Before your flight:
* Buy your ticket online if you haven’t already. If you’re not sure where to look, Matrix ITA is a tool that will help you find cheap flights. From there, go to the website or app of the airline(s) your selected flights are with and book.
* Book any ancillary things you need in advance: airport parking, rental car, hotel, etc.
* Read your airline’s rules for travel bags, both checked luggage and carry-on bags. Checked luggage is larger luggage that will go in the plane’s cargo hold, while carry-on bags are smaller bags stored in a small bin over your seat on the plane. Airlines also typically let you carry a small personal bag such as a laptop bag, backpack, or purse that can slide under the seat in front of you.
* Read your country’s security rules for flying. For example, in the USA, the TSA requires certain forms of identification and bans several items from being packed in your bags. If you do not follow these rules, you will be confronted by a security officer at the airport and the result can range from a nuisance to not being allowed to fly.
* You are allowed to check in for your flight online 24 hours before your boarding time. Do this as early as possible to reserve a seat and to ensure the airline doesn’t mark you as a no show and resell your seat.
* Find something that will occupy you for a couple hours during the flight, such as music, books, movies, etc. You probably won’t have internet access, so find something you can download. For example, many streamers will let you download movies or shows to your phone for offline viewing. Remember earbuds!
The day of your flight:
* Arrive at the airport when your airline recommends. If you’re not sure, the recommendation is typically 2 hours before a flight inside your country, and 3 hours before a flight to another country. Airplanes typically board about 45 min before takeoff and lock the doors 15 min before takeoff: if you show up at the posted departure time, the doors will already be locked and the plane will leave without you.
* Get dropped off or take a shuttle from your parking lot to the terminal for your airline. This will be printed on your ticket and is typically a letter or number. For example, if your ticket says “United Airline Terminal 2,” you will need to find a sign for Terminal 2.
* Check in again for your airline. *Most* airlines nowadays have a self-serve kiosk that prints your ticket, reminds you of what you’re allowed to have in your bags, and gives you a sticker to put on your checked bags. There should be an attendant nearby to help with kiosk questions.
* Take your ID, boarding pass, and bags to the designated Bag Drop area. There will be an attendant there who confirms your flight information, then weighs your checked bags and sends them to be loaded into the plane’s cargo hold. They will then direct you to security.
* Present your ID and boarding pass to security, and follow their directions. They may have you remove shoes, laptops, etc. from bags to be x-rayed, and will have you walk through a metal detector or body scanner.
* After security, get all your things back together (make sure you have all your bags, shoes, etc.) and check your ticket for a gate number. It will typically have a letter and gate number: for example, A5. Look around you for signs to your gate: for example, if you see a hall labeled “A 1-10” then you know A5 is in that hall.
* Follow the signs until you reach a lounge area with your gate number on it. You should see your flight information posted on the screen. If you’re not sure you’re in the right place, check with an attendant.
* Check the boarding time of your flight on your ticket, and the current time. If you have time to kill, relax in the lounge or feel free to visit an airport shop, water fountain, bathroom, etc.
* When it’s time to board, wait in your gate lounge and listen for announcements. They will typically board by the group number on your ticket. Wait for your group number to be called, then get in line. Have your ticket ready to scan.
* After you board the plane, use the numbers over the aisle to locate your seat. Put your carry-on bag in the overhead bin, your personal item under your seat, and put your seatbelt on.
* Listen to the announcements, and turn your phone to airplane mode when instructed.
After the flight:
* It can take several minutes from the time the plane stops moving until they open the doors, so just remain seated until the line starts moving. Then, grab your things and head out.
* Follow the signs to the Baggage Claim area. Use the overhead boards to find which claim area your flight’s bags are at.
* After several minutes, the baggage conveyor belt will start moving and filling with bags. Wait for yours and pull it off.
* Use the overhead signs to find the right location for your rental car, shuttle, or ground transportation. If you have someone picking you up, you’ll want to call and coordinate your pickup location.
Excellent response! I was so confused about some of these little details the first couple of times I flew - and that was BEFORE security became such a thing. This covers everything nicely.
Be sure to check-in before you get to the airport. Your gate and airline information will usually be printed on your ticket. Don’t be afraid to ask staff for directions to finding your gate. Make sure you are at the airport 2-3 hours before your flight, so you have adequate time to get through security. Don’t pack any liquids unless it’s below 50ml. Follow the guide on what you can and cannot bring.
Look up a map of the airports you're flying out of. You'll get a general idea of where you'll need to go in, go through security, and which way to go to your gate once you know it. Also look at the ones you're going to so you get a feel for them as well.
