You’ve probably heard the standard airport advice—get there early, wear slip-on shoes, bring a water bottle.
It’s all been said.
This post goes beyond that and shares some of my lesser known, slightly quirky and surprisingly useful airport hacks that actually make a difference.
These are the kind of tips that fly under the radar—but once you try them, they should make your airport experience smoother, faster, and less chaotic.
And yes… the last one is definitely the weirdest—and kind of embarrassing.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase I may make a small commission. I only share information about things I know, love and trust!
Quick Summary of Items Mentioned in Video:
Massage Roller Ball (peanut style)
ASMR = Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response can be found on Spotify or YouTube!
*p.s. need a carry-on? Take a look at my spreadsheet which lists all airlines and carry-on bags that fit!
1. Take a photo of your parking spot
If you’re parking at the airport – Take a photo of your parking spot.
It’s easy to think you’ll remember where you left your car, but after being away from home for a week or 2, forgetting where you parked is not how you want to end your trip.
Snap a photo of your row number, the nearest pillar, or anything that helps you find it fast.
2. Early morning flights are the least likely to get delayed
Early morning flights are the least likely to get delayed.
There’s Less traffic in the sky, fewer domino delays, and the plane usually sits at the gate overnight—so you’re not waiting on a late crew or equipment.
Bonus tip: Book a night at the airport hotel before an early morning flight.
It takes the stress out of getting there on time, and some airlines even offer twilight bag drop, so you can check your bags the night before and breeze through check-in in the morning.
And as an Extra bonus tip: If you’re a nervous flyer or new to airports, staying overnight gives you time to explore the terminal and know exactly where you need to go in the morning and help calm any concerns.
3. Book a spot in line at security
Many airports allow you to pre-book a timeslot in the security line. Usually this is booked through the airport website directly.
so about 24 hours before departure check the website to see if you can book this – it’s usually a small fee if there is one.
For example, I booked Fast Track at Lisbon Airport for 9 euros.
It gave me priority access and saved me a ton of time.
4. If you can’t book, always go left
At security, If there’s no staff directing you to a specific lane, head to the leftmost line.
Studies suggest people naturally drift to the right (since most of us are right-handed), which means left-hand lanes can be slightly less crowded.
It’s not foolproof—but it’s often faster. I also use this for choosing escalators and air trains to find the ones least crowded.
5. You can hand-check certain items at security
If you’re flying carry-on, you probably know the 100ml/3oz liquid rule.
But here’s the lesser-known part: some items can be hand-checked instead of going through the x-ray.
This includes medically necessary liquids—like larger bottles of contact lens solution—and items that could be damaged by x-rays, like camera film.
Just let a screening officer know before your bag goes through and have your items ready to be handed over.
6. Security Screening Tetris: Pack in the order you unpack
Here’s a few more security line tips.
Put your possessions through the scanner in the order you need them to come out so they can easily be re-packed.
For example, send your backpack through first, so that as your items come out you can just place them right into your bag.
7. Sandwich your valuables
Place your laptop or valuables in the second or middle tray—between your personal item and your carry-on.
It keeps them safer and less likely to get accidentally grabbed or bumped and Also makes it simpler when you need to pack everything back up.
8. Put all your pocket items into your carry-on
Better yet – while waiting in the security line, put all your things that will need to be removed in your carry-on or personal item bag ( things like your phone, wallet, watch and belt).
It’s more efficient than taking each individual article and placing it into the bin.
It’s faster, safer, and you won’t be the person holding up the line reassembling your outfit.
9. Use your packing cube as a pillow
If your flight is delayed or your connection is long enough that you need a snooze, find a quiet spot in the airport and grab a packing cube from your bag—they make surprisingly great pillows in a pinch.
These are my personal favorite packing cubes.
10. On the plane: Bring a muscle roller ball
Now once you’re on the plane, here are a couple things I do that I haven’t shared before.
A lot of people suggest tennis balls for in-flight pressure relief, but they’re too soft.
A muscle roller ball is much more effective.
Great for sore necks and stiff backs, but even if you don’t use it on the plane, it’s nice to have in the hotel room after a long travel day or even to roll out your feet.
11. Trouble sleeping on planes? Bring valerian root tea or capsules
And if you have trouble sleeping on the plane, try valerian root tea or capsules.
Valerian root is a traditional herb known for its calming effects.
Personally I will pack either a few tea bags or capsules to help me fall asleep.
Obligatory disclaimer: This isn’t medical advice—talk to your doctor before trying anything new. I’m just sharing what’s worked for me.
12. ASMR is my weird little sleep trick
Okay, this is the weird one—and kind of embarrassing.
But I listen to ASMR on my noise-canceling headphones to fall asleep on planes.
If you’ve never heard of it, ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response
—it’s that tingly, calming feeling some people get from soft sounds like whispering, tapping, or brushing.
For many people, once you find the right sounds or triggers, it often invokes feelings of relaxation, calm and sleepiness. You can download ASMR playlists from Spotify before your flight.
That plus valerian root is my number one go-to for falling asleep on the plane!