Travel Guide: Airport Tips, Speeding Through Security, and A Positive Mindset
Y’all know I love a good plane ride. It’s probably my third favourite method of transportation after walking and the Skytrain. (Reluctant runner? Also a reluctant driver.)
I recently flew to Austin, Texas, USA for my first international trip in 3 years due to the pandemic. Granted, I flew to Toronto twice in the last year and the principles of air travel still remain, but clearing customs (and all the goodness that comes with entering another country) does add some stress to the whole situation, especially if you’re an anxious traveller like myself!
At the suggestion of the lovely Becka Gibson, who said that she LOVES reading travel guides and would love to read a Just Doro travel tips post (don’t flatter me now, it’ll get to my head), I decided to tackle this challenge en route to Austin. Yes, I’m literally on a plane right now.
Read on for some tips for a smooth time at the airport, my tried and true CATSA guidelines, and my personal travel mindset!
Local time: 9:15a PT
Let’s see what I can whip up in the next 3 hours.
3 tips for a smooth time at the airport:
1) Arrive early
Seriously, allocate extra time for yourself. With staffing shortages and an influx of travellers due to summer and pandemic fatigue, the airport is quite busy! For international travel, I recommend arriving 2-2.5 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart if you only have a carry-on, and 2.5-3 hours in advance if you need to check baggage. For domestic travel, I recommend arriving 1-1.5 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart if you only have a carry-on, and 1.5-2 hours in advance if you need to check baggage.
My flight departed at 8:40a and boarding began at 8:05a. I arrived at the airport at 6:05a for peace of mind and so that I could take my sweet time. I hate being late and feeling rushed, even though that is a recurring theme in my life. But when I can plan ahead and things are within my control, I love being early. A whole extra hour to dawdle and peruse duty free, grab some food, take a long bio break, and stare at the ceiling at my gate? Sounds like a slice of airport heaven when you don’t have lounge access.
It took me around 50 minutes to clear security (CATSA) and US customs (HBP) as a non-Nexus holder. Like I mentioned earlier, please allocate extra time for this and be prepared to wait! I came in with this mindset as I had buffered extra time and was surprisingly chirpy for 6am, to the dismay of everyone around me. This goes without saying, but remember to be polite by greeting and thanking the staff who serve you - everyone is trying their best! I know we don’t want to deal with delays and cancellations, but neither do they. It makes a whirlwind of a difference and contributes to a better overall experience for YOU.
YVR-US security line at 6:15a on a weekday
SOCKS N SANDALS - we love a bathroom selfie
2) Don’t arrive at the airport with an empty stomach
The food options after security on the US side were a total dud. SFU Burnaby has better options at 7am (shout-out to the all-day breakfast at Mackenzie Cafe) and that says a lot, considering how the food was. Only Tim Hortons (1 of 2) and Starbucks were open… the lines were obviously massive. Expect to wait and it’ll make the experience much better, but I’d recommend eating a snack beforehand so you don’t get hangry if you’re unable to get food.
International and domestic aren’t so shabby though. US was just a disappointment.
3) Pack your belongings to optimize your airport workflow
We got this far without my corporate consultant speak, but the fun stops (or starts?) here. I travelled with the following items today:
Carry-on luggage (360 degree, 4 wheelers are VERY important - no duffle bags here)
Clothes, NO liquids or anything that needs to be taken out for CATSA screening because that is inefficient
Herschel Pop Quiz backpack (personal item - must fit under seat in front of you)
Laptop, e-reader, liquids in plastic bag, sweater for the plane, shorts for post-plane, basic toiletries, relevant travel documents (excluding passport), chargers, extra masks
Passport, phone (with boarding pass), wallet, and chapstick
The Herschel Pop Quiz bag: my favourite backpack… I’ve used this bag since university. I take it to work. I’ve taken it to client sites. It has NEVER failed me. I joke that I look like an intern, but I truly don’t mind.
A very happy nugget, freshly landed in Austin, TX!
