Is it just me, or does it always feel like you get stuck behind the person who hasn’t flown in the last 20 years? I get that not everybody is a jet setter, but I’ll admit, I avoid getting in line {when at all possible} behind people who give me any indication that they don’t know what they are doing like the plague. I am a total profiler. I’ll admit it without shame.
Over my years of travel, I have honed my travel skills, right down to making the TSA line as painless as possible. Here’s what I’ve learned:
- Don’t flip out at the TSA workers if they ask you to do something, they are just doing their job. Getting testy with them will result in YOUR misery, not theirs. Be courteous, smile, and be thankful you don’t have their job–dealing with all walks of life all day.
- Profile. Yep. You are trying to avoid entire groups of people. I wish it weren’t so, but it’s the cold hard truth. I always look for business men/women. They are on the clock and travel frequently. I swear, they have this whole airport thing down to a science, and the lines move quicker as a result. I avoid families with small children like they are contagious. It’s not that I don’t feel for them–it’s tough business getting kids, the 20 pound bag of snacks and airplane activities, and strollers through security without breaking into a cold sweat–but I also know they slow the lines down significantly, so I avoid them.
- Pack appropriately. Plan ahead so that you won’t slow down the lines. Put your toiletries into a ziploc bag, make sure your electronics are easily accessible so that you can pull them out and put them in the bucket. Here’s the rules on liquids, straight from the TSA website: “Liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less per container; must be in 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. The bag limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.” Have the ziploc readily available to throw into a bin {like in the top of your carry-on}.
- Dress appropriately–wear shoes that are easy to slip off. This is not the time for lace-up combat boots. Avoid belts {unless this means instant plumber crack, in which case, PLEASE wear a belt.} If you like big bulky jewelry, you may want to put it in the front pocket of your carry-on, and accessorize yourself AFTER you get through security. That way, you won’t have to strip it off in line.
- For. The. Love. Of. All. That. Is. Good. And. Holy. Have your ID and boarding pass in your hands and ready BEFORE you step in line. I am not kidding, I’ve watched people stand at the podium digging through a folder with every boarding pass they’ve ever had, since like 1978. This one is big. It keeps things moving. And, if you are lucky, it just might make the TSA employees crack an almost smile.
- Travel light. This one is huge. It means less stuff you are lugging through the airport, it means less stuff you have to potentially dismantle into separate bins, and it means you can quickly gather yourself and get the heck out of the security line path on the other side.
- If you are traveling with small children, make sure to have the kiddos hop out of the strollers. Fold the strollers down, and have them ready to throw up on the belt.
Those are pretty much the cardinal rules I like to follow. Do you have any tried and true tips to get through the line faster?
~Mavis
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Lisa says
“Throw up on the belt”??? 🙂
A bigger deal than the stroller when I traveled with young children, was preparing the kids ahead of time that they would soon have to put their lovey, blankie, stuffie, car, favorite toy of the week onto the belt as well, but it will be okay because they will get it right back. The first time I flew with a toddler, well, the poor thing thought that mean man was taking his beloved Mr. Bear forever and ever and ever.
Also, parents, don’t forget to put your shoes back on before you slam down the lever on the back of an umbrella stroller. Ouch!
Jenny says
We try and leave out of smaller airports. The tickets cost a little more sometimes but by the time you factor in parking, gas, and the extra time traveling to get to larger airports we usually come out money ahead. Because it is a smaller airport, it usually takes no more than 10 minutes for everyone on that flight to make it through security. The people are nicer too, They don’t have the stress of handling 100’s of people a day.
Mavis says
Interesting. I’ve only flown out of smaller airports a few times. That’s good to know for future reference though!
lilton says
When my husband and I are traveling together, we put all of our valuables [purse, wallet, phone, cameras, etc.] in the bin and wait to send it down the conveyor belt until one of us is through security and ready to retrieve it on the other side. We just feel more secure that all of our valuables will make it through and back to us safely.
Teresa Young says
Do not wear apparel that has decorative studs – no bedazzled shirts.
After I went through the metal detector I ‘won’ a free pat-down & the TSA agent told me it was because of the studs on my shirt.
Mavis says
That is interesting and good to know. There are so many jean pockets with studs on them these days. I wonder how that works out!?
Erin Wilson says
Yes, the underwire on my bra has given me loads of time-consuming attention. I always swear I’ll get one w/o for travelling, but then forget until the next pat-down :/
Gwenn says
Weird that your underwire would set it off. I wear one and have never had any problems, although the rivets on my cropped pants once did 🙂 Watch, when I fly to Hartford later this month for work I’ll get a fancy pat-down at DTW for wearing my underwire bra.
Amanda S says
I flew in March and didn’t realize until I was putting my stuff on the conveyor belt that I was wearing a sweater fully covered with studs on the front. But I didn’t have any problems and nothing sounded when I walked through metal detector. Although now that I think about it, I might have actually gone through the X-ray machine so it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I’ve had to move a long chain necklace to my back before, but they didn’t ask me to take it off. I always wear shoes that require socks; I don’t know how people wear sandals and then walk around the security area barefoot! Gross!
