Airport security is the stressful necessity standing between you and your dream vacation, and plenty of the stress comes from small mistakes you can dodge. Kristi, the Gen X Gypsy, says it is probably the most stressful part of the entire travel day, and she has pulled together 17 common mistakes and how to avoid each one.
The first one starts before you leave the house, and it is the one that could add the most time to your day.
Mistake 1 Is Skipping Online Check In
Kristi’s first mistake is not checking in for your flight online before heading to the airport. There is a rare chance you might be randomly selected for additional screening, and the first place you may find out is when you cannot check in online or through your airline’s app. If that happens, she recommends arriving at least an hour or so earlier than planned, which may mean two or three hours before your flight.
If you end up with that dreaded 4S symbol on your boarding pass, you are in for a much more in-depth security process that could add quite a bit of time. She calls it highly unusual, but says it could happen to anyone, and the best way to avoid being the chosen one is to check in as soon as you can.
Mistakes 2, 3 And 4 Are Packing Liquids, Electronics And Medications Wrong
Liquids need to be in containers of 100 ml or 3.4 oz or less, and all of them must fit in one quart-size bag. In the US, TSA has been upgrading to CT scanners in many airports, where liquids can stay in your carry-on even outside the PreCheck line, and she says she never had to take her liquids bag out in Japan or Korea. Some airports remain strict on bag size, though, and she names Paris as one.
For electronics, the item she most often pulls out is her laptop, which goes in a bin by itself, while a Nintendo Switch or an iPad can share a bin. She has never been asked to remove a Kindle, but subscribers have, so keep e-readers near the top. She packs chargers, cables, portable batteries and earbuds together in one bag so they are easy to grab. Prescription medications and breast milk do not have to meet the liquids rules, but she suggests keeping them together in an easy-to-reach bag in case officers ask to confirm what they are.
Mistake 5 Is Dressing Wrong For The Scanner
Her list of travel day items to avoid includes belts, big bulky jewelry, big scarves, overly baggy clothes such as maxi dresses, and anything metallic, from sequins to sweaters with metallic threads. She also mentions an Instagram post she recently saw about a woman who was pulled aside for extra screening after wearing a lotion with a lot of glycerin and carrying the same lotion in her bag. The scanners, Kristi says, are getting very sensitive.
Mistakes 6 And 7 Are Not Checking The Rules Or The Wait
If you are unsure whether an item is allowed in your carry-on, a Google search is a start, but she says the TSA app or a message to TSA on Facebook or Instagram is more accurate. They usually answer within a few hours and definitely within 24. The app also shows current wait times, and PreCheck travelers can see whether that line is open. She once arrived for an early flight at Raleigh-Durham to find neither PreCheck nor regular security open yet, and checking the app could have bought her another half hour of sleep.
Mistakes 8 And 9 Are A Full Water Bottle And Full Pockets
She calls a full water bottle by far the most common mistake she sees. If the scanner flags it, you may have to chug the water or go back to dump it and go through the line again, and a nice Yeti or Stanley cup can even be confiscated. Drink up or pour it out at a fountain or bathroom first.
While you are at it, check your pockets. A jacket has to go in a bin, so she moves important items into jacket pockets ahead of time, and she tucks her passport in there too because officers sometimes do not want anything in your hands. Even candy wrappers, tissues and, in her case, a hair tie have triggered extra screening.
Mistakes 10 And 11 Are An Unready ID And The Wrong Line
Mistake number 10 is not having your ID and boarding pass ready. Pull the pass up on your phone before your turn, open your passport to the photo page and take it out of its holder. When choosing a line, she suggests the far left lane, since most people are right-handed and drift right. Avoid lines with families and small children, who need to juggle a lot, and look for business travelers who know how to move quickly.
Mistakes 12, 13 And 14 Are Not Listening, Loading Badly And Chatting
One of her pet peeves is not listening to the agents. If you cannot hear them, watch what people near the officer are doing. Returning from Canada, she heard the officer tell everyone at least 10 times to remove their shoes, and the person in front of her still walked up wearing them.
She has no required order for loading the belt, but she puts her suitcase first, then a bin with her jacket, shoes and liquids, and her laptop in the last bin so she can watch it the whole way through. Officers deserve a friendly smile and a quick question if you need clarity, but she says this is not the time for chatty conversation, so keep moving for the people behind you.
Mistakes 15 And 16 Are Handling Other People’s Bins And Repacking At The Belt
Do not pull other people’s bins off the belt or move them to reach yours, and do not step in front of someone waiting for their items. Their things most likely come out before yours anyway. Carry your bin to the benches and tables just past security to repack and put your jacket back on, rather than blocking the belt.
Mistake 17 Is Skipping TSA Cares
Her final mistake is skipping the TSA Cares program. If you or someone you travel with faces a challenge, from a broken leg or pregnancy to hidden disabilities like dementia, autism or high anxiety, you can make an appointment to have a TSA agent help you through security. Kristi thinks the program is still underused, which is why she promotes it on her channel.
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