5 tips to get you to your flight, fast
We've all been there before — your departure time is quickly approaching, but you're still stuck in traffic. You finally arrive at the airport ready to make a mad dash to your gate, but you still need to check your bags and go through security. Is there enough time? Fear not, brave traveler, hurrying through the airport is a skill that anyone can learn by following the tips below.
1. Checked in? Check
Check in for your flight up to 24 hours before departure either on the United app or visit united.com.. If you're often in a rush, this one is a must to avoid check-in counter lines and unnecessary delays.
2. Research, research, research
A few days in advance, do a little digging on the airports you're going to be flying through. Check out their websites, or visit united.com to see maps of our primary hubs and destinations. The United app also offers interactive airport terminal maps, so you can easily find a United Club location or locate the nearest burger joint. The more familiar you are with the layout and procedures at a given airport, the easier it will be to breeze through.
3. Pack like a pro
The last thing you want when you're in a rush is a big, cumbersome bag to search through to find what you need. That's why packing like a pro is critical for any airport hurrier. Try to limit carry-on items to the essentials. For extended trips, remember that you might have access to laundry, so multiples of everything may not be needed.
4. Before security, secure yourself
Security is a necessary part of the airport experience for all of us, and being prepared could save you a lot of time. Have your ID ready before you arrive at security, make sure fluids are in clear TSA-approved plastic bags, wear shoes that are easy to take on and off, and pay attention and listen to the TSA agents at all times.
5. Enjoy the amenities around you
Now that you've successfully made it your gate with plenty of time to spare, it's time to enjoy the many amenities around you. Airports aren't meant to just get you from point A to point B anymore. Nowadays, many airports offer travelers everything from yoga rooms and spas to world-class cuisine. If you're seeking relaxation and well-being stop by the yoga room at San Francisco International Airport, or if you're looking to indulge in some of the best Mexican cuisine head to Tortas Frontera by legendary Chef Rick Bayless at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Follow these tips and your next trip to the airport could go so smoothly that you won't realize you breezed through until you're sipping on a drink at 30,000 feet. Good luck and happy hurrying.
The second shipment came into San Francisco the following day containing surgical gowns, hazmat suits and several million more masks for first responders in California. United employees unloaded that aircraft upon arrival and helped get the PPE onto trucks for delivery to Bay Area hospitals.
We are operating, on average, 20 cargo-only flights each day between six U.S. hubs and cities in Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. In the process of doing so, we are moving thousands of pounds of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and PPE, in addition to those mentioned above, to help stem the spread of COVID-19 and treat those afflicted.
We have operated more than 85 repatriation flights from Panama City, Guatemala City, Quito, Lima, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa and Roatan, bringing nearly 12,000 people home. We will continue working with government officials to operate extra flights to Houston from Quito, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa and from Lima to Washington Dulles and beginning April 5, we will begin operating multiple charter flights between Delhi and San Francisco. We continue to review more opportunities for flights between the United States and other countries to bring citizens home.
Video provided by the U.S. Embassy Ecuador of Americans returning home on United.
Additionally, our Customer Solutions and Recovery team is working with customers in the following markets to rebook them on flights back to the United States as capacity allows, either on our aircraft or on one of our airline partners' planes:
- Quito, Ecuador
- Managua, Nicaragua
- Roatan, Honduras
- San Pedro Sula, Honduras
- Amsterdam
- Brussels
- Munich
- Singapore
- Tokyo-Haneda
- Seoul, South Korea
- Melbourne, Australia
We also recently reinstated several international flights back into our schedule to support customers and essential businesses which depend on these routes. As a result, we will be the only airline to offer service between Newark/New York and London, San Francisco and Sydney, as well as Houston and São Paulo, Brazil.
