At the airport

The flight ticket itself does not enable you to board the plane: you must have a boarding pass or boarding card. You will need to present the boarding pass to the security staff and later to the gate staff and cabin crew when boarding the flight. At the security check, only passengers with boarding passes may access the airside portion.

The boarding card contains important details about your journey such as your seat number, gate number (although this is not always indicated especially for connecting flights), arrival and departure city, boarding time, class of travel, some privileges you may enjoy (lounge access, priority boarding), your allocated seat, and a 2-D barcode that is scanned with those details at important points at the airport. It is important not to dispose of it in the trash bin immediately after landing, since you may need it in case of problems after the flight, and a bad actor may scan the barcodes on the pass to access your travel information.

With some airlines you will receive a boarding pass with a seat assignment, while some do not assign seats.

Check-in is the process of declaring your presence and readiness to depart on the flight as scheduled. This will cause the airline to produce your boarding passes for all flight segments reserved on your ticket, which includes seat numbers, departure times and gates. You can often do the check-in yourself electronically, either online or with check-in kiosks at the airport. Certain international flights, particularly to the United States and countries that require a visa from your nationality, may require you to present yourself to counter staff, even if you have checked in online, so your passport and visas can be verified, and only then will the airline issue boarding cards to you. Some low-cost airlines require you to check in online before their check-in counters at the airport open, to avoid expensive and sometimes outrageous fees.

Check-in is not to be confused with baggage drop, which comes after and assumes prior check-in. At baggage drop, your checked luggage will be weighed, labelled, and handed off to baggage handlers. With online check-in becoming more and more the standard, some airlines no longer strictly distinguish between baggage drop and check in. If the queues are short, the agent at the bag drop counter might check you in, assign a seat and take your bag. Don't count on it though.

As a general rule, you should aim to be at the airport at least 2 hours for domestic flights and 3 hours for international flights before the scheduled departure time of your flight. Always research your airline's general cut-off times for check-in, baggage drop, and boarding, and whether any of them have been modified for the particular airport you are departing from.

Airports consist of two areas: landside with the check-in and baggage drop, and airside with the aircraft. To get airside, passengers must clear the security checkpoint (see below). International airports have immigration and customs controls for passengers going from airside to landside (see arriving by plane for details). In other words, passage between these areas takes time, and should preferably be done just once. To use the airside to landside passage backwards without permission is strictly forbidden; however, the opposite, passing through landside to airside security barriers backwards is not. People who forget something airside must sort it out with the security staff.

As the landside area is usually open to the public, it might be more crowded, dirty, and more exposed to pickpockets and other crime than airside. Unticketed persons are often not allowed to stay with family or friends as they go through processing to airside. Some countries may allow family and friends to accompany domestic passengers airside up to the boarding gate provided they go through security; check each country's regulations for more details.

Typically, the duty free shops and most restaurants are airside. However, some large airports have good restaurants and other amenities landside, which may be worth a visit even for non-flyers.

Your boarding ticket specifies Boarding time, which is when boarding starts (not when it ends). Usually the boarding starts even after the printed time, but for short flights at least 30 minutes before departure; for international flights on large aircraft, sometimes at least 45 minutes. Some airlines do what is called "pre-boarding" with passengers admitted into a separated area after having their boarding passes checked in order to avoid a check when the airplane arrives. It is often possible to leave this "pre-boarding zone" only after showing the boarding pass again.

The gate closes (boarding ends) usually only 10–20 minutes before departure so give yourself plenty of time to get to the gate, especially if the airport is large, you are far away from the gate, or you don't know your way around the airport. Carriers have different policies and procedures for boarding. Contact your travel agent or your carrier for advice.

When a flight is cancelled, the reason given is usually some technical or weather-related problem. Sometimes the real reason is that so few passengers have checked in that it is cheaper for the airline to cancel the flight and rebook the passengers on a later flight, or even on another airline. If a flight is canceled, the airline is obligated to get you on the next available flight to your destination. Interpretations of "next available" vary and, for some low-cost carriers like Ryanair, this may mean a long wait indeed. With flights operated by European Union (EU) carriers to or from the EU, passengers are entitled to cash compensation of €250 and more after a delay of 3 hours or more - unless the delay is for circumstances beyond the carrier's control.

