If you’ve traveled alone before, you know how stressful it can be and if you haven’t, you’re probably stressed out just thinking about it. I’ve done my fair share of traveling alone in the past year so I’ve learned some tricks for getting through it stress-free.
- Always check in for your flights ahead of time
I fly American Airlines and they send you an email 24 hours before your flight’s departure time letting you know that you can check in. It’s really easy and it lets you skip the line when you arrive at the airport (unless you’re checking bags) and head straight to security.
- Save money and avoid checking a bag
A lot of people don’t realize how much stuff they can actually carry on their flight with them. You’re allowed both a carry on and a personal item. The carry on must be able to fit in the overhead compartment and the personal item has to fit below the seat in front of you. You can easily pack for a weekend or even a weeklong trip with a carry on suitcase (you can fit so much stuff in them) and either a backpack or a duffel bag as your personal item.
- Use your phone as your boarding pass
Most airlines will email you a digital boarding pass which you can add to your Apple Wallet with the click of a button. This is so much easier than having to keep track of a physical boarding pass, especially if you have connecting flights.
- Sign up to receive text or email alerts about flight delays
You’d think your airline would automatically notify you of any flight delays or gate changes, but most of the time they won’t. Usually, you will have the option to sign up when you check in for your flight online or you can sign up by visit the airline’s website.
- Get familiar with the layout of the airport
When you’re traveling and have connecting flights it’s really helpful to figure out where your gate is for your next flight ahead of time. As I wait to board my flight I look up a map of the airport I will be landing in and find the gate where I’ll be exiting the flight and the gate for my connecting flight. The majority of the time I have a connection, my flight lands late and I end up with twenty minutes to get food, find my gate and maybe use the restroom before we have to start boarding. Figuring out where you have to go and where the restrooms and restaurants are before you get there, gives you more time to get everything done.
- Skip the lines at restaurants to save time
Many of the restaurants at the airport, such as McDonald’s and Starbucks, have apps which allow you to order your food and drinks ahead of time. As you’re waiting to get off of your flight, you can place your order and by the time you get to the restaurant, your food will be ready and waiting for you. The lines for food at the airport are always ridiculously long so by doing this, you’ll save yourself at least 15-20 minutes.
These tips have made traveling alone way less stressful and now I actually really enjoy traveling by myself. Give these a try the next time you have to fly somewhere and I promise you, they will make your trip pretty much stress-free.