The life of a disaster responder is full of exciting stories. Nearly half will come from transportation adventures. If shoving a hundred individuals from around the globe into a small aluminum box doesn’t create a recipe for a good story, I’m not sure what would.
While millions can speak to travel tips for the airport, I hope to give you some less conventional wisdom. We’ll start with the basics and get to the less traditional suggestions at the end.
Safety
With all the hustle and bustle that comes with airports, you need to remain safety conscious and on heightened alert. Keep your passport, wallet, and phone close and secure at all times. If you’re paying with cash, make sure you can discreetly take out small bills.
Depending on the location you are responding to it may be easy to pick you out of a crowd. This is great for meeting the person that will pick you up, however, if you stick out like a foreigner in another land be prepared to receive extra attention from the locals as well as border patrol.
Cash
Before you leave, you’ll want to contact your credit card company. Let them know your destinations and return date. They will want to know the airports you’ll be traveling through as well, so they can approve your credit card for those specific airports.
While you’re on the phone with your bank, it’s a good idea to double-check the fees you’ll be paying for international use or currency conversion.
Carrying cash in small bills can be a lifesaver if your card is declined. You’ll want to make sure you have clean, and preferably, crisp bills. I’ve had many vendors refuse a particular bill because it had a small tear or a mark on it.
The US dollar is accepted at most of the large international airports and even a lot of the smaller ones. You’ll want to have your money exchanged fairly quickly after arrival, though. Many vendors will not accept foreign currency outside of the airport.
Power
If you can find an open outlet at the airport, now’s a good time to top off your phone and any other electronics.
A good power bank is a must for any disaster response. Top it off as often as you can! Those convenient USB chargers on the plane barely provide enough juice to keep your phone from dying with the screen off.
Luggage Check
If you have a little time to kill before your next flight, now would be a good time to take inventory and make sure you have the essentials.
Who would pay 7 dollars for a toothbrush? Ah yes, that would be you because you just realized your toothbrush is still sitting at home on the bathroom counter. It’s okay, you had a lot on your mind!
Try the Wi-Fi
While you’ve got a moment in the terminal, give the airport’s Wi-Fi a shot and avoid another international charge on your cell phone bill.
Some airports require you to pay for the Wi-Fi, but it’s normally worth checking. You probably won’t be streaming HD videos with it, but normally there’s enough bandwidth to send out a couple of messages to friends and family over an internet-based messaging app. While you’re at it, be sure to check for any last-minute breaking news about the situation you are headed to as well!
Clothes
On my first international flight, I ended up ripping the back of my pants while getting out of the seat! Thankfully my aunt had begged me to bring an extra pair of shorts and give them to someone who needed it. Luckily for me, it was a last-minute decision and was placed in my carry-on because I ended up being the one to need them.
It’s always a great idea to have a spare set of clothes. You never know when your checked bag won’t arrive with you! If you are required to wear a uniform for work you should include that in your carry-on bag.
Food
I’ve had some great dining experiences at airports. You can get a taste of home or experience the cuisine of the local culture. Airport meals can be hit or miss but so can the in-flight meal.
I always keep something with a little sugar and protein in my bag for emergencies. The sugar can bring your energy up quickly and the protein will help keep you going. Toss a snack in your bag before you get to the airport and you can easily save a few dollars on the cost of your trip too!
Snacks are especially handy when your connection is tighter than you expected. Not to mention, when the food stand is covered in flies or the vendor won’t take your cash because it’s torn or has a mark on it, you will be glad you brought them.
A Trash Bag
If you haven’t learned this little tip yet, let me get you up to speed. Trash bags have so many more purposes than just holding trash.
Need to stuff some clothes in a bag? Check! How about an emergency poncho? Poke a couple of holes in it and you’re good to go!
Did your luggage get nominated for the luggage rack or the bed of the truck on the two-hour road trip to your next site? Toss it in the trash bag to keep the dirt and most of the rain off your gear!
With virtually no weight and able to be shoved into any pocket, you can’t lose with having one in your bag. Just keep a careful eye on it. You don’t want someone to throw your gear away!
Boots
One of my favorite airport hacks is wearing my boots on the plane. I know this hack isn’t for everyone. If you’re prone to blisters or sore feet, you’ll want to skip this one.
Sure, it may be a little more cumbersome getting through security, and maybe they aren’t as comfortable as your other pair of shoes are, but now I can bring two extra pounds of my favorite candy bars (I mean essential gear) with me now in my checked bag!
A Filtering Water Bottle
A water bottle with a filter in it is one of my favorite items to bring. How often can you save cash, the planet, and yourself from some terrible diseases all with one product?
You will probably have to fill it up in a bathroom sink since water fountains are extremely difficult to find in airports. But you can rest easy knowing that everything that passes through it has been filtered.
This is especially great for those of us who don’t want to pay 8 dollars for a water bottle with a high IQ. Just watch out when you pop the straw up at 30,000 feet. The pressure decrease will start a miniature fountain right into your lap! Good thing you packed a backup set of clothes!
Bonus Power User Tip
If you’re settling in for a nap on the plane, be sure to buckle the seatbelt over your blanket. This way the flight attendants won’t have to wake you up every time the pilot turns on the seatbelt sign.
Yes, there is a reason 1 in 3 airport travelers have noise-canceling headphones and a neck pillow. Grab these before your next trip and you’ll feel out of place with the commoners in the economy seats. It took me 5 years to convince myself it was worth it. It really does upgrade the flying experience.
TSA PreCheck
If you find yourself in airports frequently and are tired of pulling your shoes off, this may be for you! For $85 you can apply for a five-year TSA PreCheck that will allow you to skip the long lines and much of the headache of TSA.
TSA PreChecked members can leave appropriately packed liquids in their bag, keep on a light jacket and belt, and even keep their laptop in the bag! No more repacking or tying shoes after this TSA check!
Some credit cards and loyalty programs cover TSA PreCheck or allow you to use your rewards points to pay for the application fee.
For an additional $15 you could upgrade to Global Entry. This includes TSA PreCheck and allows you to skip the paperwork and processing line when you arrive back in the United States.
You can check out all the Department of Homeland Security options, including Precheck and Global Entry here.
Safe Travels!
I hope you found some of these tips helpful and that your travel is nothing but smooth sailing, or at the very least turbulence-free. Enjoy the adventure!