Unusual weather can cause the very strange phenomenon of being denied boarding because of weather for a flight that, nevertheless, does depart on schedule. This is usually caused by weight limits and takes two forms:

Predicted weather may make the flight longer, and so more reserve fuel is required. Most planes can't take a full load of passengers and full fuel; if more fuel is needed, the flight either has to make an en-route refuelling stop or have to leave some people behind. This is more likely on long distances but can happen on short flights if the runway is short (heavy aircraft accelerate slower and need a longer runway).

As it gets warmer, the take-off roll increases (the air is less dense and decreases wing lift as it slightly decreases engine thrust), but the runway doesn't get any longer. If the air temperature gets hot enough (e.g., summer in Las Vegas or Denver), they may have to reduce weight for the plane to get safely in the air.

As a general rule, you are entitled to compensation if your flight is significantly delayed or cancelled due to circumstances within the airline's control such as technical problems. On the other hand, you are usually not entitled to any compensation for delays and cancellations due to circumstances beyond the airline's control such as inclement weather.

Airlines never unnecessarily cancel or delay flights; it costs too much, perturbs many other flight schedules, and generates poor public relations. When they delay or cancel, they usually go to great lengths to arrange seats on another flight, sometimes even on another airline. If a cancellation has been caused by them, they are required by law to pay you certain compensations and/or arrange lodging and meals until you can be flown to your destination.

Overbooking is the practice of accepting reservations for a flight from more people than can fit on the plane. Almost all airlines overbook their flights. Statistically speaking, some percentage of passengers will fail to check in, fail to show up for the flight, and also fail to cancel their reservations to release their seats for resale. Often, some terrible misfortune happens to a passenger or a relative on the eve of departure, and then the passenger or their relatives are too distraught or distracted to call the airline and cancel the reservation. Once that passenger's seat takes off empty, the profit that the airline could have earned from selling another ticket to fill that seat on that flight has been lost. Overbooking helps ensure that every seat is actually occupied at takeoff and maximizes utilization of all the resources that go into building, maintaining, and operating a passenger aircraft.

It does happen, though, that everyone reaches the departure date without any mishaps, and then more people check in than can fit on the plane. When this happens, the airline staff will ask passengers to volunteer, either at the checkout counter or after the plane is full, to remain behind and take another flight. If your travel plans are flexible (such as on the homeward leg of your excursion), you may wish to volunteer, to receive the compensation that airlines usually offer to get out of this predicament. If you volunteer, you are allowed to negotiate with the airline for higher compensation, though it is up to the airline staff to agree to your terms. If there are no volunteers, passengers will be chosen by the airline to stay behind. "Bumped" passengers are almost always offered passage to their destination by some other route or on a later flight; it is common for airlines to offer a voucher for a substantial discount on a future flight, or even cash, in compensation for the inconvenience. If an overnight stay is required, the airline will usually pay for a hotel and meals during the delay. Your rights are regulated at the country level; some airlines may offer additional compensation (but their policy on this is rarely published). Sometimes they will increase their offer for volunteers if the initial offer does not get enough interest.

In deciding who gets bumped, most airlines use an algorithm that takes into account multiple factors about each passenger. You are less likely to be bumped if you have special needs (e.g. physical impairment or unaccompanied minors), have an onward connection on the same ticket, are part of a large group, have frequent flyer status with the airline, book a more expensive fare, and check-in early. Conversely, those passengers without onward connections, travelling alone or as a couple, travelling on cheaper fares, holding a ticket with seat number "SBY" (standby) or check-in late are more likely to be bumped.

You will nearly always have to arrive at the airport long before your scheduled flight departure time. There are a number of procedures you need to complete before boarding: check in, security inspection, and perhaps immigration control.

Airlines will typically have departure boards (displays) indicating a flight's status. The most important status indicators are Boarding or Go to gate, which is a sign that you should promptly complete check-in and proceed through the security check, and Final call or Last call, which means that you should board the flight as quickly as possible.

To reduce stress on the day of travel, it's wise to arrive at the airport at least an hour earlier than the airline’s recommended minimum check-in time. These recommendations vary: for domestic flights from small airports, check-in may close just 20–30 minutes before departure (especially with hand luggage only), while for international flights — particularly to or from countries like the US or Israel — it’s best to allow up to 3 hours due to more intensive security procedures.

