Everyone knows that one of the worst aspects of traveling by plane is airport security.
Airport security can be intrusive, it’s tedious, and it takes way too long. You cannot help how long the slow, inexperienced vacationer goes through the line in front of you, but you can speed up your own progress with these tips.
1. Put everything in Ziploc bags.
For carry-ons, rules are especially strict. Liquids cannot be in containers surpassing three point four ounces, no sharp objects including Swiss-Army knives and nail clippers, et cetera. However, for things like makeup and deodorant, airports will be lenient if they are obvious and visible. By having your items in Ziploc bags and in the bins as opposed to in your purse or small backpack, the Transportation Security Administration scanner can skim through your belongings without pause and expedite the process.
2. Dress simply, with slip-on shoes.
How annoying is it to have to take off your belt, your watch, your hair clip, your rings, and your shoes just to have to put them back on again in ten minutes? Leave the metal décor and complicated back laced boots at home. Opt for slip-on shoes and a cotton dress. You won’t have to worry about setting off the metal detector and being pulled aside. Both you and the people behind you will appreciate the ease.
3. Don’t forget your laptop sleeve.
For non-frequent air travelers, it comes as a shock that airport security does not let you keep your laptop in your carry-on for the checkpoint process. Though it might not seem so, having to unzip your carry-on, take your laptop out, put it in a separate bin and then having to put it back into your carry-on is a huge time consumer. By having a separate laptop sleeve that can also hold your credentials (passport, driver’s license, boarding pass) you save a good bit of time and effort. Plus, being able to access your credentials readily is important. Security will ask you for these many times.
Article written by Wenxi Zhang.
