Even a brief delay at the airport could be the difference between making and missing your flight. In this post, we’ll look at six tips for staying on time, such as getting the correct travel forms and picking the right time to fly.

1. Get the Right Documents

The forms and documents you carry can help speed you through the airport. Without them, you could face major delays or even a cancelled trip. For example, certain countries require proof of vaccination, and travelling with a child that isn’t your own warrants a special form.

But when do you need a child travel consent form in the UK? Here are a few examples:

• When only one parent is travelling with the child
• When another family member (e.g., a brother) is looking after them
• When they’re on a school trip
• When they’re travelling on their own

Not being able to present this form immediately could cause a severe delay at the airport, either before you leave the UK or at your destination.

If you’re travelling with the child, you also need proof of your relationship with them. This can be a birth certificate, or a marriage certificate if you’re their parent but have a different surname.

2. Check in Online

Most airlines let you check in 24 hours before your flight. This doesn’t just let you pick your seat; it also gives you your boarding pass. You can print this out or keep a copy on your device.

All airports let you print out a boarding pass at a help desk or self-service kiosk. If you do this in advance, you can go straight to security (if you only have hand luggage) or a bag drop desk.

3. Download Your Airline’s App

Your airline’s app makes checking in even easier than on the desktop and lets you instantly view your boarding pass. This again means you don’t have to wait for a printed one.

Here are a few other ways your airline’s app will help you at the airport:

• You’ll get instant notifications about changes to your flight
• It’ll be a lot easier to check your gate and exact flight time
• You can rebook any cancelled flight directly within minutes
• Some apps even have maps with estimated walking times

You might even be able to upload important travel forms to your app, so they’re always available when you need them. However, some airline apps have fewer features than others.

4. Choose Early Flights

Not many people know this, but airport delays are cumulative. One flight being late to leave can slow down others waiting for an open runway or stop a flight from landing on time.

The best way to counter this is to fly as early as possible. If you go in the evening, you’ll have a whole day’s worth of delays, which can cause all sorts of complications.

Morning flights set off before there’s time for delays to build up. However, don’t book a late flight assuming you’ll have more time than advertised — this is playing with fire.

5. Prepare for Security

The right preparations can help you get through security in next to no time. Every airport has its own rules, though, so make sure you memorise them (or can easily refer back to them).

For example, some airports require you to take out electronics (such as laptops) and place them next to your hand luggage on the conveyor belt. If you’re not prepared, you might waste minutes trying to retrieve your laptop from the bottom of your bag.

Here are some other critical general rules and tips to remember:

• Keep liquids in ≤100ml containers, which go in a single clear resealable bag
• Bring a resealable bag; requesting one from airport staff can slow you down
• Some airports have family lanes, which offer extra help to those who need it
• Put everything in your pockets in your hand luggage before reaching security
• Make sure you can quickly and easily remove any metal from your person
• Some airports offer a “Fast Track” system, which saves time for a £5-10 fee

6. Avoid Tight Connections

You need at least an hour for domestic connections, and two for international ones. However, it may be worth pushing this further. A large, busy airport (such as Heathrow) might take you nearly a full hour to reach your next flight’s gate.

Waiting an extra hour is better than missing a flight by minutes and needing to stay for five more hours to board another. Delaying yourself on purpose may feel counterintuitive, but it gives you more leeway if your first flight arrives late.

Final Thoughts

If all goes well, you should arrive at the correct terminal and gate with plenty of time to spare. To help your chances, make sure you plan well in the days and weeks before your flight.