Nervous flyers may prefer to arrive even earlier to feel calm and unhurried. If you're travelling with someone who prefers to cut it closer, it’s worth having a conversation and compromise ahead of time. Just keep in mind: arriving too early might mean waiting for the check-in desks or even the terminal itself to open — especially at airports that close overnight.

Depending on your mode of transport to the airport and the distances involved you should add another hour of buffer on top of that. This extra hour will also give you a buffer for delays on the way to the airport. If your airport is served by a light rail train, a disruption of train service during a busy hour will easily eat up that buffer. When the disruption is announced, all passengers along the route will start to hunt down a taxi, and they will all be taken in seconds.

If for some reason you are delayed and you're worried about missing your flight or if the flight status indicates that you are in danger of missing your flight, find a member of your airline's staff or talk to staff at the security gate. They can arrange for speedy check-ins and for you to be moved up in queues. But they won't notice if you don't tell them. Calling for late-passenger instructions while you are on your way to the airport can also help. The plane will not wait for you alone, but it might wait if you're one of 50 connecting passengers on a delayed flight. Some low cost airlines however are notorious for not even waiting for late connecting flights of their own airline - that's why most of them don't let you book connecting flights in the first place.

Even in cities with extensive public transportation, getting to the airport can be difficult. Airports are usually located between 10 to 40 kilometers (6 to 25 miles) from the city center. And in most major cities in the world, a trip from the tourist city center to the airport takes between 30 and 60 minutes (provided that everything goes well and there are no unusual traffic jams or delays in public transportation). Due to this, Some urban rail systems omit the airport; Given its remoteness as well as the captive market, trips to the airport often cost more than normal trips inside the city. This can range from the trivial to the substantial (e.g. Denver to Denver Airport is US$9, Munich to Munich airport is €11.20). Expect to pay an even higher premium for "express" services that connect the airport with a downtown rail station with few or no intermediate stops as can be found in London, Hong Kong, or Stockholm.

If your flight is early in the morning (before 9AM), public transportation to airports could be limited or non-existent. This is especially true for smaller airports, and even truer if your departure location is outside of the airport's serving city. On the other hand, most major international airports offer good connection throughout the midnight. If you have an early flight, it is advisable to spend your last night in a neighbouring or in the city served by that airport.

Especially in cities which are served by more than one airport, you must know the name of the airport and your specific departure terminal within that airport. Cities where it is relatively easy to get to the "wrong airport" are New York, Paris, Tokyo, Moscow, Istanbul and Beijing, which have more than one major airport with a lot of traffic. Cities like Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Bangkok, Shanghai and Seoul, have a "regional" airport and an "international" airport. In the case of London, airlines flying to more than one airport associated with the city indicate that the flight departs from Gatwick or Luton, rather than London. Keep in mind that if you arrive at the wrong airport, it can take an hour or so to go to the correct airport. Terminals can also be far away or difficult to reach from each other so be sure to arrive at the right terminal too. (Fortunately, large, modern airports have many forms of "people movers" that link separate terminals and reduce actual walking required.) The name of the airport and that of the terminal you will use should be detailed in the itinerary prepared for you by the airline or travel agency.

When asking the taxi driver to take you to the airport, don't just mention the city name and then the word airport (e.g. London Airport), mention the name of the airport and the terminal (e.g. Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5). An airline may operate from more than one terminal, particularly if it has domestic and international flights, so telling the taxi driver you want to go to the terminal where a particular airline operates may not be enough.

If you are asking for airport limousine or shuttle service, giving the flight number is usually all the telephone operator needs as they know which airlines fly out of which terminal.

The same cautions apply if you use rail service to reach your airport. Some airports have such an array of terminals that metro lines, subways or railways may have more than one station.

Airport terminals have a variety of arrangements for passengers arriving or departing via motor vehicles.

In general, terminals traditionally have a one-way access road, with a lane for loading and/or unloading on the side next to the terminal building. For security reasons, many airports strictly prohibit parking in that lane, as well as any part of the access road near the terminal. This is enforced around the clock by police or security guards who watch traffic closely and shout at drivers to keep moving. Any vehicle left unattended will be immediately ticketed and towed.

