7 Ways to Speed Through Airport Security

I prefer to travel either very early in the morning or late in the evening for two reasons:

1) Flights are usually cheaper at those times.

2) I can avoid heavy traffic and long lines during off hours.

Although I’m usually at the airport during the down times, one of my biggest pet peeves is standing behind a person moving at a snail’s pace in the security line.

It could easily be the worst part of your trip, but if you prepare, going through security can be a quick and painless process.

Here are a few tips to help you get through airport security like a pro!

1. All Aboard!

If your boarding pass is on your phone, turn your brightness all the way up so the machine can read the bar code easily. Just don’t forget to turn it back down once you’ve gone through security to preserve your battery.

I keep my electronic boarding passes organized on with the Apple Wallet app.

2. I’m gonna need to see some ID, ma’am.

Don’t put your ID all the way back into your wallet after checking your bags. You’re going to need it again to get through security.

I usually keep mine in the front zipper pocket of my purse. Easy access.

3. Airport Chic  

Airplanes are known for being notoriously frigid. I always wear layers to prevent freezing to death, BUT I don’t get fully dressed until after I go through security.

I’m not saying to walk into the airport looking like a slob, but I just wear the bare minimum. A shirt, pants, very simple jewelry, and shoes. That’s it. That way, I don’t have to take everything off, I save time, and I minimize the risk of losing something.

I pack all of my accessories and layers in my carry-on and finish getting dressed once I’ve gone through the scanner.

 

4. What are those?

I am an advocate of wearing easy on/off shoes. I stood behind a woman wearing thigh-high lace-up boots once and I almost had a conniption.

In the summer, I wear sandals or a slip on shoe and I always keep a pair of socks in my bag so that I don’t have to walk on the germy floor barefoot. Plus, the socks come in handy on the cold plane.

In the winter (which I avoid at all costs; I hate cold weather), I wear my UGG boots. They’re easy to slip off and put back on.

5. One can never have too many cosmetic bags.

Pre-organize your carry-on bag and make sure that you put your liquids and gels in a separate bag. As I mentioned in “Essentials for a flight to Europe,” I keep all of my toiletries in separate cosmetic bags so they’re easy to find.

Keep the cosmetic bags on top so you can just pull them out and put them into a bin. No rummaging through a big bag trying to find a single bottle of lotion.

6. Power down!

I take my laptop out of the case and hold it in my hands while I’m inching up in line so that I don’t have to wrestle with it when I get to the conveyor belt.

You usually don’t have to remove your tablets, iPads, or cell phones and they can stay in your bag. Don’t just sit them in a bin by themselves… That gives someone the opportunity to snatch them while you aren’t looking.

7. Be prepared!

Don’t be that guy who isn’t paying attention and waits until the very last minute to put your belongings in a bin. Be courteous and pay attention to your surroundings.

I’m usually the crazy lady standing there over-prepared with everything separated and three bins stacked in my hands: One for my laptop, one for my liquids, and one for my purse.

Hey, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

What are some of your travel hacks? Let me know in the comments!

-A. 

*I do not own the rights to all of these images*