If traveling is something you’re interested in but airports are a hurdle that put you off, don’t worry, you’re not alone!

There are plenty of people who find the whole idea of going through an airport and flying to another country quite daunting, and a lot of that comes from not understanding the process. It’s quite simple once you get down to it, but it’s taking that first step that’s the hardest.

If you want to have a stress-free experience while going through the airport, you can! Frequent flyers go through the airport a few times a week, and it can be just as easy for you too.

Read up on the procedure

There’s nothing wrong with feeling a little bit anxious before your flight, and it can help to settle those nerves if you read up on the whole procedure before you head out. You don’t want to miss your flight, nor do you want to have to spend hours in the airport because you misjudged how long it would take to get onto the plane.

Your airport might be easy to navigate, and once you know what you need to do, it can put your mind to rest. You should note that sometimes these procedures can change depending on what’s going on – the pandemic, for example, might make things a little bit more complicated or secure. You can learn more about the basic procedures online.

Your luggage

Before you head out, you should be aware of how much luggage you’re allowed to bring with you, and what you’re allowed to take with you on the plane. You don’t want to be held up because you’ve brought something you’re not allowed, or have to miss your flight because something isn’t up to standard. Make sure you know what you can bring, and how much you’re allowed to bring – because you won’t be let onto the plan if you’ve got far too much with you. It might be worthwhile reading up on how baggage handling systems work before you go on your travels. You can gauge an idea of how your luggage will be treated along the way, and how it stays safe on the onward journey.

It helps to be able to weigh your luggage before you finish packing, so you can avoid any embarrassment when it’s being weighed at the airport.

Keep what you need close

Of course, you can’t bring all of your luggage onto the plane with you, and the bulk of it will be kept underneath during the flight. As you won’t have access to everything while you’re on the plane, you should make sure you bring some essentials with you in a smaller bag. Your carry-on should include any medication you may need, as well as your phone and any other form of entertainment. Many bring things like laptops and such with them to watch movies while they fly. It helps if you have something to keep you distracted during long flights.

Allow for some spare time

When you’re new to the whole process of going through airports, there’s nothing wrong with arriving a bit early for your flight. You don’t need to arrive half a day before you’re supposed to board, but giving yourself ample time to navigate the airport for your first time is quite reasonable. During peak travel times, you might find that the airport is a lot more packed than usual, and it can take longer to get everything sorted before you make it to the plane – you wouldn’t want to miss it because of someone else’s hold up.

Mark your baggage

As mentioned before, you’re not going to be able to keep all of your luggage with you when you’re traveling, so you’ll want to make sure you can locate it easily once you’re off of the plane. It’s not likely that you’re carrying the same suitcase as someone else, but you can avoid any kind of confusion by marking your own baggage. Consider writing on it, or tieing something to the handle that would make it stand out against another suitcase with a similar design. You don’t want to end up with someone else’s belongings.

Double-check your documents

You’re not getting onto a flight if you haven’t got your ticket and your passport, and it can be very easy to leave one of these behind if you’re flustered or in a hurry. If there’s anything with you that you cannot afford to forget, it’s your travel documentation. No matter where you’re going on vacation, you should make sure that you always check these before you leave your home. Not only that, but you should have a safe place to keep them to ensure they’re never lost while you’re out.