It is usually also prohibited to merely stop and wait—if a driver is not loading or unloading right now, they should not be stopped there. Drivers who need more time to say farewell to a departing passenger or who need to wait for an arriving passenger who has not yet reached the curb will be asked to move on and to wait in short-term parking or outside the airport premises.

The smallest airports have only a single curb for drivers to drop off or pick up passengers. The same lane is used for both loading and unloading.

Larger airports have separate curbs on different stretches of the access road for loading and unloading, one to pick up arriving passengers and one to drop off departing passengers.

The largest international airports have a two-level access road, with departures on the second level and arrivals on the first level. These airports also often have curbside signage on the departures level indicating which airline's check-in desks are inside that part of the terminal, so that departing passengers can be dropped off at the correct airline. A parking garage usually faces the terminal, and may include a rental car center inside.

There is usually a turnaround or return loop exit on the inner side of the access road, which allows drivers to go around the access road again without having to exit the airport grounds.

Many airports try to build their access roads with no at-grade intersections, except for pedestrian crossings. At several of the largest international airports, this is taken to its logical conclusion: a controlled-access highway connects directly to the airport access road through an elaborate system of grade-separated ramps. When this is done correctly, arriving passengers will not encounter stop signs or traffic lights while leaving the airport by motor vehicle, and will not need to stop again until they exit the highway near their final destination.

Check with your airline - increasingly you will have to pay sometimes substantial amounts of money - if you haven't checked in online in advance. Checking in online when and where possible also has other advantages, such as often giving you better seats and a higher likelihood of not being "bumped" in case of overbooked flights.

The first thing you will need to do at the airport is check in for your flight. This entails proceeding to a check-in desk allocated for your airline or flight. Present your passport or other photo ID (national ID card in Europe or driver's license in North America), and a confirmation of your ticket if asked, to airline staff at your flight's designated check-in counter or at the common check-in counter, depending on your airline. You will also need to present your visa to staff if this is required for your destination.

On some airlines, you will need to present the original credit card that was used to book your ticket (e.g. EVA Air, Korean Air) (and possibly sign a form) if you bought the ticket directly from the airline's website. When you purchase your ticket the airline should inform you prior to payment. This condition is also noted on your ticket. If you are unable to present the card, the original card used for payment will be refunded and you will be required to pay again.

Check-in is handled by the carrier's own ground staff or third-party agents they contracted to do this on their behalf. If you have luggage to check, they will print tags with your name and "checked destination" and apply them as they take the luggage for transport to your plane. They'll also generate boarding passes that you'll need not only to board, but to process through security to reach airside. As discussed below, well-equipped check-in areas may have automated kiosks before the lines begin. They can trigger the production of your boarding passes and luggage tags at the check-in counter. Staff will help you use them.

You will typically have to queue before check-in: on very full flights and very busy days this alone could take more than an hour, particularly for international flights. There are usually separate, and much shorter, check-in lanes for first, business class passengers, upper tier members of the airline's frequent flyer program (e.g. silver, gold) and sometimes those who checked-in through remote methods (e.g. online check-in). If the queue is long and your flight is leaving within the hour, your flight status is already showing "Go to gate" or you are approaching the check-in deadline for your ticket, let airport staff know as they will often allow you to go to the front of the queue and check in immediately. Sometimes they will specifically ask for passengers for a flight that is about to close to make themselves known so that they can check them in right away; sometimes they will not ask. Discount airlines have the strictest check in deadlines and some will not allow you to check in after the deadline even if you made it to the end of the queue in time.

An increasing number of airlines are implementing a self-check-in system at certain airports. In most cases, this option is available to passengers with or without check-in bags. Especially in Europe, this is one of the only ways (aside from online check-in) for passengers (especially those travelling on economy) to check in as staffed reception desks are increasingly relegated as 'baggage drop only' desks. These systems involve small kiosks in which you can enter your booking reference, swipe or insert the credit card used to make the booking or swipe/insert your frequent flyer card (if it has a magnetic strip) to access your record and print out a boarding pass for you and your travelling party. You may have the opportunity to change your seats when checking in; in particular, many airlines do not open the exit rows until the day of the flight.