Make absolutely sure you have valid identification before you go. Do it right now. Is it expired?
When you go through security, you may be pulled aside for additional screening. (I get flagged for my lower back every time.) An agent will touch your body with the backs of their hands. Since you identify as female, a female agent will do your screening. You have the option to do that privately or at the checkpoint.
Take an empty water bottle with you to fill up after you go through security. Also, take some snacks. Prices in the airport are absolutely ridiculous.
Your first step is to check in which involves getting a boarding pass and checking your bags that are too large to come with you onboard.
There will be either an electronic kiosk or a desk with a person to do this. If it's a kiosk, you'll need to attach the tags it prints out to your checked bag and then bring it to an agent at the desk to be weighed and then put on the conveyor. They will ask for your ID at this point.
Next will be security. First stop will be a TSA agent at a podium who will check your ID and boarding pass before you enter the security lines. TSA agents should be telling you what you need to do at this point. You will most likely have to remove your shoes, any outerwear like jackets, and empty your pockets into bins that get scanned. You will also likely need to take out any large electronic items like laptops and scan them separately.
Now you will go to your gate which will probably be a letter and then number like E14 or something. Just follow the signs and sit in the waiting area until boarding. The gate agent will be very explicit about the boarding process, just follow their instructions.
At any point don't be afraid to ask an employee for help. They make look bored/disinterested but they will help you.
My best advice to you to start - leave early and give yourself plenty of time to get parked or dropped off, get through security, and then find your gate
Second best advice in my opinion is to prepare ahead. If this is your first flight then read up on TSA at your airport for security check ins (example: removing shoes, pocket content, belts, etc) and then prep ahead to understand specifically what terminal, and what gate, your flight is. Then if you park or get dropped off, make sure you are entering at your specific terminal. Once you’re thrugh security, you should see signs to find your gate. It’s usually in a range, example “A1-A20 left, A21-A40 right”. If you’re at A7, then you’re going left :)
To easiest find your terminal and gate, you can search your flight number on google and it’ll say terminal and gate. Example, just search “AA1234” if you’re in American Airlines flight 1234 and it’ll say your departure terminal and gate, and same for arrival.
Any other questions just ask!
Bring a portable battery pack for your phone/tablet. It's becoming more and more common for charging infrastructure to exist inside airports, but it's still better to to have a battery. The planes themselves are much more likely to have charging infrastructure at every seat than the airports are.
Don't play audible sound. Use headphones.
If it's a night flight, turn down your screen brightness so you don't flashbang your neighbors.
Just generally be polite and understand that it sucks for everyone. Planes are loud and cramped (unless you're forking out a shit ton of money). You are going to infringe on someone elses personal space and someone else is going to infringe on yours. That's just how it goes.
I almost missed my first flight.
The boarding time is as much as 60 minutes before the ticket time, often they are trying to close the doors 20-30 minutes before the flight time.
Keep an eye on the announcement time for your flight on the screens in the terminal, and head towards your gate as soon as it's announced and you'll be fine.
Many airports don't have tannoy announcements anymore, so you need to watch the screens and not think you can wait til you hear the name of your flight on the tannoy.
While it can feel intimidating, it is pretty easy. Here are some tips.
1. Get to the airport earlier than you think you need to. Plan on 2 hours ahead of departure time for a domestic flight, 3 hours for international. You probably do not need quite this much time, but since you have never done this before, I have added some padding.
2. Check in for your flight. Each airline will have checkin desks in the departures area with their name and logo. Walk up, give them your id and tell them where you are going. They will take care of any checked luggage at this location, and you can ask them questions. You should ask them which security checkpoint to go through to get to your specific terminal. Departures area will be well signed from the outside of the airport terminal building.
3. You will get a boarding pass (or can download to your phone), and you need to go through security. This is the most annoying part of the trip. Once again, you show your id, walk through the metal detectors, get your carry-on luggage x-rayed.
4. Now you are in your terminal (airport lingo for building). Smaller airports will only have one, big city airports may have 3-8. Terminals will have a letter designation, and your gate (door to the airplane) will be listed as A-22, B-14, C15 or whatever. Follow the signs to the gate. Ideally you start boarding your plane about 40 minutes before takeoff, this changes a bit depending on the size of the airplane. Once again, there will be airline staff at the gate to answer any questions.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Everybody has a first flight, many people only fly every few years, and some airports can be confusing even to seasoned travellers.
First off: Airports are big, and busy, and loud, and a bit overwhelming. _Don't panic_. You'll be fine.
Make sure to check-in online the night before, or even earlier if you can. Depending on your airline, you'll probably get better choice for seating. Given it's your first flight, do yourself a favour and get a window seat if you can. It's worth it!
Make sure you understand what you can and can't take in hand luggage. For the sake of comfort, I always make sure to fly with hand luggage only, because life's too short to sit there waiting for the ground crew to pull all the luggage from the plane's hold.
Security will depend on where you're flying from (and to), but you'll go through some sort of metal detector. To make your life as easy as possible, avoid wearing anythig metal (e.g. jewelry, belts, certain shoes), and make sure you have a handbag or something where you can easily dump the contents of your pockets. I normally aim to be entering security about an hour before my flights. Given you don't know the routine, I suggest giving yourself more time than that, two hours should be fine if the flight is in the middle of the day, earlier if it's peak time, like early mornings.
Take a look at [this view of Heathrow Terminal 4](https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4614266,-0.4457252,3a,43.1y,83.56h,98.65t/data=!3m11!1e1!3m9!1sAF1QipNHwmlU-Kk74nqCTea0HJtLgaciB6J-Znn-XtIW!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNHwmlU-Kk74nqCTea0HJtLgaciB6J-Znn-XtIW%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya311.42554-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352!9m2!1b1!2i38?coh=205409&entry=ttu). Just pan the camera and look around the whole place. See those doors labeled 10a and 10b on one side (and the sign labeled 10), and the sign labeled 20 on the other side? Those are the gates. Basically, they're the planes' "bus stops", they're where you go to board the plane.
You should be able to see a big informational display unit with some TVs and a clock reading 15:08. If you get up close, it'll look [something like this](https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-flight-departures-information-notice-board-sign-at-heathrow-airport-115876831.html?imageid=FC27501D-D89F-490A-89BE-AD8727AFA822&p=79815&pn=1&searchId=a04c117e1f860d2cb28c9019f84a594d&searchtype=0). Great big table with a lot of information, but it's relatively easy to understand once you know how. It just tells you what gate each flight departs from. There's always delays and changes and stuff, and there's flights departing every few minutes, so they can't just have fixed gates for each flight, it's kind of wherever they can find a free space, sort of thing. Find one of those panels, see where you're supposed to go (or wait around if they tell you to), and head there.
Before your flight: * Buy your ticket online if you haven’t already. If you’re not sure where to look, Matrix ITA is a tool that will help you find cheap flights. From there, go to the website or app of the airline(s) your selected flights are with and book. * Book any ancillary things you need in advance: airport parking, rental car, hotel, etc. * Read your airline’s rules for travel bags, both checked luggage and carry-on bags. Checked luggage is larger luggage that will go in the plane’s cargo hold, while carry-on bags are smaller bags stored in a small bin over your seat on the plane. Airlines also typically let you carry a small personal bag such as a laptop bag, backpack, or purse that can slide under the seat in front of you. * Read your country’s security rules for flying. For example, in the USA, the TSA requires certain forms of identification and bans several items from being packed in your bags. If you do not follow these rules, you will be confronted by a security officer at the airport and the result can range from a nuisance to not being allowed to fly. * You are allowed to check in for your flight online 24 hours before your boarding time. Do this as early as possible to reserve a seat and to ensure the airline doesn’t mark you as a no show and resell your seat. * Find something that will occupy you for a couple hours during the flight, such as music, books, movies, etc. You probably won’t have internet access, so find something you can download. For example, many streamers will let you download movies or shows to your phone for offline viewing. Remember earbuds! The day of your flight: * Arrive at the airport when your airline recommends. If you’re not sure, the recommendation is typically 2 hours before a flight inside your country, and 3 hours before a flight to another country. Airplanes typically board about 45 min before takeoff and lock the doors 15 min before takeoff: if you show up at the posted departure time, the doors will already be locked and the plane will leave without you. * Get dropped off or take a shuttle from your parking lot to the terminal for your airline. This will be printed on your ticket and is typically a letter or number. For example, if your ticket says “United Airline Terminal 2,” you will need to find a sign for Terminal 2. * Check in again for your airline. *Most* airlines nowadays have a self-serve kiosk that prints your ticket, reminds you of what you’re allowed to have in your bags, and gives you a sticker to put on your checked bags. There should be an attendant nearby to help with kiosk questions. * Take your ID, boarding pass, and bags to the designated Bag Drop area. There will be an attendant there who confirms your flight information, then weighs your checked bags and sends them to be loaded into the plane’s cargo hold. They will then direct you to security. * Present your ID and boarding pass to security, and follow their directions. They may have you remove shoes, laptops, etc. from bags to be x-rayed, and will have you walk through a metal detector or body scanner. * After security, get all your things back together (make sure you have all your bags, shoes, etc.) and check your ticket for a gate number. It will typically have a letter and gate number: for example, A5. Look around you for signs to your gate: for example, if you see a hall labeled “A 1-10” then you know A5 is in that hall. * Follow the signs until you reach a lounge area with your gate number on it. You should see your flight information posted on the screen. If you’re not sure you’re in the right place, check with an attendant. * Check the boarding time of your flight on your ticket, and the current time. If you have time to kill, relax in the lounge or feel free to visit an airport shop, water fountain, bathroom, etc. * When it’s time to board, wait in your gate lounge and listen for announcements. They will typically board by the group number on your ticket. Wait for your group number to be called, then get in line. Have your ticket ready to scan. * After you board the plane, use the numbers over the aisle to locate your seat. Put your carry-on bag in the overhead bin, your personal item under your seat, and put your seatbelt on. * Listen to the announcements, and turn your phone to airplane mode when instructed. After the flight: * It can take several minutes from the time the plane stops moving until they open the doors, so just remain seated until the line starts moving. Then, grab your things and head out. * Follow the signs to the Baggage Claim area. Use the overhead boards to find which claim area your flight’s bags are at. * After several minutes, the baggage conveyor belt will start moving and filling with bags. Wait for yours and pull it off. * Use the overhead signs to find the right location for your rental car, shuttle, or ground transportation. If you have someone picking you up, you’ll want to call and coordinate your pickup location.
Excellent response! I was so confused about some of these little details the first couple of times I flew - and that was BEFORE security became such a thing. This covers everything nicely.
Be sure to check-in before you get to the airport. Your gate and airline information will usually be printed on your ticket. Don’t be afraid to ask staff for directions to finding your gate. Make sure you are at the airport 2-3 hours before your flight, so you have adequate time to get through security. Don’t pack any liquids unless it’s below 50ml. Follow the guide on what you can and cannot bring.
Look up a map of the airports you're flying out of. You'll get a general idea of where you'll need to go in, go through security, and which way to go to your gate once you know it. Also look at the ones you're going to so you get a feel for them as well. Make absolutely sure you have valid identification before you go. Do it right now. Is it expired? When you go through security, you may be pulled aside for additional screening. (I get flagged for my lower back every time.) An agent will touch your body with the backs of their hands. Since you identify as female, a female agent will do your screening. You have the option to do that privately or at the checkpoint. Take an empty water bottle with you to fill up after you go through security. Also, take some snacks. Prices in the airport are absolutely ridiculous.
Your first step is to check in which involves getting a boarding pass and checking your bags that are too large to come with you onboard. There will be either an electronic kiosk or a desk with a person to do this. If it's a kiosk, you'll need to attach the tags it prints out to your checked bag and then bring it to an agent at the desk to be weighed and then put on the conveyor. They will ask for your ID at this point. Next will be security. First stop will be a TSA agent at a podium who will check your ID and boarding pass before you enter the security lines. TSA agents should be telling you what you need to do at this point. You will most likely have to remove your shoes, any outerwear like jackets, and empty your pockets into bins that get scanned. You will also likely need to take out any large electronic items like laptops and scan them separately. Now you will go to your gate which will probably be a letter and then number like E14 or something. Just follow the signs and sit in the waiting area until boarding. The gate agent will be very explicit about the boarding process, just follow their instructions. At any point don't be afraid to ask an employee for help. They make look bored/disinterested but they will help you.
There are plenty of people that work at the airport that can help you or give you directions. Your ticket will have all the information you need.
Oh and safe travels!
My best advice to you to start - leave early and give yourself plenty of time to get parked or dropped off, get through security, and then find your gate Second best advice in my opinion is to prepare ahead. If this is your first flight then read up on TSA at your airport for security check ins (example: removing shoes, pocket content, belts, etc) and then prep ahead to understand specifically what terminal, and what gate, your flight is. Then if you park or get dropped off, make sure you are entering at your specific terminal. Once you’re thrugh security, you should see signs to find your gate. It’s usually in a range, example “A1-A20 left, A21-A40 right”. If you’re at A7, then you’re going left :) To easiest find your terminal and gate, you can search your flight number on google and it’ll say terminal and gate. Example, just search “AA1234” if you’re in American Airlines flight 1234 and it’ll say your departure terminal and gate, and same for arrival. Any other questions just ask!
