7 AIRPORT TRAVEL HACKS YOU
NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BOARD

Whether you're a frequent flyer or travel once in a blue moon, getting through the airport can be stressful - even for the savviest of sun-seekers! That's why we've rounded up the top 8 travel hacks to help make your experience as smooth and satisfying as possible, starting from the moment you leave for the airport.

We've got plenty more travel hacks up our sleeve, find out the top ways to have a cheap holiday and have even more to spend on fun in the sun...

CATCH A QUICKER COMMUTE

Ditch the 4am party-cab and find a quicker commute to reach the airport in time. Trains are usually a faster and less expensive mode of transport, which will also spare you the serpentine traffic at rush hour and the anxiety of missing a flight. Be sure to check-in online (especially if you're not checking in bags) as this will save you heaps of time once you reach the airport and you won't have to worry about scrambling for a spare seat!

PICTURE WHERE YOU PARK

The excitement of reaching the airport can often leave us in a bit of a frenzy - all that matters is getting on that flight! If you're driving to the airport, you can make life a little easier for you upon return by taking a picture of where you've parked before legging it to duty-free. Google Maps can be a great help with this, now allowing you to save and pin your parking location - no more parading around for hours after you land!  

FORGET YOUR TROUBLES & GET APPY

There are bundles of travel apps out there that let you plan your holiday down to a tee, including our own Teletext Holidays app, naturally. But if you're searching for a couple of pre-airport helpers to take care of things while you're waiting to board, SeatGuru and GateGuru are good choices. You can check your seat configuration, look out for extra legroom and even request a seat close to a charging socket before you fly - plus you can discover what amenities are available in each of the terminals in advance, too. Doing your research means you can take relaxation to the max!  

Oh and incase you were wondering, we've highlighted the top 6 reasons why you need to download the Teletext Holidays app today...

CHOOSE RED-EYE FLIGHTS

Booking an overnight flight is beneficial for a variety of reasons, especially if you're jetting off on a luxurious long-haul holiday. Besides scheduling in an extra snooze, travelling at night means you'll avoid rush hour en-route to the airport, experience shorter queues during check-in, have a larger variety of cheap seats to choose from and save on holiday expenses too, by cutting down the number of overnight stays in your hotel. Want to sleep, save and have a stress-free start to your holiday? Take the Red-eye.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE AIRPORT LOUNGE 

If you travel frequently, your accumulated airmiles can get you entry into the airport VIP lounge - complete with plush seats, complimentary snacks and drinks, TVs and more. Most of the lounges will let you buy a day pass, which is great if you're travelling with family as you can herd the tiny tots into a private area to play. It's also possible to pay for VIP lounge entry (which will set you back around £25pp) so you can enjoy an indulgent airport stay without splashing the cash - the snacks alone will save you money on grabbing a bite in a restaurant before you board! 

STASH EXTRA LUGGAGE IN YOUR SHOPPING BAG

It's safe to say we've all witnessed an overfilled suitcase or two while standing in line at check-in, the embarassed owner awkwardly layering up on extra jumpers - am I right? If you've purchased something from duty-free, the trick of the trade is to sneak some of your bulky suitcase contents (within reason) into the shopping bags. Since you're allowed to board with the shopping bags you've accumulated after security, you'll stroll through without paying for an extra carry-on - plus you'll save face in front of thousands! 

SAVE GOOGLE MAPS OFFLINE

It's a neat idea to have a map of your destination handy for when you land, as you can't always guarantee your transfer vehicle will know where you're heading. Before you fly, look up a map of the area and save it offline for future use. You can do so by typing "OK maps" and the map you see visible onscreen will be saved for offline use. If you've decided on a few things you want to see and do while you're away, do the research before and it will save any unwanted data roaming charges you may recieve while navigating from one destination to the next!

BYOB

Bring your own, bites. Airport food can be costly and if you've got a particularly long wait before you board, keeping hunger at bay can be difficult. Wet foods are a strict no-no on an aircraft, but nothing prevents you from bringing nuts, biscuits and candy bars to munch during a delayed flight or a long stopover. Similarly, it's worth carrying an empty bottle with you and filling it up once you're through security checks. Better still, if you wanted to carry fruit juices or any other liquids with you that exceed the limit, simply freeze them and pop then in your hand luggage.