Remember to dress in layers for the plane - I have eczema so I prefer to wear pants when flying and pack shorts to change into once I arrive at my destination (assuming it’s summer). If you prefer to wear shorts on the plane, I’d recommend packing an extra pair of pants in your bag as you will likely get cold at some point in time. Also a zip-up if you prefer! Also makes for a great blanket if you wear it over your arms. (We are two hours in and I just sneezed twice, so pulled out my zip-up!)
When packing your backpack, be sure to utilize any built-in compartments to section your items and don’t be afraid to use pouches/ plastic bags to create additional compartments! We want to build themes here: liquids, electronics, toiletries, travel documentation, snacks, etc. I always leave my liquids at the top so I don’t have to dig for them at CATSA.
CATSA tips!
I love a slow Sunday but I also love efficiency. This whole post was built with the goal of efficiency and allowing you to optimize your travel, so it wouldn’t be fair to leave out CATSA (Canadian Air Transport Security Authority). First things first, CATSA and CBSA are NOT THE SAME. Have your boarding pass ready for them - they are not checking ID.
My tried and true secrets for an efficient CATSA experience:
Place your liquids, gels, and aerosols in a 1L plastic bag (they have these at the airport so snag a few extras the next time you fly because you know that the size is compliant). You can use a bigger bag OR bring extra liquids if you wish, but do so at your own risk. It depends on your screener’s discretion - I’ve had 3L worth of liquids (all under 100 mL in size) and gone through without issues, but have also gotten grief for 2L. Now I just stick with 1L because I don’t need that much anyway!
Anything medical and/ or COVID-related can be stored separately and does not count toward your 1L allocation. I pack my eyedrops, contact lenses solution, and hand sanitizer in another bag without any issues.
Consolidate your shit. If you have multiple smaller bags, stick them in a larger plastic bag or pouch so you can quickly pull them out for screening. I placed my 2 1L bags in a larger Ziploc!
Large electronics (i.e, laptop) go in a separate bin - one laptop per bin. Do I look like a lunatic when I travel for work with a personal and work laptop? Absolutely. But it is what it is.
Smaller electronics (i.e., phone, e-reader, gaming devices) must be removed from your bag but can be placed in the same bin
Take your jacket and shoes off - if you’re wearing sandals, bring socks OR rock the dad look of socks and sandals throughout because those carpets cannot be trusted.
Dump out any water in your water bottle while you’re in line or when you arrive at the airport
Be polite - say hi and thank you!
For the latest, please refer to the official CATSA website here.
So what’s my flow for CATSA screenings?
Carry-on goes in a bin 1
Remove backpack, take out laptop, place laptop in bin 2
Take out liquids and small electronics, place on one half of bin 3
Place backpack in the other half of bin 3
Remove hip pack, place in bin 3
If you have a paper boarding pass, place your phone in bin 3 and proceed to agent
If you have an e-boarding pass, proceed to agent so they can scan your boarding pass. Once scanned, place phone in bin 3 and wait for body scan.
Voila! We’re out of there. Take me to a lounge asap.
And finally.. MINDSET! IS! KEY!
This deserves its own shoutout. If you come in thinking that security and customs will be a total PITA (pain in the ass), it’ll become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Will it be a pain? Highly likely. But you can make it less of a pain by accepting that this is just part of the travel process. Instead of focusing on how you’ve been standing in line for 30 minutes, I’d encourage you to shift your mindset with the following affirmations: I get to travel and experience a new city (or revisit an old city). I’m privileged to be able to take time away from work. I’m grateful that I can afford these opportunities. I’m thankful for my body and my health. I finally get to see my friends and/ or family after [time elapsed].
I also like to remind myself that a long line/ wait is not a life or death situation, unless it really is. So far, I’ve concluded that I’m just dramatic, but tell me something I don’t already know ;).
Local time: 11:10am PT
And there you have it! 2 hours for a blogpost fuelled by cold brew and a lack of sleep. I’m going to take a nap now - see you later!
