Proper airport etiquette is a synthesis of common sense, paying attention to those around you, and following the many rules and regulations of flying. Since those rules are always changing, it’s a good idea to check with the airline you’re flying on to get accurate and up-to-date information, either by calling or checking their website.

Educating yourself about the number of bags you can check and/or carry on, the items that aren’t permitted in your carry-on and luggage, and any associated fees will save you valuable time and ensure that you don’t lose any of your personal possessions at security. It can also mean the difference between making and missing your flight.

These extra tips for airport travel and etiquette will help you save a lot of time and hassle too, in addition to showing respect to those around you.

Arrive Early: Airlines ask that you check in 90 minutes before your flight departs, so be sure you plan ahead to arrive inside the airport at the check-in line or kiosk about 90 minutes in advance. This means leaving time for traffic, weather, parking, and walking or taking the shuttle bus to the terminal. If you think 90 minutes is a lot of time to kill once you’re inside, you may be facing long check-in and security lines, a crowded airport, or a long walk to the terminal, which you should plan to reach about 30 minutes in advance for boarding.

Be Prepared: In addition to knowing what’s permitted in your carry-on and luggage and leaving plenty of time to get to the airport, be prepared with your picture ID, electronic ticket or boarding pass, and passport in hand before you reach the front of the check-in line. Keep these items handy for use at security and boarding. It’s also a good idea to know where you’re going to park before you arrive.

Wear the Right Shoes and Clothing: At security, you’ll have to remove your shoes, jacket or sweatshirt, and anything metal that’s on your person, in addition to removing your laptop and other electronics from their carrying cases. This process can take awhile. It’s wise to wear slip-on or other easily removable shoes (with socks), and to limit the number of clothing layers and pieces of metal you’re wearing, to avoid holding up the line at security.

Use Walkways Wisely: Moving walkways can help you move faster and take a load off if you’re tired or you have a long way to go. Proper walkway etiquette means walking or standing on the right side of the walkway and moving over to the left side to pass those who are moving more slowly than you are, just like on the highway.

Offer Your Seat to People with Special Needs: Airports can be very busy places with minimal seating and standing room once you reach the food court or terminal. It’s always a courteous gesture to offer your seat to someone who needs it more than you do, if you don’t have special needs yourself. Sometimes people are assigned seats apart from their family members and other traveling companions, so it’s also polite to offer to trade airplane seats with someone if you’re sitting next to their friend or relative.

Stay Quiet: Airports are loud places, full of intercoms, cell phones, and all the noisy electronics that people like to travel with. When talking on the phone, use an indoor voice and leave the area you’re in if it’s too loud, instead of raising your voice. Keep phone calls short and if you need to make a long one, keep moving or use an old pay phone cubicle so no one is forced to listen to your conversation.

Listen and Follow Directions: When you’re not being loud, it’s easier to listen and follow directions. When your flight begins to board, listen for the flight attendant to request your section, and be respectful of those around you who are trying to board at the same time. Even if you travel all the time and know the safety information and arrival routine, it’s always a respectful practice to give the flight attendants your attention when they’re reviewing important flight and safety information.

Mind your space: Airplane seats can be small, and you don’t always have the luxury of sharing a row with people you know. Be mindful of taking up space or doing things that might annoy others. For example, don’t take up the whole armrest, use all the floor space, and get too comfortable at another person’s expense. Enjoy whatever media you’re using quietly as well. If you have children, be sure they aren’t kicking or pushing the seat in front of them. On another note, mind your hygiene. Be sure you’ve bathed and are wearing clean clothes before a flight.

Upon arrival, listen for your luggage carousel number and don’t worry about rushing to be the first one off the plane if you have checked luggage to pick up. At the luggage carousel, wait patiently several feet away from the conveyor belt and only approach the carousel when you positively ID your luggage, leaving others ample room to see and grab theirs. Offer to help retrieve a heavy piece of luggage for someone if you are able and they need it.

Have a safe flight!

Packing for international air travel usually means bringing only the essential items in order to save room, limit the number of items that can be lost or stolen, and to travel lightly simply because it’s easier. A lot of what you’ll pack depends on the climate you’re traveling to and the activities you’ll be doing there. A raincoat may be an essential item in one destination and a waste of space in another. A good rule to follow is to pack only the essentials that you don’t want to have to purchase once you’re there.

What not to Bring: This can be almost as important as the essential items to carry. Don’t travel abroad with any item that will either draw attention to you or be irreplaceable if you lose it, including your wedding bands and engagement rings. Expensive jewelry, family heirlooms, and extravagant clothing are all good examples. You should never travel with your social security card, birth certificate, or any other irreplaceable paperwork.

Passport: This item may seem pretty obvious, and you won’t get very far without it, but many travelers carry a photocopy of their passport and extra passport photos in a safe place apart from the passport in case it’s stolen. Having these items, including proof of your identity and lawful entrance into the country you’re in can save you a lot of headaches when getting a stolen passport replaced outside the country in which it was issued.

Travel Insurance: Travel insurance can be purchased on a trip-by-trip basis or as a multiple trip package for those who travel frequently. Its purpose is to protect the traveler against losses incurred by any number of unforeseen circumstances that could happen when outside one’s home region, including medical expenses, accidents, emergencies, theft of personal property, and even cancellation of a trip in which money has already been invested. Travel insurance does not cover things like auto insurance for one’s rental car. 

