First time flyer tips?
In a couple months, I'll be taking a 5 hour flight to MA, but I've never ever been on a plane. I've never even been in an airport. I'm trying to get as much information as possible so that I don't humiliate myself and/or do something just plain stupid. Any tipa would be greatly appreciated!
Just ask the people at the airport or on the plane if you have any questions or need help finding where to catch your flight
What airport are you LEAVING from? That makes a big difference. Small airports are different from large ones.
In general:
Check in online 24 hours in advance at the airline's website with your confirmation number. Print out your boarding passes if you can.
Go to the airline desk inside the terminal, show your boarding pass to check your luggage. You can also print out the boarding pass in the airport. They will tell you what gate. There are usually different concourses or hallways- A, B, C etc. Follow the overhead signs.
You'll come to security. Show your boarding pass. Get in line. Take off your shoes, take your laptop out of your bag and your ziplock bag with your liquids. Watch what other people do. Put everything in the bins to go on the conveyor belt. When they tell you walk through the scanner. If it's the full body scanner, you put your feet on the footprints on the floor and put your hands up- iike you're being arrested. Walk through and get your stuff off the conveyor belt.
Look at the overhead signs to find your concourse and your gate. Wait at the gate until people line up to board. Show your boarding pass again. Sit in your seat.
There are differences in some airports- in Atlanta, you have to ride a train to get to your concourse. So tell us the airport and we can be more specifid.
Get over it.
YOU are not the only First time flyer that will be at the Airport.
You are not expected to know everything. Does the concept of reading signs, looking at a map, ASKING A UNIFORMED staff person for directions seem too difficult?
EVERY AIRPORT is not identical. So what it is a 5 hour flight. Do you think the procedure is different for one of 4 hours?
A flight that long good idea to use the toilet at the Airport before you board. Much easier and more comfortable than the one on the plane.
Which Airport? Which Airline? Find a map and see where you need to go. HINT Departures area.
The HUMANS can direct you to each step you need to do. They deal with First Time flyers EVERYDAY.
- Would flying between 40k and 45k miles a year make me a frequent flyer? The past few years I have kept track of the amount of (real) miles I have flown -- I say real miles to distinguish them from airline miles, because I don't always fly with the same rewards program -- and the average is about 40 to 45k miles a year. In everyday conversations, would it make sense to consider myself a "frequent flyer," or is that only for people who fly like 100k plus every year?
- Plane ticket has first, middle and last name but my passport only has first and last name? I'm flying Scandinavian Airlines and my plane ticket has my first, middle, and last name but my passport only has my first and last name. Does anyone have any experience with this or think it will be an issue? I called the travel agency and they told me they could not do anything to correct the middle name. I was also thinking about bringing another form of ID like a birth certificate or social security card to be safe.
- First time flying with stops? So is Christmas season and I'm traveling from the US to Mexico for the holidays, I have already flying from point A to point B but I never have from point A to point B and C ( or city stops) so I'm nervous. How early have to be on the airport? Is one hour enough to switch from one plane to other? How long can it take on immigration and still have to take the second plane?
- Going overseas for vacation for the first time in my life and I need some tips? I'm going overseas for the very first time next month can I get some useful travel tips as well as tips to make my experience at the airport go faster without causing any sort of delay that and what are the best methods to keep my important belongings safe during that transition?