8 Things to NEVER do at the Airport Before Boarding a Flight

There are 8 common mistakes travelers make at the gate before boarding a flight. In today’s video we will break down each travel mistake and share some sneaky insider hacks that will make you feel like an airport expert the next time you fly. Pay special attention to #8 if you are checking a bag at the airport or taking an international flight.

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Welcome to Portable Professional, where I, Megan, use my experience from over 300 flights to offer you simple, practical and game-changing travel tips and hacks. Our mission is to help you reduce stress and make the most of every trip.

🐶 Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:13 Check this at the gate!
00:45 Iphone travel hack
01:47 Must-have for flight
02:41 Wear THIS (not THAT!)
03:51 Do before boarding (or regret it!)
04:41 Food & drink rules
05:07 Plane charger warning
06:14 Luggage mistake
06:39 Essential boarding documents
07:25 Mobile ticket tip
07:57 Gate checked luggage
08:31 Gate check vs. checked bag
08:53 Personal item packing tip
09:27 Don't rush this...

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[alexmarcus]

Never put your travel documents in your carry on luggage. Keep them all: passport, tickets, lodging reservations, etc., preferably in a crossbody bag. I place photocopies of ALL my travel documents and place them in both checked and carry on luggage.

[kenbrown]

it comes all the way back to when we were children: "go to the bathroom before we leave" - personally, I don't tank up on fluids before flying. I know it's counter to the "hydrate early, hydrate often" mantra, but I'd rather be slightly less hydrated than have to pee multiple times in flight.

[suevize]

My tips would be: 1. carry 1-2 ziplock plastic bags 2. Have a carryon with wheels 3. Carry an empty water bottle, charger and pen 4. Carry some warm layers regardless of the weather (plane temperatures can be really cold) 5. Include a change of underwear and tshirt in case your luggage is lost or something is spilled on you

[ceceb]

I drive my husband crazy when we travel:
1. I want to be at the airport 4 hours before flight. For various reasons.
2. Check in 24 hours prior to flight on the dot.
3. After going through TSA, find the flight on the board then go to the gate.
4. Now we can find something to eat, but not far from the gate.
5. Go to the bathroom before getting on the flight.
6. Continue to check watch, the airplane appt and the gate.
7. Line up early especially if we are boarding group 1.

[msgeen]

That text-your-flight-number hack is a new thing to me. It's simple yet mind-blowing. 😲
Thank you for sharing the knowledge.

[mhoffmann]

The teaser says, "never sit here". Where is that? Why not just tease what is actually in the video?

[MsBackstager]

We just came back from a sudden bereavement trip :(. We carefully packed our minimal stuff into a personal bag and carryon bag. But since we were in group 4, the bins were overpacked with stuff that should never have been allowed as people brought 4 - 5, etc mini bags so, free of charge, our stuff was checked. Why do airlines allow people to bring in too many bags that supposed are not allowed?

[goatgirl]

My tip....put all your luggage in the same place in your car so you don't get to security and realize you only took the stuff in the trunk and not the stuff in the back seat.

[kiyoshitakeda]

When I travel by air I dress only in natural fibers/materials. Cotton, wool, silk, etc. doesn't melt. In the event of a undesirable mishap heat could melt synthetic materials including sports shoes. Leather does not melt. Don't forget foot wear too. Saw this long ago in a travel magazine. Thanks for your video.

[richardgandon]

As for the Food & Drink advice, I bought two bottles of water at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok AFTER security. They had another impromptu security check at the gate with portable tables, hand wands etc. and EVERYONE had to dump their water and water bottles. Fortunately I still had the receipt for my two unopened bottles so I was allowed to take them on board and fill my water bottle. I realize this isn’t the usual process but travelers should be aware that this can happen.

[canarynoir]

Putting an air tag in my checked bag …. or anything that is important but easy to misplace… like keys/wallet or even my calendar….has been incredibly helpful for me.

[snowbike]

Thank you! May I add one other tip.... just before boarding a few years ago on a trip from Alaska to Washington my husband brought me a sample of tea from a stand outside of a store near the gate. It was cinnamon tea and he unknowingly poured the bottom of the kettle into my little paper cup. I drank it down and burned my throat with cinnamon pieces. My throat instantly swelled and I was coughing uncontrollably. I went to the bathroom and tried to rinse out my mouth and throat repeatedly. I was terrified to get on the flight with a swollen throat and subsequent increased heart rate... I waited as long as possible and finally calmed down enough to get on the plane. Never again will I sample ANYTHING before a flight!

[jpcaretta]

Prefer printed boarding pass. Saves time for everybody, reliable, no battery needed. Plus reservation number .... on a post it on your passport for backup.

[wasmadeinthes]

That self text tip is genius. Definitely had no idea that was a thing.

[magietagie]

I have found that even through they are a bit bulky it’s always a great idea to bring a portable charger with you when travelling. This takes away any issues of not finding a charging port or one not working. It has saved me countless times!

[cynthiabauer]

Just carry on what you will need on the flight and other essentials like underwear in the event that your bags are lost. There is no reason to bring the kitchen sink in the cabin. The cabin area is not a cargo area. It takes planning.

[uobhsif]

Tip #0: never allow your passport to be photographed or shot on a video, especially when its number is visible. Never show such photos and videos to the public.

[JulesOfIslington]

I always like to have a printed pack of essential documents related to my trip with me. This includes boarding passes, full flight itinerary showing my return flight (especially if I can't check in for my return flight before I leave), hotel confirmation printouts, and my travel insurance certificate with the 24-hour contact number of the insurance provider. I also have everything ready to go on my phone.

[stevehafke]

We arrived at the airport and the boarding gate was different on the app and the gate displayed on the board differed from that on the app. We asked at the airline information desk and was told that the app will have the most current info. A few minutes later the departure board was updated with the gate shown on the app.

[Maydoggie]

Regarding your carry-on, if you’re going to be traveling more than 2-3 days, take the largest allowable carry-on and fill it up with all your meds, chargers, electronics, travel documents, toiletries, underwear, and clothing. Don’t forget your personal item can be a small backpack that can hold lots of items. That’s where I put anything I’ll need or want on the flight: earbuds, toothbrush, charger, water, reading materials, laptop or tablet, small pillow, light jacket, etc. Between my backpack and my carry-on, I can easily pack for 5 days, or 7 in warm weather. And if I have access to a washer and dryer at my destination, I can just take about 3 days worth of clothes and wash them when I get there.