This airport guide will take you from your home or accommodation. Guide you on the airport procedures going through the airport, all the way to you boarding your flight.

For me, the airport is a happy and exciting place, with big grand buildings, full of optimism looking forward to traveling to a new destination, and the reality that you’re about to be 30,000ft in the sky. And I do this frequently. So based on my experiences, I’ll give tips on how to navigate the airport, with my own twist and opinion on things.

So whether the airport experience is new to you, or you’re an airport geek like myself, I am sure you will find something of value as you read on….

1. Before You Head On The Way To The Airport

To help avoid any stress when you arrive, and before you get into travel airport mode, there are some things you can get ready for. Also, a good idea if you’re already on holiday, to do before you go out for the last night, and get back at stupid o’clock in the morning.

• Check in for your flight online if you can.

  This can save time depending on your luggage situation, and more chance of getting a desired seat on the flight if it’s an option. And airlines do overbook, so you secure your place before you get to the airport.

• Print all documents.

  Boarding passes, transport to the airport, lounge access, etc. Though it’s easier to use a mobile device, you never know what could go wrong with your device. I always carry these in an a4 folder in my carry on bag.

• Know where the airport is.

  This may sound obvious. However, some cities have multiple airports, and you may have bought a flight from a nearby town or city that shares the name of its bigger neighboring city. Such as London Luton, which is nowhere near to London as London Heathrow is.

• Check the flight status.

  Check for any delays, changes, or major news. Also, download any relevant airline or airport apps, you may get a notification of any news before the airport announces it.

• Weigh check in luggage.

  overweight bags can cost a fortune, so this can easily be avoided. Check the airline website if you’re not sure of your allowance.

• Check carry on sizes.

  As with overweight bags, having the wrong size bags can cost you a pretty penny as well. And to make it more confusing different airlines have different sizes. Make sure to find out this way before you go.

• Check your route to the airport.

  If driving, take a look at the traffic situation for accidents or closures before you leave.

• Get travel insurance.

  Another one to have way before you leave, even if something were to happen a week before your trip, the insurance will have you covered. And I don’t need to remind you about the hundreds or thousands it could cost you if the worst were to happen while away, and that insurance wasn’t taken out.

• Have you got your passport

  or relevant ID? Literally, as you leave, check this once more, you’d be surprised how many people get to the airport and realise they have forgotten. As long as you have travel documents and some sort of bank card, you should still be able to enjoy your trip.

2. Arriving At The Airport

Finally, it’s time to actually be at the airport. Some are the size of bus stations, others as big as cities, so there are some other things to pre check before arriving, but I have listed them here.

• How long to arrive before your flight?

  Now this depends on local advice and type of flight, but the common request is, 2 hours before a domestic flight, and 3 hours before an international flight. Personally, I would take the times as a minimum, as you never know what to expect. Say you were checking in luggage, and there’s a massive line, then security with a massive line, and your gate is a 20 min walk, you’re not going to relax if you turn up an hour and a half before take off. If I have to travel 2-3 hours to reach the airport, I’ll aim to get there 4 hours before, not that I don’t mind being there, but I anticipate the possibility of traffic delays. Though at the risk of contradicting myself, be aware that if going to a small airport that is not open 24h, then being too early may leave you waiting outside.

• Check which terminal you fly from.

  Or if there are separate arrival and departure terminals, you will want the departure terminal. There may even be separate ones for domestic and international. At large airports, some airlines may fly from several different ones. So it’s worth checking the airport website before you go. It could save you a lot of time, as distances between some terminals can be quite far.

• Airport Parking.

  Book as far in advance as possible, as costs on the day can be extortionate. Also, check the distance from the airport terminal and the frequency of any needed shuttle buses.

• Drop off charges.

  If someone is dropping you off, check on the airport website if there are any charges for dropping off. If so, some airports may have free drop off in a car park a bit further away, with access to the terminal by shuttle bus.

3. Airport Check in

Now you’re at the big plane station, you need to head to the check in hall. If dropped off outside the terminal follow the signs for the departure hall. Here you will see the check in desks, or look out for the signs from there. If in the car park or public transport hub, head to your designated terminal.

However, when you only have carry on luggage and have already checked in online, head to security, unless told otherwise by your airline.

Check in times usually correspond with the suggested arrival times, but check your ticket. It may pay to get there a bit before so you can be ahead of the line, and potentially save yourself a lot of time.

At large airports with endless rows of check in desks, look for a screen telling you which counter to go to.

There are usually 2 options for check in.