The self-service check-in kiosks of some carriers have been extended to include features that allow passengers to check-in baggage by themselves. You will be given detailed instructions on the monitor how to weigh and label your bag. Make sure to fix the adhesive label as shown, and check that it won't come loose. Some labels have additional bar-code stickers that you can peel off and stick to a different part of your bag. Should the main label be ripped off, the bag can still be scanned.

If you checked-in via kiosk or online, the airline usually provides a special lane for you where the rest of the check-in process will be expedited. At this counter, please provide the information and documents that were given to and/or requested of you. Some carriers require passengers who used self-check-in to proceed to designated check-in counters to have documents verified, even if they do not have check-in bags.

Electronic check-in is possible only in routine cases; if there are required document checks (e.g. visa), special needs or inconsistencies with the tickets (such as mismatches with names), only manual check-in at the counter is possible.

Airlines set and publish deadlines for when passengers must check in, drop bags, and appear for boarding at the gate, calculated backwards from a flight's scheduled departure time. There is usually a minimum set of deadlines that is applied as a baseline policy across all flights, and then even earlier deadlines imposed for international flights or flights originating from specific airports. It's a good idea to refresh your memory on the applicable deadlines one or more days before your flight (for example, during online check-in), estimate exactly when you need to leave for the airport, and set appropriate reminders or timers on your mobile phone.

Many airlines allow passengers to go through traditional check-in and drop bags between four hours and 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time for domestic flights.

For flights on major airlines from hub airports, you can usually rely upon such deadlines because most major airlines have ample staff at their hub check-in counters around the clock (except the early morning hours).

For a flight which may be an airline's only flight per day (or per week) from a spoke airport, you must arrive well before the published deadline. At those airports, only two or three employees may staff the check-in counter for two or three hours. Then they will close the counter and run to the gate, where you will encounter the same people again as the gate agents supervising the boarding process.

At spoke airports, it is very dangerous to show up at three minutes to a bag drop deadline. Far too many people may show up at that time and then the airline may refuse to accept checked baggage or can no longer guarantee that it will be loaded in time. Conversely, if no more passengers are around at five minutes to deadline, the check-in counter might be closed early, to the horror of passengers who thought they had one or two more minutes.

Some airports offer curbside check-in, which allows you to check-in your bags before entering the terminal. These are normally available on domestic US flights and do what the standard check-in counters inside do except that they will not issue boarding passes to you. You will have to obtain them inside if you haven't done so from online check-in. Curbside check-in is offered nowadays for a fee levied by the carrier or by a third-party baggage handler sometimes on top of prevailing check-in baggage fees. Moreover, tips for the staff that handle your bags are expected.

The check-in staff will print a bar-coded baggage tag once your bags are processed; the longer part of it will be attached to your baggage while the shorter part will be given to you. In a few cases, the shorter part may resemble a thermal receipt; the details found in it may also be "pushed" to your phone via the airline's app. Keep this, as upon arrival, some airports may require passengers to present these along with their baggage to ensure that the person carrying the baggage is indeed the owner. These baggage tags are also useful if you suspect some of your check-in baggage is missing or similar to other baggage. Before the ticket agent attaches the new baggage tags for your upcoming flight, be sure:

You've removed any old airline tags.

Your new tags reflect your destination airport, checked-through as below.

If your journey for the day involves several flights, you may want to request to have your baggage checked-through. Check-through is when your baggage will be tagged all the way until the last leg of your journey and in most cases, you do not need to claim your baggage in your intermediate stopovers any more (especially for international-international or domestic-domestic flights on full-service carriers; generally does not apply to international-domestic connections). You need to inform the check-in staff of the flights which will be covered by check-through for a particular journey as they can't assume that's your preference. However, check-through is not always possible - make sure to enquire from the check-in staff. You may check the section "Making a connection" below and are advised to contact the carriers concerned for more information on when check-through may or may not be possible.

If you find you are taking more baggage than allowed, check with the airline to see what the cheapest way of carrying it is. Sometimes additional baggage allowances can be pre-purchased, especially online where discounts may be given. Excess baggage fees are heftier if the excess weight is detected at the airport than if pre-arranged and pre-purchased. Low-cost carriers tend to be stricter with their baggage allowance.

Many airlines offer discounted cargo rates to passengers, but this must be arranged prior to departure, and destination of the goods your want to ship as cargo must match the destination on your ticket. You will need to deliver your excess bags to the cargo terminal, and you may incur duties and other charges.

