Airport Shortcuts That Reduce Travel Time

July 9, 2019

Waiting in line to check in for your flight... waiting in line to pass through security... waiting in line to board the plane. A lot of time can get chewed up in no time when you're trying to get through the airport.

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, transit time runs between 35 and 85 minutes, depending on your destination. Chicago O’Hare International Airport takes 75 to 90 minutes. And Los Angeles International Airport, 90 minutes.

Here are some great ideas from The Durango Herald that can significantly reduce your time at the airport.

Instead of relying on one source for airport transit times, experts say, you need to factor in several variables. One is the airport map, which few travelers bother to review before departure. Almost every major airport has a detailed map on its website.

What about the security lines? The Transportation Security Administration’s mobile app, called MyTSA, provides wait-time averages based on the day and time that you are traveling. The actual wait time may be faster or slower on any given day. But airport busy periods are fairly predictable, and this should be a good approximation.

"But if there are any operational irregularities or if it’s a holiday, then that could extend your wait times," says Stephon Owens, a frequent traveler and data analytics consultant from New York who uses the app to help him calculate transit times.

Another app worth considering: Terminal Buddy (iOS only), an ad-supported mobile app that offers flight status, live wait times for check-in and security, and terminal maps. That’s what Fares Khalidi, a frequent traveler who works for a travel start-up company in Boca Raton, Florida, uses. He says he finds the wait times are accurate.

"I use Terminal Buddy because it has the wait times and the information on the airport, including food, lounges, and maps, which I might need in case I find myself with more time than I thought," he says.

The article also mentioned that there are more direct actions you can take to shorten airport wait times:

Apply for Global Entry: Global Entry lets you cut the customs line when you arrive at U.S. airports and land borders. It includes TSA PreCheck, TSA’s trusted-traveler program. A five-year Global Entry membership costs $100 and requires online pre-enrollment, as well as an in-person visit to an enrollment center for an interview, during which you’ll have to verify your ID and be fingerprinted. If you fly frequently or even periodically, Global Entry will save you time.

Download the Mobile Passport app: This free smartphone app, now in use at three cruise ports and 25 airports, lets you cut some customs lines by filling out your paperwork in advance online. Arriving passengers can head straight to the ‘Mobile Passport Control’ line.

Hire an airport concierge: Services like Blacklane PASS will spirit you through the terminal. Royal Airport Concierge, which operates in more than 750 airports around the world, offers similar services. If you’re headed to Asia or the Middle East this summer, try Airport Fast Track, another airport concierge.

For a fee, concierge services help you check your luggage, find the fastest check-in option, give you access to a faster security line, then escort you to your gate. Passengers have reported saving an hour at the airport with a concierge.

Lonny McLeod, a retired school teacher, paid $200 for Blacklane Aiport Concierge to help him navigate Orlando Airport on one of the busiest air-travel days of the year. He said it was well worth the cost, and he’d do it again in a heartbeat.

If you do any flying for business or vacation, we hope these tips will help make it easier and more enjoyable.

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