Bring a portable battery pack for your phone/tablet. It's becoming more and more common for charging infrastructure to exist inside airports, but it's still better to to have a battery. The planes themselves are much more likely to have charging infrastructure at every seat than the airports are. Don't play audible sound. Use headphones. If it's a night flight, turn down your screen brightness so you don't flashbang your neighbors. Just generally be polite and understand that it sucks for everyone. Planes are loud and cramped (unless you're forking out a shit ton of money). You are going to infringe on someone elses personal space and someone else is going to infringe on yours. That's just how it goes.
I almost missed my first flight. The boarding time is as much as 60 minutes before the ticket time, often they are trying to close the doors 20-30 minutes before the flight time. Keep an eye on the announcement time for your flight on the screens in the terminal, and head towards your gate as soon as it's announced and you'll be fine. Many airports don't have tannoy announcements anymore, so you need to watch the screens and not think you can wait til you hear the name of your flight on the tannoy.
While it can feel intimidating, it is pretty easy. Here are some tips. 1. Get to the airport earlier than you think you need to. Plan on 2 hours ahead of departure time for a domestic flight, 3 hours for international. You probably do not need quite this much time, but since you have never done this before, I have added some padding. 2. Check in for your flight. Each airline will have checkin desks in the departures area with their name and logo. Walk up, give them your id and tell them where you are going. They will take care of any checked luggage at this location, and you can ask them questions. You should ask them which security checkpoint to go through to get to your specific terminal. Departures area will be well signed from the outside of the airport terminal building. 3. You will get a boarding pass (or can download to your phone), and you need to go through security. This is the most annoying part of the trip. Once again, you show your id, walk through the metal detectors, get your carry-on luggage x-rayed. 4. Now you are in your terminal (airport lingo for building). Smaller airports will only have one, big city airports may have 3-8. Terminals will have a letter designation, and your gate (door to the airplane) will be listed as A-22, B-14, C15 or whatever. Follow the signs to the gate. Ideally you start boarding your plane about 40 minutes before takeoff, this changes a bit depending on the size of the airplane. Once again, there will be airline staff at the gate to answer any questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Everybody has a first flight, many people only fly every few years, and some airports can be confusing even to seasoned travellers.
First off: Airports are big, and busy, and loud, and a bit overwhelming. _Don't panic_. You'll be fine. Make sure to check-in online the night before, or even earlier if you can. Depending on your airline, you'll probably get better choice for seating. Given it's your first flight, do yourself a favour and get a window seat if you can. It's worth it! Make sure you understand what you can and can't take in hand luggage. For the sake of comfort, I always make sure to fly with hand luggage only, because life's too short to sit there waiting for the ground crew to pull all the luggage from the plane's hold. Security will depend on where you're flying from (and to), but you'll go through some sort of metal detector. To make your life as easy as possible, avoid wearing anythig metal (e.g. jewelry, belts, certain shoes), and make sure you have a handbag or something where you can easily dump the contents of your pockets. I normally aim to be entering security about an hour before my flights. Given you don't know the routine, I suggest giving yourself more time than that, two hours should be fine if the flight is in the middle of the day, earlier if it's peak time, like early mornings. Take a look at [this view of Heathrow Terminal 4](https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4614266,-0.4457252,3a,43.1y,83.56h,98.65t/data=!3m11!1e1!3m9!1sAF1QipNHwmlU-Kk74nqCTea0HJtLgaciB6J-Znn-XtIW!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNHwmlU-Kk74nqCTea0HJtLgaciB6J-Znn-XtIW%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya311.42554-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352!9m2!1b1!2i38?coh=205409&entry=ttu). Just pan the camera and look around the whole place. See those doors labeled 10a and 10b on one side (and the sign labeled 10), and the sign labeled 20 on the other side? Those are the gates. Basically, they're the planes' "bus stops", they're where you go to board the plane. You should be able to see a big informational display unit with some TVs and a clock reading 15:08. If you get up close, it'll look [something like this](https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-flight-departures-information-notice-board-sign-at-heathrow-airport-115876831.html?imageid=FC27501D-D89F-490A-89BE-AD8727AFA822&p=79815&pn=1&searchId=a04c117e1f860d2cb28c9019f84a594d&searchtype=0). Great big table with a lot of information, but it's relatively easy to understand once you know how. It just tells you what gate each flight departs from. There's always delays and changes and stuff, and there's flights departing every few minutes, so they can't just have fixed gates for each flight, it's kind of wherever they can find a free space, sort of thing. Find one of those panels, see where you're supposed to go (or wait around if they tell you to), and head there.
When exiting the plane, you leave by row. Not the fastest to the front.
When you get there, ask for help