just run of the mill. I think the biggest tip…have patience. You know it is going to be an ordeal so treat is as such.
My husband had an episode last week in which he was to arrive home at 5;50, after getting to the airport at 9:00. After 3 broken planes, standby on several flights he finally got a seat on a plane that left the gate, only to experience a mechanical problem, back to the gate, then out of fuel then a radio problem. Needless to say I was stressed with the mechanical issues and the fact I was picking him up. He arrived home at 1:45 AM! Don't get me wrong the airline was as accommodating as can be but this is ridiculous! Sadly it is an all to frequent occurrence these days.
Have a great day!
Have a great weekend!!
These are great travel tips! Last time we arrived super early to the airport and I was so gald because the lines were so long for no real reason…..it took forever, but because we knew we had plenty of time we hung out and it was actually fun. I need to do the global entry, but I have to say with the electronic machines re-entry has been super fast.
TSA Pre Check IS the best thing since sliced bread, for sure!! I'm also a huge fan of getting to the airport very early. I have a friend whose motto is "If you've never missed a plane, you spend too much time in airports." I completely disagree! Missing a plane is so stressful, then results in even MORE time in the airport!
Great tips, Sandy! For some reason my husband has the TSA pre-check and I don't! We need to remedy that as it is such a time-saver! I love the exhibits in SF, I've spent a fair amount of time there myself. The VIP lounges are excellent. I always need a well-loaded IEP with reading and a charger at the airport-then I'm good for hours.
Happy Easter Sandy!
xx
Funny but my son's friend who goes to school in NY was just telling me about TSA Pre check last night. Will definitely check it out. Thanks for the great tips.
I'll take the LV luggage in the first picture, please!! Great tips!
XOXO,
The Glam Pad
Oh, I think travel today is such a different story from years ago, but a necessary evil to get to all the places we want to see. TSA pre-check is a great addition and thanks for the wonderful tips! Happy weekend ~
Great tips, Sandy!!! Airports are some of my least favorite places and for some strange reason, even though I have TSA Global Entry, it doesn't always appear on my boarding pass, even if it does for the rest of my family. I guess that's extra security…but I'm clearly not who they need to worrying about. I've never stopped for a manicure, but that might be my next way to spend idle time. Grant is great about airport lounges, so we're usually hanging there.
Here's to shorter lines and easier travels ahead!
xoxo Elizabeth