stuck at the airport

(More) tips for when you’re stuck at the airport

Stuck at the Airport,

You can get stuck at the airport anytime.

But the government shutdown and mandated flight reductions are causing more delays, lots of cancellations and stresses galore.

So if you’re traveling soon, it’s a good bet you’ll be spending more time than usual in an airport.

The standard advice – show up early, pack your patience and be nice to fellow passengers, airport employees and airline staff – goes double, let’s say triple, right now.

But there are some other things you can do to keep your cool and reduce stress at the airport.

Study up

Download and/or bookmark all the apps and sites for your airport and airline (and some alternatives) and sign up for alerts.

TSA’s site is currently not offering real-time information on security lane wait times, but many airports are. Even if you’re a frequent traveler, do a refresh on you airport’s checkpoint locations and hours. Many airports, including SEA and DEN, have added and/or reconfigured some checkpoints in the past year and you may save time by using a new checkpoint location.

Lighten Up

Traveling light, without spending money and wait time on checked bags, is always a good idea.

It’s a savvy precaution during this shutdown/flight reduction episode.

Pack a light carry-on and you will be able to more easily pivot at the airport if you need to get on an alternate flight.

Make a checkpoint reservation

For those without TSA PreCheck or CLEAR, many airports offer a free program that works like a restaurant reservation and lets you skip the hassle of waiting on a long TSA security line.

Reservation appointment slots are limited, so it’s good idea to book ahead. But you may be able to make your reservation when you’re at the airport.

The program goes by different names at various airports and can sometimes can get you through the standard security lane faster than the TSA Precheck lane.

And now that TSA no longer requires that everyone take off their shoes at the standard lanes, that route is an easier experience. We booked a last minute SEA Spot Saver recently and were delighted to be escorted to the front of security lane and through screening before our friends in the TSA PreCheck lane.

Here are some of the airports that offer the program:

DEN Reserve at Denver International Airport provides access to a dedicated security lane. Appointments are available daily from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. for flights departing between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

LAX Fast Lane at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for passengers flying out of Terminals 7 and 8. At Terminal 7 the hours are 5 a.m. to 1 pm. only.

MSP Reserve at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is offered at Terminal 1 from 3:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the North Security Point and in Terminal 2 from Noon to 4 p.m. at Checkpoint 2.

JFK Reserve at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Available only Terminal 4.

MCO Reserve at Orlando International Airport (MCO). Security screening times available from 5:00am to 5:00pm for flights departing between 6:30am and 8:30pm.

PHX Reserve at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is offered 24 hours a day at Terminal 3 and at Terminal 4 from 3:15 a.m. to 7:30 pm. at Checkpoint D for flights between 4:30 a.m. and 11 p.m.

SEA Spot Saver at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is available daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Checkpints 2 and 4.

Many free checkpoint reservation programs are managed by CLEAR, which offers several programs for expedited security screening.

But CLEAR currently does not list the airports where the free Reserve by CLEAR program is offered.

So, poke around the ‘security’ area of your airport’s app or website to see if a checkpoint reservation program is offered.

Happy July 4th

Holidays,

If July 4 is a holiday for you, we hope you will enjoy it with a picnic, live music, family, and friends.

Courtesy Library of Congress

Flying for the Fourth?

If you’re flying somewhere for the July 4th holiday – or the day after – we hope your flight path is smooth.

Although, if you’ve been reading the news, you know there’s a fair chance you may get stuck at the airport. If you do, check with us and we’ll see if we can offer advice on what’s around that may make your time a bit less stressful.

A good place to start is our list of “5 Things We Love About” a long list of airports.

LAX Airport is lonely. And wants to play

Entertainment, ,

Airports are quiet, lonely places these days.

Rightly so, given the “stay home” orders we are all following, if we can.

But, like us, airports still want to play.

So, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has put together a suitcase full of fun activities, videos and even a cut-and-play board game to keep us entertained and engaged.

First up: these cute minute-long video check-ins in with team members form the LAX PUPs (Pets Unstressing Passengers) program.

Next up: LAX at Home – the GAME

If you need a break from video games, try this ‘LAX At Home‘ board game.

The goal of the game is to be the first to travel around the horseshoe layout of LAX, which in normal times can get take a half-hour or more.

You can download and print out the playing board and more than 50 Boarding Pass cards that let you advance – not – around the board.

LAX game creators promise that playing the game you will feel as if you are at LAX: “Experience the excitement of world-class restaurants, catch a performance or check out the celebrity sightings. Just watch out for traffic, paparazzi and leave two hours before your flight.”

LAX also has downloadable coloring pages with airport themes, digital puzzles and a playlist of travel songs to keep you entertained and thinking about how much fun you’ll have when we can all get back out on the road.

Safe travels to all from Stuck at The Airport

Holidays, ,
Holiday elf

If, like us, you’ll be traveling on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, be sure to watch out for elves, Santas of all stripes, and lots of other travelers hoping to get where they need to go for the holiday.

If you need a few extra gifts, keep in mind too that lots of airport shops open early and close late – even on Christmas Day – and many have some pretty cool gifts all wrapped and ready to go.

To help you out, Tampa International Airport and several others have even put together holiday gift guides.

And don’t forget NORAD

On Christmas Eve you can follow along as Santa makes his way through the skies and down the chimneys via NORAD’s Santa Tracker.

Airports, airlines, travelers brace for winter weather

Weather, , , , ,

Tough traveling this Thanksgiving

Severe winter storms are already wreaking havoc with Thanksgiving travel plans across the country.

Denver International and many other airports are taking out their snowplows and de-icing gear and advising travelers to be sure to check the status of their flights before leaving home.

Many airlines are offering fee-free flight changes, waivers on fare differences for rebooked flights and refunds left and right.

In some cases, they are encouraging passengers to switch to flights leaving a day or two early.

At 9 p.m. on the west coast, these are some of the airlines issuing travel alerts. No doubt there will be updates and more alerts by morning and over the next few days. So, if you’re scheduled to fly anytime over this holiday, be sure to check your airline’s website and sign up for alerts about your flight.

American Airlines has a travel alert for passengers scheduled to fly November 27 to/through or from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Delta Air Lines has travel advisories posted for flights to, from or through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on November 27 as well.

Frontier Airlines has canceled many flights through Denver and Colorado Springs, CO on Tuesday, November 26. Advisories for rebooking and refunds are on their site.

JetBlue has posted travel alerts for flights in and out of Denver International Airport on Tuesday, November 26.

Southwest Airlines is warning customers that flight schedules may be “disrupted,” as in delayed, diverted, and/or canceled on Tuesday, November 26 in Denver and on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 26 and 27 through Minneapolis/St. Paul.

United Airlines’ winter weather alert also applies to flights in and out of Denver on Tuesday 26.

Bottom line: even if the weather looks great where you are – or where you’re headed to, bad weather in other parts of the country can still disrupt your travels. Check flights, check again and, as always, pack lots of patience when you go to the airport this time of year.