Guide for smart air travels

1. Research online for travel options, but be sure to talk directly with the human travel provider before booking
2.  Make sure to build in connecting times that give you sufficient time to get to the right gate. Common mistakes are that people are delusional to think that 38-48 minutes of connecting time is enough (although “legal”). At many airports (e.g., Chicago’s O’hare, Pheonix Sky Harbor), the walk between gates are so long.
3.  Consider sending your baggage via couriers such as FedEx, UPS, and others rather than always checking in baggage
4. Tape your ID on the inside of your bag (in large letters, if possible) in addition to putting a luggage ID tag on the outside of your bag that can be ripped. Also, photograph the content of your bag using the smart phone as a caution for the case that your bag is stolen or missing.
5. Check your flight schedule constantly for any delay or cancellation.
6. Print your boarding passes a day before your scheduled flight in case of computer glitches at the airport.
7. Ask your cab drive to take you to the arrival area instead of the departure area which is often more crowded than the arrival area. Also, to avoid the busy airport’s crowd, consider using the alternative airports nearby (Milwaukee instead of Chicago, Oakland instead of San Francisco).
8. Enjoy expedited screening using the TSA pre-check. Passengers who are U.s. citizens and lawful permanent residents can apply for the TSA Pre✓® Application Program to determine if they are low-risk and eligible to receive expedited screening.  There are more than 380 application centers across the U.S. and 44 centers are located at airports. The nonrefundable fee of $85 covers the cost of background checks, when you apply for the TSA pre-check program.  Go to the website: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck