With summer in full swing, many of us are heading to the airport for vacations and business trips. While we may ultimately enjoy the trip once we reach our destination, it’s a rare traveler that actually enjoys their time spent in an airport or on long flights. But with a little planning and some clever tricks, you can make the most out of your time at the terminal.

To help out weary travelers, we’ve assembled a list of 6 simple, common-sense tips to help you avoid hassles and headaches, waste less time while traveling, and have a more enjoyable travel experience.

Layover is a Dirty Word

This is probably the number-one time waster in the entire airline industry. While completely unavoidable sometimes, layovers are often the curse of lower-priced airline fares. Sure, you flew from Boston to Vegas for $180, but you had to spend 6 hours of your life on a layover in Miami.

If you have a little extra cash to spare, wouldn’t it be worth spending a little more on the flight to regain those wasted hours? By not necessarily searching for the cheapest fare on the planet, you can give yourself an extra half-day (or more) of vacation time. Isn’t that worth it?

Technology is Your Friend

It’s almost difficult to imagine how we traveled in the past without access to today’s technology and web resources. From checking up-to-the-second flight delays and cancellations, to online airport maps and guides, a little technology can save tons of time when traveling.

Hate being surprised by a delayed or cancelled flight when you arrive at the airport? Check out flightstats.com, which posts real-time flight data and information for travelers. Similar apps for your iPhone or other mobile device are plentiful. In fact, most major airlines will send you a text message to update you on flight delays or gate changes.

Avoid “Group-think”

This is probably my favorite trick, as I am always looking for faster, more efficient ways to do things.

Group-think (or what I sometimes call the “Lemming Effect”) is when we blindly follow the actions of others before us, without thinking if it’s the best course of action. Airports, full of weary travelers and stressed-out families, is often full of examples of group-think.

However, with a watchful eye, you can avoid falling into group-think traps and save yourself some serious time in the process. My favorite example comes from a recent trip to Denver International Airport.

There was an enormous line of travelers waiting to check in at the Southwest desk, some checking bags, some just traveling with carry-ons. Seeing the line, most travelers simply took their place at the end of the line, completely oblivious to the large signs promoting the new e-check-in kiosks. In fact, no one at all was using the kiosks, while the line to the desk clerks swelled. Fortunately, I spotted the kiosk, checked-in in literally seconds, and we were on our way to the gate. (I also had the immense satisfaction of seeing about a dozen travelers swarm to the kiosk after watching me use it.)

Blaze Through your To-Dos

This is one of the more obvious tips, as most of us sense an opportunity to get some work done while waiting for our flight or while en-route. However, I still witness many travelers simply sitting and staring vacantly while waiting for flights or long layovers (see tip #1!).

Whether it’s simply reading a book, doing some paperwork, or playing a game with your kids, make good use of your downtime while traveling!

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

This tip goes hand-in-hand with using technology to speed up your travel time. However, using Internet resources and research can help you to use your time at the airport more efficiently as well.

Need to get some work done while waiting? Many airports are beginning to offer free wi-fi in the terminal, and some flights are even offering wireless Internet service while in the air (for a reasonable fee).

In addition, plan out your transportation a bit ahead of time. While I hate asking a friend to drive me long distances to an airport, if you can get local friend to drop you off at the terminal and pick you up on your flight home, you can save lots of time finding a spot for your car (along with saving on the daily parking lot fees). Just be sure to hook your buddy up with a little gas money for his or her trouble.

Get Bumped

When you arrive early for your flight, don’t forget to check about getting bumped to an earlier flight, if available. At larger airports, there will often be another flight available at an earlier time, and you may be able to fly for the same rate as the later flight. While this tip will be applicable less often, it can be an easy way to save a couple of hours.

Do you have any traveling tips that help you to save big time in the airport? Post them in the comments section below!

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