Postal services or sea freight can be much cheaper than air freight or excess baggage charges. But check rates thoroughly. It may be a good way to get some baggage back home when you don't need it any longer, or even to send some baggage ahead for longer trips. However, see individual country listings for information on reliability and shipping times of such services.

Baggage delivery services provide an alternative. Baggage is delivered by a specific date, normally between 48 hours and 5 days, with door-to-door service to an address you specify. You don't have to go to the cargo terminal before or after you drop-off or pick-up your checked luggage. All paperwork is provided to you and customs procedures are managed. The price is cheaper than airline cargo rates, but still expensive.

If you have a lot of baggage, consider flying business class or even first class. Domestic tickets may not cost that much more. International flights will cost considerably more and may not be recommended. With most airlines, those seat classes will allow you to get a larger luggage allowance.

There is a size limit for normal luggage, but it is usually possible to bring special oversize luggage. This might include sports equipment such as bicycles or golf bags. This will cost extra and should be pre-booked for all legs of the journey. The airline can deny non-booked special luggage if there is no room for it. Allow extra time for dropping it at the airport. When booking small children, it is normally allowed to have a pram/stroller checked into the flight without extra charge.

Airports with an elevated need for security (such as Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel and Narita International Airport in Japan) might have early checkpoints; at the road to the airport, or at the building entrance. Officers might request documents and/or a scanning of travellers and their baggage.

International airports usually have a high level of surveillance which is justified as being there to prevent crime, illegal immigration and smuggling, at the cost of visitors' privacy. In and around airports, staff might use harsher methods than in civilian locations, against unattended baggage, loitering and drunkenness. The civil rights implications of all this - and whether any given "security" measure actually works are sometimes subject of public debate. Plenty of time margins, papers in order and good behavior are the best methods to deal with excessive security measures.

You'll usually check any luggage with the airline at the ticket counter. It will be at least electronically screened for security as it goes to a holding area to be loaded on your flight.

Then, as you walk to your gate, you and your carry-ons must go through personal security screening. It involves the following basic steps (varying based on individual countries' policies and on whether the flight is domestic or international).

You must present identification (perhaps except for toddlers) and boarding passes for your flight. Keep your ID and boarding passes with you throughout the process.

You may be instructed to:

Remove bulky outer garments (e.g., sweaters, jackets) and/or your shoes, and place them in a bin/tub going through separate electronic scanning or manual inspection.

Place all carry-on bags, purses, laptops and the clear bag of liquids in tubs/bins on the line for separate scanning. Depending on the country and the airport, items such as laptops, other electronics, umbrellas, chargers, and liquids may have to be placed separately. Put the clear bag of liquids on top where it can be easily seen and inspected.

This is your last opportunity to avoid delays, by placing all metal or electronic items (e.g., cell phones, coins, keys, timepieces) into a bin/tub. At airports that use backscatter X-ray machines, you'll need to remove everything from your pockets, metal or not.

Proceed to a nearby point for body screening: electronic, X-ray, and/or manual. Any metal object will generate an alarm. You'll be directed to return to the carry-on scanning line and place "offending" items in a bin/tub for separate screening. If this happens, be careful not to leave them behind when grabbing your bags!

In general, you will not be allowed to carry any sharp objects (eg. knives, scissors, razor blades), firearms, or other possible weapons (hammers, golf clubs, baseball bats) onto a flight, and these items must be put in your check-in baggage. There is also a restriction on the amount of liquids, aerosols and gels that you may carry for flights in the United States and European Union, as well as all international flights. For flights to the United States or Australia, you may only purchase duty free liquids (e.g. liquor, perfume) at the stop before your final leg. In other words, if you have any stopovers, you should not purchase duty free items at the beginning of your journey, and should only do so at your final stopover.

If you have any kind of metal in your body for any reason (e.g., pace-maker, artificial joint, combat wound), be prepared for the alarms as you go through body scanning. Your doctor may help you obtain some form of proof for TSA or other security inspectors. This may avoid an unnecessarily invasive pat-down.

To avoid delays or stoppages at the screening:

Don't wear hiking boots or shoes with large metal loops or steel plates in the soles.

Choose footwear that's easy to slip on and off; wear socks to avoid dirt/organisms on the floor.