Leah Spencer says
I don’t understand the part about “Fold the strollers down, and have them ready to throw up on the belt.” part? I have a double wide BOB stroller and I can’t imagine it fitting on any belt. Not that it’s a big deal right now, I’m too busy playing mommy to the 3 kiddos I had in 3 years to be doing any flying. 🙂
Mavis says
For any strollers, wheelchairs, etc. that won’t go on the belt, they just use the wand off to the side and screen them that way.
Rita says
Remember that if you buy any liquor at the duty free shop out of the USA and have to change to a domestic flight after customs, your purchase will be confiscated at the US TSA. I watched a lady get almost $500 worth of high end liquor thrown in the trash at LAX. Poor lady almost had a coronary.
Mavis says
Thanks for the tip. $500 down the drain stinks!!
Victoria says
I just returned from a trip. On the way out I “won” a complimentary head massage from the TSA agent thanks to the 2 bobby pins I had in my hair. In all honesty, she had a very gentle touch and it was almost pleasant.
Mavis says
Noted. Wear a lot of bobby pins for a free head massage! Ha.
Pamela says
Yes. It sounds like a great way to relax before a long flight.
Sue says
I was a frequent flyer for years. I always wear a light weight jacket with zippered pockets when I fly. Put your wallet, cell phone and any change into the pockets and just slip the jacket off and put it in one of the bins to go through security. That way you won’t leave anything behind. TSA collected $675,000 last year in spare change that people forgot.
Don’t forget to sign up for frequent flyer programs. I’m still flying for free with all the miles I racked up!
Lisa says
Very timely. I used to have to travel occasionally for work. In a little over a week, I’ll be going on a family vacation. I haven’t been on a plane since I was slightly pregnant (my son is 9) and it’ll be his first flight (outside of the womb). I’ve been to the airport website, to the airline website and to the TSA website. I don’t want any surprises!
Eva says
One thing I found out the hard way… Do not put any handlotions on before going through the TSA checkpoint; if you happen to get picked for the ‘sniffer’, you’ll end up getting a thorough search. Apparently, most lotions have a petroleum or wax base and it gets read as a potential explosive.
Amanda S says
I have never had this problem before, and I put hand lotion on all day long. I do use unscented lotion, but I’m sure there’s a minor smell anyway. I don’t know what you mean by “sniffer”…do you mean a dog? I’ve never seen this before and I fly a couple times a year.
Donna Perdue says
Put anything you would normally carry in pants pockets in your carry on and put in pockets after, if you can wait to put on your belt after security put it in carryon as well. Slip on shoes, no metal hair barrettes, underwire bras will sometimes set it off, and once a Philly TSA agent patted me down and wanded me because I had on a skort and they thought I had something under my skirt! I lifted it up to show them. Tissues in your pockets are a no no too in the hands over your head scanner.
Chris M says
I travel internationally just enough to say, security in other countries is not the same as it is in the USA. Be prepared to have different rules! Not only do I carry my toiletries in a ziploc bag, I put all of my extra electronics (cords, chargers, you name it) in a bag. In China, all of these things have to come out. Just maintain a neutral, pleasant face and all will be fine eventually! Also, with your easy to slip on/off shoes, be sure and wear socks. I don’t like to walk bare foot after taking my shoes off (when I don’t get TSA Pre-check) where who knows who has walked with whatever on their feet.
Susan says
TSA Pre-Check is awesome! It’s good for five years, so the price isn’t so bad if you average it out. And they keep adding airports to it also. Keep your shoes on, your computer in your bag, and a super-short line with other people who travel often and know what to do. Yippee!
Herdog says
We are a joking family, always making jokes. So when I travel with my older folks, I reminds them to NOT joke about bombs, guns or knives. I’m sure the same could be said for kids as well but I don’t think I’d put that thought in their heads. We do pretty good but Mom always has to be pulled aside because of the knee replacement which we mention prior. Best tip is to just smile!
Cathyb says
Dansko shoes are great to wear for ease of slipping on and off. But just know that if you get tsa precheck you will have to take your Danskos off anyway. There is something in the heel that sets off the detectors.
Arlene Carpenter says
I forgot to take my laptop out of my carry-on before it went thru the machine. They went over that bag and took everything out, claiming that there was a forbidden substance in there somewhere — they confiscated my Tide Stick and found nothing else. Caution! Do not carry spot removers in your carry-on:(
Mavis says
Spot remover? Seriously??!! Who knew!
Wendi says
Recently when I traveled I just blew through security both ways; no belt issues, no sweatshirt or shoe removal issues etc. I asked why I had gotten preferential treatment. They told me I was “Pre-checked” or “Pre-screened”. I don’t really know too much about it but it was great fun!
Mavis says
It’s probably because you are VIP. Ha! Pre-checked and breezing through security sounds amazing!
AlysonRR says
I always feel sorry for people behind us when we go through security.
It’s gotten better as the children got older – at least now they can lift their own bags onto the conveyor.
But back when they were little, and everyone had their own bag, and we, as usual, had tons of electronics – well, I would apologize to everyone near about our “flying circus”…
Mavis says
Flying circus. That’s awesome!
Susan says
A friend of mine had to be patted down completely when leaving NYC. Apparently, she tested positive for explosives …..she had put on lotion with glycerin. HA! I flew in and out of DC, Atlanta, and NOLA this past weekend, and I must have hit the luck filled weekend….not one hang up. Yippeee!