No Foolin' ~ Taking The Pain Out Of Time At The Airport

Happy April!! I am thrilled to be flipping the page on my calendar today and putting this winter in my rear view mirror! 

Let's be honest here...sadly, air travel is not the least bit glamorous any more. I can't begin to tell you how many times people have told me they LOVE to travel but absolutely can't stand getting to where they are going.  I am right there with all of you.  I actually enjoy flying, but the wait at the airport drives me insane. Whether it is arriving at the airport three hours early, a delayed flight or a long layover, sitting around a crowded airport is definitely NOT how I like to spend my time! Over the years, I have come up with a few coping mechanisms which make that wait a bit more tolerable...

Get TSA PreCheck...

This may be the best thing since sliced bread...if you haven't gotten TSA PreCheck or Global Entry yet, then you are missing out on my best travel tip yet. Go here for more information and skip to the head of the line (and keep your shoes on!)

Arrive early...

It may sound counter-intuitive, but a big part of airport stress is arriving to find long lines - there is nothing worse than that feeling that you are going to miss your flight while you are waiting in line.  If you have time to spare, suddenly the stress vanishes and you can relax and chill out (while everyone else standing in line is stressing out! 

And, enjoy the airport (yes, you heard me correctly!)   

Two hours to kill and nothing to do?  Soak up a little culture - many airports have rotating art exhibits. Recently, I had a long wait at the San Francisco airport and discovered an amazing art exhibit sponsored by the San Francisco Museum of Contemporary Art. Or, pamper yourself with a manicure or a massage now offered at many airports. If all else fails, have a glass of wine and a snack at one of the airport restaurants which are often much better than the food court options.

Lounge like a VIP...

Take advantage for benefits you may have with your credit cards or airline loyalty programs and head to an airport lounge.  If you have a long delay or layover, it might be worth it to shell out for a day pass to an airport lounge.

How do you pass the time at airports? Do you think getting there is half the fun or do you tolerate flying just to get to where you are going?
 

Go HERE for more of my travel tips!