Last-Minute Things To Do Before Your Airport Shuttle Arrives

Catching a shuttle from your hotel to the airport takes a great deal of stress out of travel at a time that you might already feel anxious about navigating the airport and the flight itself. While some people use the shuttle ride as an opportunity to relax, others devote the time to making last-minute checks about factors related to their flights. While it's important to be organized, the reality is that if you're getting prepared on the shuttle itself, you might not be giving yourself enough time. Instead, check at your hotel's front desk to see when the next shuttle arrives and then spend the time between now and then getting prepared. Here are some things to go over.

Make Sure That You Have Your Passport Handy

Few things will panic you when you're heading to the airport as much as reaching for your passport and realizing that it's not where you expect it to be. Take a moment to ensure not only that you have this crucial travel document, but also that it's accessible. If it's buried in the pocket of a pair of pants in your suitcase, now is the time to retrieve it to save you this hassle in the airport security line.

Check In For Your Flight Electronically

While you can always choose to wait in line at the airport, you can speed up the pre-flight process by checking in electronically. Bring up the email confirmation of your flight on your smartphone and follow the instructions for online checking in. This is an ideal activity to check off your to-do list before the shuttle arrives.

Ensure That Your Carry-On Bag Meets TSA Approval

If you're starting to go through your carry-on luggage on the shuttle or at the airport to ensure that it doesn't contain any prohibited items, you're making the process a little more rushed and stressful that it needs to be. Take some time before you leave the hotel to thoroughly search your carry-on bags to ensure that their contents or the manner in which the contents are packed won't slow you down at the security checkpoint.

Get Your Tipping Money Ready

Although shuttle rides are often free, tipping your driver is a small price to pay for the convenience of the service. You can't go wrong with tipping around $2, and it's ideal to make sure you have this cash before the shuttle arrives so that you don't delay yourself, the other passengers and the driver by fumbling through your wallet once you reach the airport. Contact a business, such as MacLeod's Shuttle Service, for more information.