• Baggage drop.

  Often a quicker process, with less time queuing up. Not always available with all airlines. Here you will find an unmanned station where you can scan your passport or ID, and your boarding pass or ticket which you printed at home. If you don’t have a boarding pass the machine will give you one. You may be able to select your seat for your flight. The machine will give you a luggage tag to put on your checked bag, then head to your airline’s bag drop line. Scan your tag and weigh your bag, and you’re good to go. There will be a member of staff around to assist if you have any problems.

• Check in desk.

  Often longer lines than baggage drop, but you have the opportunity to speak to someone if you have any queries about things such as seat selection, connecting flights, etc. Join the relevant line, whether that be economy, or premium/ business/ first class. Just have your relevant documents ready.

Take note of the airline’s baggage policy in regards to what can be packed in your check in luggage. Packing electronics and certain medicines can lead to problems when your bag is screened. Also, it is safer to keep more expensive items in your possession rather than check them in.

4. Going Through Airport Security

What to do at the airport once check in is complete? You want to get to air side, from your current location, land side. But before this, you must go through airport security, and the happy bunch that work there. (Sarcasm yes, but compared to people working at immigration, they seem so).

From the check in/ departure hall, follow the signs to security, or it may be directions to your gate area.

The vast majority of airports have security before airside, however, this isn’t always the case, as I have found myself on a couple of occasions being checked at the gate.

Nowadays, this part of the airport procedure simply starts by scanning your boarding pass to enter the security check area.

There are often faster ways to beat the queues, depending on your ticket class or any prepayment. Such as first or business, fast track, or any pre check such as TSA in the US.

What to expect and how to prepare for security.

• I would go straight into the line and get my things ready there, as I am already prepared. However, there will often be an area with tables laid out, so you can organize your belongings, empty any water bottles you want to keep, and sometimes have the clear bags for your liquids. I usually grab a few, to make sure I have them for a future trip.

• Regarding liquids that you can take through to your flight, the safe bet is to take liquid/ gels/ creams/ aerosols, etc, in containers no bigger than 100ml /3.4 ounces. These must be placed all together in a single transparent, resealable bag. About 20x20cm / 1 quart. There are some exemptions for medication and baby formula, so it’s best to check the airport’s website. In some parts of the world, this is slowly changing, due to new technology enabling more efficient scanning, so you can take larger sizes. But until you have passed through one of these security points, and know for sure they do this, stick with the 100ml /3.4 ounces.

Other packing guidelines to note.

• No knives, blades, scissors, etc
• In some areas of the world, lighters and matches are not allowed, though the worst that will happen is they will confiscate them.
• Electronic gadgets, tablets, laptops, etc, need to be charged enough to turn on. If not you could lose them.
• Make sure you have prescriptions for prescribed medication, and check your destination’s customs rules, so that you don’t bring in any banned substances.

I find it easier to manage the airport security procedure if I have everything that’s required to be removed from my hand luggage for screening, within easy access to my carry on bag. This enables me to go straight to the line, take out what I need, and take off what’s required.

Things to take out of your bag and off yourself.

• Charged electronic devices, such as tablets, laptops, power banks, wireless earbuds, and mobile devices.
• 100ml/3.4 ounce travel toiletries. I already have these and the clear bag they are contained in, into a drawstring soap bag. This will help protect from spillages.
• You can readily remove belts, watches, and bulky jewelry. Small items like earrings will be fine to leave on. If shoes are requested to be removed, you can untie, unzip, or loosen them in advance. Coats and jackets are to be taken off as well.
• Any junk needs to be removed from your pockets. I put these in a side pocket of my bag.

Once at the front of the line, place your belongings in the trays provided, then walk through.

• You will pass through a metal detector, and if all is good, the security staff will wave you on to collect your belongings.

There is the possibility of further checks. If the metal detector is set off, you will likely be searched by a member of staff. Body scanners are in use at a lot of airports these days, where your whole body, head to toe is scanned. These checks are often done by randomly selecting passengers. If you have left a prohibited item in your bag, you will be called over, and most likely have your bag searched. So if you don’t want to waste time at airport security, make sure you pack properly.

Another random search that may be done is a swab, taken from your bag or person, to detect drugs or explosives. This shouldn’t take too long. But don’t panic too much if you have a positive result, In Madrid I tested positive for an explosives swab when I was not in possession of any. A quick retest later, and a negative result, I was on my way. Though not seen by myself in the security area, I have seen police with sniffer dogs at the departure gates, searching for drugs or cash.