Traveler’s Checks: Traveler’s checks seem old fashioned in a world where everything seems to be instant and electronic, but they’re actually still the safest, most secure way to protect yourself against the dangers of traveling with cash. You can exchange the checks for cash currency in another country for use at places that don’t accept them, without ever having to carry large amounts of cash on your person. While traveler’s checks can be stolen just like anything else, they’re hard to use without a matching ID and can be voided before use if you copy and save the serial numbers on each check first.

Prescriptions: This is an item to be double and triple checked because they’ll be very difficult to fill once you leave the country. Patients on extended trips who foresee needing prescription refills abroad may be able to make arrangements through their doctor ahead of time to travel with extra supplies or fill a prescription in another country.

Device Chargers: Your phone, camera, computer, iPod, and anything else you charge on a daily basis will need to be charged while traveling, too. Limiting the number of devices you’re bringing can help a lot. For example, a smartphone with a camera, MP3 player, and Internet access can turn four or more devices into one. Just make sure you bring an extra charger for that one device in case you lose the first.

Calling Card: International roaming charges can be very steep, so many travelers opt out of mobile phone service altogether when traveling abroad, even if they carry their phones for other purposes. While your phone’s service provider can offer you an international calling plan on extended trips, many travelers limit phone time by carrying a good old fashioned calling card for emergencies and keeping in touch with loved ones.

Corrective Lenses: Much like oral and topical prescriptions from a pharmacy, you won’t be able to get new prescription lenses in another country without a big cost to you and an even bigger hassle. If you wear contacts, bring one or more extra pairs in addition to your backup glasses. If you wear glasses exclusively, get a second pair with cheaper frames to have on hand as a backup.

Swimsuit: While you can buy a swimsuit almost anywhere, finding one that looks and fits perfectly is next to impossible, so pack an extra if you have it. It’s the one thing people always seem to forget!

Most importantly, bring your thirst for adventure, appreciation of other cultures, and a positive attitude. Bon voyage! 

For those living in the greater Los Angeles area I’m sure that the first airport that comes to mind when planning your next trip is LAX, the problem with this is that everyone in the greater Los Angeles area thinks this way and it shows when you arrive to the lengthy security and baggage check-in lines. It’s situations like this that make alternative airports such as Ontario International a diamond in the rough, whether for business or for pleasure Ontario services direct flights to some of the nation’s top cities.

Like LAX, Ontario Int. offers flights 24 hours a day all throughout the week allowing you more freedom than usual when planning your departure and arrival times which is perfect considering that both of Airport Parking Connection's partners:Sunrise Airport Parking and the Park and Fly Hilton Ontario offer 24/7 complimentary shuttle services to and from the airport creating even more traveling convenience. With the quick turnaround times on baggage claim, short security lines and a variety of food/beverage venues to choose from Ontario airport is a nice calm alternative to the busy norm of LAX.

So next time you need to travel out of the Los Angeles area whether for pleasure or a short business trip don’t forget the Ontario diamond in the rough along with Airport Parking Connection's partners who will allow you to avoid the hassle of finding someone to drop you off and pick you up from the airport.

While taking your children on vacation can be one of the best experiences of their lives (and yours) navigating the airport can be a stress inducing activity that may leave you feeling exhausted and spent. If you are traveling somewhere with one or more kids, use some of these ideas to help your trip go smoother than you ever thought possible. Here are some ideas for what you can bring when flying out of Denver International Airport or Detroit International Airport.

• Bring games or other activities to keep the kids occupied.

With longer wait times at the airport than ever before, you need to make sure that you are keeping your children occupied or they will drive you (and everyone else) nuts. Bring as many coloring books, handheld electronic games, dolls and toys that you need to make sure that they are happy and their attention is occupied for those long waits.

• Don’t forget the snacks.

A hungry kid is not a happy one and this can lead to whining and crying that can really make the airport experience unpleasant. Bring some crackers or cookies along with you, as well as some cut up veggies so that your kids have something to snack on while you wait. This also saves you cash, which is very important when traveling with kids.

• Get there early.

Anyone with kids knows that doing anything with them can take double as much time as it should. Kids do not always understand that they need to have a sense of urgency, especially at the airport when you are running late for your flight. If you are traveling with children, ensure that you are leaving for the airport much earlier than you need to. Having plenty of time will help to cut down on your stress level and you will not have to hurry your children along as much.

• Be organized.

Make sure to have all of your tickets and identification cards in order and ready to go when you need them. You can bring a small pocketbook that is just for holding IDs and other pertinent flight information and then put it in a prominent spot in your purse or carry-on bag. Having everything in one place will also help you get through the airport much easier, as you will not have to dig through all of your things every time someone needs to see yours or your children’s IDs.

• Travel with Another Adult

If possible, travel with another adult so that you can keep better track of luggage and kids. Assign one adult to luggage duty while the other handles kids, which can significantly help to make security checks and getting through the airport much smoother. If your child is able to walk, they can go through metal detectors on their own. If not, you need to carry your child through, so be prepared for this.

Flying with kids does not have to be the nightmare experience that many parents say it is. All you have to do is plan your timing carefully, bring plenty of activities for kids, and get to the airport early.  If you are looking to make the airport experience even less stressful, try reserving your denver airport parking or detroit airport parking online with Airport Parking Connection, Canopy Airport Parking, and Valet Connections.