4th of July Travel Tips for the Airport

Any time you make plans to fly somewhere over a special holiday or event, you can bet that you won’t be the only one doing so. That means not only that you’ll need to do more than the usual amount of homework to find cheap airfare, but that you’ll also want to make sure you don’t get caught out by bigger crowds at the airport.

Toward that end, although most people stay closer to home over the July 4th holiday, there may be larger than average crowds at the airport just before the big day. In order to help you avoid the hassles and headaches that can come with holiday travel, here are some survival tips for the airport for July 4th and tools to help make your travel day easier.

>> July 4th is a Wednesday in 2012. 

Carry-On Only

Frequent travelers tend to stick with carry-on bags only whenever possible, and when airports are busier this is an even better idea. Going carry-on only means you’re not paying the checked baggage fees most airlines now charge, and it means you don’t have to wait in line at the check-in counter to check anything, either. Not only that, you save time at your destination, bypassing baggage claim.

Stumped about how to go carry-on only with all those toiletries you usually bring? These non-liquid alternatives to toiletries might help.

Online Check-In

Most airlines will let you check in online starting 24 hours before your flight. It’s a good idea any time of year, as it sometimes comes with bonus frequent flyer miles and gives you an opportunity to pick a better seat before other people, but at busy times it also saves you the hassle of waiting in the check-in line at the airport, too. And since you’re traveling without checking a bag, you can just breeze past the check-in counters and straight to security, boarding pass already in hand.

Extra Time for Security

Okay, so you’ll bypass the check-in counter if you’re not checking a bag and you’ve printed your boarding pass at home, but there’s no bypassing security. The best thing you can do to make your trip through security go smoothly, then, is to allow enough time so that you’re not feeling rushed or risking a missed flight. And by all means, pay attention to the TSA’s list of what you can and can’t bring through security before you get to the airport.

If you sail through security with lots of extra time, reward yourself on the other side of the scanners with a treat at the airport coffee shop.

Airport Parking Reservations

It’s a good idea to allow for extra time at the airport to get through security, but there’s no reason to waste all that extra cushion by driving in circles around the airport parking lot looking for a parking space on a busy holiday weekend. You can skip the circling easily by reserving airport parking in advance, though, and some of the lots will even give you better prices if you book in advance. Then you just drive up and drop your car off – no hassle, no waiting, no circling.

Handy Travel Information

You can follow all of these tips and still get stuck with a delayed flight – but you can avoid some of the headaches that come with unexpected changes by being prepared for them. Make sure you’ve got the phone numbers for your airline, hotel, car rental company, and any other travel-related bookings you’ve made for your trip. In the event of a change in your schedule, you can then call them to let them know – so they don’t assume you’re a no-show and give away your room or something – or, even better, you can call the airline’s 800 number instead of waiting in line at the gate counter trying to rebook a flight.

And, um, we probably shouldn’t have to say this, but just in case – don’t bring fireworks with you on the plane. Not in your carry-on bag, not in your checked bag. Just don’t do it. You may spend the holiday in the company of more representatives of the US government than you really wanted to, and not in a nice way, either. Let the professionals provide the pyrotechnic displays – or buy fireworks when you get to your destination.

photo by travlinman43