Avoid wearing or carrying unnecessary items you'll have to remove before inspection - put them in your bags before reaching security control.

Avoid wearing metal objects, like a belt-buckle or use ones that are easy to take off. Belts with plastic buckles are cheap, and very helpful for going through security scanners.

Put small metal and electronic items in external garment pockets or hand-carried luggage (so that you do not have to perform extra moves to take them off you)

Remove items that create bulges from trouser/pant pockets - just an unnecessary way to generate inspector questions.

You may be required to show that any electronic device functions. Make sure their batteries are charged and inserted for a brief demonstration.

Join a queue with what looks like experienced travelers, even if it's not the shortest one. They probably know the ins and out and prepared accordingly, which can make the process proceed much faster than usual.

Consider looking for queues off to the side, since they tend to be far shorter than the center queue(s).

Avoid aggression and signs of nervousness, since security agents consider these suspicious behaviors.

Always keep your luggage with you until you've checked your large pieces, then carry-ons before and after personal security check. Security officials take unattended items very seriously. If one is found and the owner is not within reach to claim it, it may trigger an alert, resulting in the affected area being "locked-down", and inspection of the suspicious piece of luggage by experts. The result will be serious inconvenience for a lot of people, and for you perhaps fines or the loss of your property (it may even be destroyed).

Never make jokes about bombs, weapons, or other security threats. There is no room for humor on this topic; rather than relying on their individual subjective judgement, security personnel are required to take any such joke as a serious statement. You will be checked more thoroughly and/or escorted off the premises in some cases. Jokes may even be treated as a criminal offense, with charges filed against you, leading to fines and/or imprisonment.

Make sure you leave enough time for security checks — it is your responsibility to make it through them in time to get to your boarding gate before it closes. Most airlines and airports advise how much time in advance you should arrive to be on the safe side. When you believe you may be running late anyway, make sure to indicate to the airport staff that your gate closes shortly — in some cases you may find them willing to arrange for expedited security check for you not to miss your flight. That said, all the speeding up they can do is pretty much allow you to jump the queue — the check itself cannot be sped up, and if you or your luggage are found to require extra inspection, it will proceed as usual regardless of your flight time.

To avoid the delays associated with normal security checks, some airports offer express security lanes for frequent travellers who have pre-registered, or sometimes for passengers who have paid an additional fee. In cases of heightened security, the expedited security check lanes may be suspended or closed.

Flying to certain destinations can involve more security checks. They may be induced because:

You must change planes en route, and the change forces you to leave the secure air side area, e.g. if you must change terminals or the country doesn't allow sterile transit.

A country you will travel to or through mandates its own security checks or standards higher than the one most other travellers go through at the departure airport — even complete arrival and departure immigration and customs processing, e.g., Japan, the US.

Your flight or your ticket was selected (randomly or otherwise) for additional screening.

Sometimes this means going through security a second time at the gate when you're about to board. If there's a chance you may have to go through security a second time, be careful about buying water or other liquids airside, as they might just be confiscated again.

Major airports also offer lounges, that offer extra facilities (comfortable seating, food, drinks, computers, TV, magazines, showers, etc.) for some customers. If you have free or included access and substantial time, you should head straight there rather than waiting at the gate. Lounges are usually found airside, however, occasionally lounges may be found before security check. If landside, be sure to end your stay there in plenty of time to go through your security check and reach your gate.

You may have access if:

You are a first or business class passenger, except for US domestic flights.

You are an elite member of a frequent flyer program, except for elite members of US frequent flyer programs on US domestic flights.

You are a yearly member of an airline club

You are a member of a prepaid program like Priority Pass or DragonPass, which offer pay-per-visit and unlimited visit plans on-line... usually for independent lounges.

You have a premium credit card like Visa Infinite or American Express Platinum, or you have a priority or private banking account with a large bank. This can either be indirectly through complementary membership in prepaid programs like Priority Pass, or through lounges operated by those financial entities like the American Express Centurion Lounge in various airports around the world or the DBS Asia Treasures Lounge in Singapore Changi Airport.

If you don't have access for these reasons, some airlines and independent providers allow one-day lounge entry for a fee.

