General Travel Tips

Here are a few tips that can help make your next trip an easy one.

Traveling by Air

Arrive at the airport early, at least 2 hours before you flights departure time (more is even better). Airlines have the annoying tendency to overbook their most popular flights. The earlier you get to the airport and claim your boarding pass, the less likely it is that you'll find yourself with a ticket, but no seat on the plane due to overbooking.

Carrying On Liquids - Use the 3-1-1 Rule - The Transportation Security Administration has ruled that you can only carry-on 3.4 ounces of liquid onboard an airplane (larger amounts must be checked-in inside your luggage). The liquid must be stored in 1 Zip Top Plastic Bag and you are only allowed 1 per passenger. For more information, go to the Transportation Security Administration's website.

Flying with Gifts. Do not wrap gifts you're carrying onto the plane. Security officers may have to unwrap gifts if they need to take a closer look. Either ship wrapped gifts ahead of time or wait until your destination to wrap them.

The Name On Your Ticket & Your ID Should Match. Avoid a big hassle at the check point. Make sure you purchase your ticket under the exact name that appears on your ID. It might seem obvious to you that Beth is a nickname for Elizabeth, but it may not to a skycap, a desk agent, or a security officer.

Never put vital medication in luggage that you plan to check in to be stored in the plane's hold. Its better to keep it on your person. You never know when your luggage will be lost, or end up on the wrong plane and you find yourself without the medication you need to remain healthy.

Label your luggage. If you've ever stood at the carousel at any airport in the world, I'm sure you've noticed that most luggage looks alike. Labeling you luggage will not only make it easier for you to pick yours out of crowd, it will also help Airport Personnel find it more easily should it get lost.

Remove old airline tags from your luggage. Often time we just stow our luggage away after a flight without worrying about removing the airline tags. Make sure that you remove them before your next flight. You don't want to make it easy for the airline to misplace your luggage.

Traveling by Bus

Arrive at the Bus Terminal early, at least an hour before departure or even more, especially when traveling during busy holiday season. Seats are not assigned, and boarding is usually on a first-come-first-serve basis. You will want to be as close to first in line as possible so you can choose the best seat for your needs.

If you plan to travel on a bus that has restroom facilities on board, choose a seat as far away from the restroom as humanly possible. Your nose will thank you.

Don't Get Left Behind - When the bus stops at a rest stop and you get off the bus to use the restroom, or purchase food, know that it will depart without you if you are not back on the bus before the scheduled departure time.