And that should be it, grab your luggage and belongings from the conveyor belt. There should be an area to take them to so you can reorganize your stuff, and then continue going through the airport.

5. Clearing Airport Immigration

Now this step depends on a few factors, like whether you’re flying domestic or international, unlikely you will for a domestic flight. International flights more so, but this can depend on the country, for example, the USA, Canada, and the UK do not have passport control on leaving the country. The airlines notify the relevant departments in this case, so no need to worry about having an exit stamp missing.

Generally, if there is airport immigration to go through, it will be after security. As always there can be some exceptions. For example, in some European airports there may be passport control before a certain gate area or pier. This would be where planes fly to certain countries that aren’t in EU open borders. In this case after security, you would be at the air side, and have access to all amenities.

The types of airport immigration to check your passport or ID.

E gates/ automated passport control.

These unmanned booths are where you will scan your passport, then the machine will scan your face, and possibly your fingerprints. It will match the biometric details stored on your passport, then you’re free to go.

Your passport needs to contain a chip with your biometric details.

Some countries permit only specific nationalities to use the e gates.

Manned desk.

Basically, a human will check your passport instead of a machine, again some countries may scan your fingerprints on departure. Check the signs for which line to join, they will likely be designated by nationality or region.

If an exit stamp is required, you will use the manned desk.

Airport Tip: Try to have a podcast you are really eager to listen to, and save it for an unexpected wait. That way, being in a long line, you can just accept it as part of traveling, while you focus on listening to something you enjoy.

6. Know Which Gate You Fly From

You have been checked by security, now a check to do yourself. Look at which gate you fly from, this should be on your ticket or your online boarding pass. Then look around for signs to your gate, with any indication as to how far away it is, as some can be a 20 min walk away. If I’m there early enough, I’ll walk towards the gate, and see what’s around, as I like to explore the airport. But as long as you know where and how far away it is, you can plan when to head towards it. If you are late, you can be denied boarding.

Smaller airports may not have gate information announced till a certain time before departure.

Do listen out for gate changes, although rare, can happen. But another advantage of having already downloaded the airline app is, that it will send you a notification of any gate change.

So you have worked out what to do at the airport, regarding the main airport procedures. You have checked your gate number and where it is, so now it’s time to see what the departure area has to offer.

7. Airport Shops and Duty Free

The first place you will be after security or immigration is highly likely to be the duty free area. As many airports will navigate you through the tempting smells of perfumes, aftershaves, and offers on tax free goods, towards the rest of the shops and facilities.

As far as the other shops go, it will depend on the size of the airport. You could have a few basic shops just selling local knick knacks and souvenirs in a small airport. To huge shopping malls in large modern ones.

• Don’t just assume the airport duty free will be cheaper than your home location, or even the next airport you may pass through on your trip. If there’s something you’re after, like fragrances, tobacco, or alcohol, it’s worth checking the airport website before for the duty free prices. Then if you will be going through multiple airports, you will know where to get that bargain.

• Have a spray from the perfume sample bottles. It’s an opportunity to try a new fragrance out, or just get yourself smelling nice for your flight, from an insanely expensive brand you wouldn’t normally buy from.

• Buy your souvenirs before you get to the airport to head home. The ones in the airport shops usually come with inflated prices.

• If you have forgotten something or lost an item you need, and they have it in the shops, great it serves a purpose. I mean buy what you want, but if you want to avoid spending, still use the shops as a means to pass the time browsing. You can even challenge yourself to find the most expensive price tag, as there are some pretty high end stores in some departure halls. Just use it for your own entertainment.

8. Eat And Drink

Unless you’re at a small airport during the early hours, you will find somewhere to grab a bite to eat, from a convenience store to a multi level food court.

Your options will usually depend on the size of the airport, but there should at least be a small convenience store where you can get a sandwich and a drink. Up from that would be a few coffee shop type places with light meals, and maybe a fast food joint. Then at the big airports, you will find a range of different size restaurants, serving a range of cuisines, and some now even have fine dining establishments.

Bars aren’t uncommon, so you can grab a beer or a glass of wine if that takes your fancy. Water fountains may be available, I find them more often than not, however, I have come across some without. Apparently, these airport owners don’t think their customers, who already paid a pretty penny for a flight ticket, are deserving of free access to water.