Independent lounge access programmes such as Priority Pass, offer travellers flexibility and convenience, allowing pay-as-you-go entry or annual memberships for unlimited visits. These services, along with premium airline lounges, are frequently categorised as ancillary travel services — a supplementary service designed to improve your travel experience. For passengers looking to get away from the queues and crowds of the terminals, lounges can provide an oasis of calm, complete with services such as complimentary snacks, fast Wi-Fi, and more comfortable waiting areas.

Most airports provide some kind of Internet access for visitors. Although most airports offer some form of free access, some of them offer paid access at the same time. Some airports (such as London Heathrow) offer free wifi but require registration. A couple of tips to make sure you can take advantage of what is on offer:

For airports that simultaneously offer free and paid access, the former will typically come with more restrictions. For instance, the speeds will be slower than if you use the latter option, some websites (e.g. streaming-heavy) may be rendered inaccessible or inoperable, and/or you may only be able to enjoy it for a limited amount of time. For the latter, the price depends on how long you intend to use it, how much data you want to use, or what websites you plan to visit. If you subscribe to services such as Boingo, premium internet may be included in your plan; check with your service provider for more information.

If using a mobile phone (set for use at home), ensure it can receive signal, even if you don't intend to use it. You may need to receive an SMS with your instructions for internet access, or information on cancellations and rerouting.

Internet usage might be very expensive abroad (up to US$10/MB=$10,000/GB) considering the often high data consumption of modern smart phones. Deactivate data roaming or remove your home SIM card if you don't want to pay this. Alternatively, you can buy a prepaid/pay-as-you-go SIM card at the airport at the arrivals hall. Some providers also allow you to book a mobile hotspot in advance for a fee and claim/return it at a designated counter at the airport. See Wikivoyage's Internet access article for more information and security issues.

Even if there is no free Wi-Fi generally available in the terminal, there may still be a signal to be found. Particularly check areas adjacent to lounges, or in food courts or coffee shops.

For those who need to access the internet on a device with a screen larger than a phone's but do not have one, the airport may provide some computers for public use. Be careful when using websites that require you to enter personal information on airport-provided computers, and make sure you log out of any accounts you signed into before you leave.

Airport lounges provide their own complimentary internet access to guests in addition to what the airport offers. These may be faster or less time-limited than the airport's but will often require a password. A good number of lounges may also have computer terminals for those who did not bring their laptop or tablet.

In the majority of airports around the world, the departure gate for a particular flight is assigned and disclosed several hours or days in advance of departure. Your boarding gate number will be shown on your boarding pass (paper or digital), the airline’s app, and the departure screens located throughout the airport.

Virtually all airport passenger terminals have wayfinding signage designed to help you find your gate. Many airports also make terminal maps available online, to help you plan your route to that gate.

As a general rule, try to be at your gate at least 30 minutes before departure, and ideally earlier — especially if you're unfamiliar with the airport. Even if you have time to spare, it’s a good idea to locate the gate early, so you can relax nearby without having to rush.

Once at the gate:

Find a seat nearby if possible. If seats are limited, it’s courteous to stand a little back and avoid crowding the gate area, as this can make it harder for airline staff to work.

Boarding will usually happen in groups or zones, announced by the gate staff. Wait for your group to be called before approaching the gate.

When it’s time to board:

Have your boarding pass ready (and your photo ID if required).

Once scanned, you’ll be counted as officially on board.

While waiting, be sure to stay alert to any gate changes or delays. Many airports do not announce these changes over the loudspeaker. Instead:

Keep an eye on the departure screens.

Enable notifications in your airline’s app to receive real-time updates.

Missing your flight because of a gate change or unannounced boarding can result in missed connections, change fees, and even a "no-show" penalty. Staying close and informed is the best way to avoid last-minute stress.

There are three main kinds of boarding.

Tarmac walk. Most common at small airports and for low-cost carriers. Passengers walk across the tarmac to the plane, exposed to weather.

Jet bridge. Most common at large airports. A jet bridge (which in best case is sealed from outdoor air) takes the passengers directly from the terminal to the plane.

Bus transfer. Most commonly used during peak hours at crowded airports but also used often for low-cost carriers. When the airport apron in front of the terminal is full, planes are directed to distant hardstands not within walking distance. Passengers must get on a bus, which takes them to the plane. In this scenario, passengers must be at the gate well in advance, as long as 60 minutes before departure.