• Although you can’t bring drinks through security, unless it’s in mini bottles like alcoholic spirits, you can bring food in with you. So if you don’t like the prices or limited options at the airport you’re flying from, pre buy or make your favorite snack to have while waiting for your flight

• One of the most common airport travel tips is to bring your own water bottle. You can fill up at the provided water fountains if available. Even if not, you can always try and ask if a bar or restaurant will fill it up. I often ask, while on a long haul flight for them to fill my water bottle up, it saves waiting for a poxy small cup of water every now and then.

• If you have access to an airport lounge, food and drink should be provided.

9. Freshen Up Before Your Flight

Before a flight, we all want to be feeling as comfortable as possible, and it’s easy if you’ve just left the airport hotel, and are about to board a 2 hour flight. But if you’ve had a long trip on the way to the airport, and a 10 hour flight coming up, a freshen up is required. And one way or another there is the means to do so.

• A shower will be the easy option, these could be free in some airports or paid for. Some lounges do allow the use of their showers for a set time and the fee is less than the main access charge. Then there’s also full lounge access, where as well as the shower, you can take advantage of all the other facilities.

• Now if on time or budget constraints, or you feel a shower isn’t needed, just freshen up in one of the restrooms. If you have checked in your luggage with your main toiletries, it’s worthwhile to bring in your carry on bag, a small wash kit. Just some soap, deodorant, toothpaste and brush, and a flannel. Even a change of underwear will leave you more refreshed and relaxed before your plane takes off.

10. Relax In Departures

Perhaps you’ve traveled a long way to reach the airport, or all the queuing, shopping, and eating might have left you feeling a bit knackered out. You will be wanting to sit back and relax, so here’s what you can expect to find.

• Unless you’re chilling out in a bar or a restaurant, the first place you’ll likely come across is a centralized seating area available to everyone. Often with flight information screens in view to keep tabs on your flight. Can be busy at peak hours though.

• If your departure gate has seating and is not screened off, it may be available before your gate is open. Handy if you like to be at the gate early and not worry about rushing later on.

• Your departure gate may well be occupied with another flight before. At large airports, you could find an unused gate area to sit in, albeit a bit further away. I will sometimes take a walk to the end of the pier and scout out an empty gate, eat some grub, or play on my phone there. By walking further there will be fewer people around, making it more peaceful.

• Speaking of being peaceful, some big airports will have quiet seating areas dotted along the concourses. Usually screened off and often with long chairs you can almost lay down in. Free to use.

• As mentioned regarding food and drink, you have the lounges. More comfortable seating, and less crowded than the main terminal area.

Airport tip. Set an alarm on your phone, in case you relax too much and doze off.

11. Explore The Airport

Hopefully, you made it through to departures in good time, especially at a major international airport. If you’re not tired and don’t fancy sitting down, then it’s a good opportunity to explore the airport.

Now if it’s a small regional airport, don’t get there something stupid like 6 hours before, as there’s limited exploring you can do, and plan on having a book or something to watch on one of your electronic devices. But at the big ones, just set off on foot.

Admire the grand architecture, and get great views of aircraft on the apron. Some even have art and sculptures on view. Just wander, check the airport map head off, and take it all in.

You could come across anything, from outdoor gardens to swimming pools. Be sure to look at the airport website before you go, then you can make sure to arrive on time to explore.

If you’re an airport geek, it’s worth arriving early to admire the outside of the terminal, as well as wander around inside.

12. Go To Your Departure Gate

The final stage of going through the airport, arriving at your departure gate to board the aircraft.

Your boarding pass should tell you what time boarding starts and when it closes. As it does finish before the actual departure time. The flight information screens will tell you different things, such as.

Gate open.

Your gate is available for waiting in. It can vary between airports and flight type, as to whether the gate is open before boarding, most likely it will be on international flights. Another difference can be if you need to scan your passport and boarding pass to gain entry to the waiting area, or as you exit the gate.

Boarding now.

When the process has begun, the airline staff start calling people up to board, by ticket type and sequence number. On average this can be 1 hour to 40 min before departure.

Final call.

Most passengers are nearly on the plane, and the final boarding time is approaching. If you’re far from the gate, and you see this, it is fill your pants time. Though there’s still a high chance you will make it.

Personally, I wouldn’t head to the gate any later than 5 -10 mins after boarding starts. And if I don’t want to go into the waiting area, perhaps it’s too crowded or will take a while, at least stay in the vicinity to keep an eye on what’s going on.

Now you are ready to march through the airport like a seasoned traveler. Knowing what to expect equals less stress and more time to appreciate the marvels of air travel. Preparation and research are also key components of a successful trip. Check out some of my other posts that I hope you will find useful. Now get on that plane and bon voyage.