Piedmont Triad International Airport understands that the holiday season can be hectic and stressful for travelers. While PTI always makes flying easy, we recommend the following tips for a safe, efficient, and pain-free travel process.
- Have your boarding pass ready. Before leaving your home or office, print your boarding pass or save it to your phone to avoid last-minute scrambling. TSA and airlines serving PTI accept mobile boarding passes.
- Check your status. Delays happen and the best way to navigate around them is to stay on top of your flight schedule. Reconfirm your airline flight status leading up to your flight so you don’t get left stranded at the airport.
- Get to the airport early. Give yourself the gift of extra time by planning ahead for parking, check-in, and the TSA screening process. TSA requires travelers in standard lanes to remove all personal electronic devices larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in bins—so pack your carry-on with this in mind. .
- Be patient and keep your cool. Since the holidays are a busy time of year for travel, delays can happen. Aviation professionals around the globe are working together to get you where you need to go safely and on time.
- Prepare for lines. While PTI is a small airport with a reputation for efficiency, always expect the unexpected and give yourself plenty of time to get through the line.
- Prepare for security screening delays. More travelers mean more carry-ons to check and that means more time. Double check your carry-on bag for liquids, electronics or anything that could slow down the process so you can make it through security quickly and stress-free. To save yourself even more time, sign up for TSA Pre-Check.
- Limit your carry-on baggage. Between presents and extended stays, it can be tempting to fit as much in your carry-on as possible. Brush up on your airline’s carry-on restrictions so there are no last-minute surprises. Typically, passengers are limited to one personal item (such as a purse or briefcase) and one carry-on bag that will fit under the seat or in the overhead bin.
- Keep valuables close to home. For items such as jewelry, medicine, or other valuable items, opt to keep those stored in your carry-on bag instead of checking. These are the things you’ll want to have on-hand in the case of any baggage mix-ups with your airline.
- Leave the banned items at home. Remember that firearms, ammunition and knives are prohibited by TSA for your safety and the safety of your fellow travelers. For a complete list of prohibited items, visit tsa.gov.
- Consider carefully before bringing food. Food items such as pie and cakes are permitted through security checkpoints, but keep in mind that they may require further inspection. If you’re unsure if an item is considered a liquid or gel, the best rule of thumb is to pack it in a checked bag.
- Remember the 3-1-1 rule for liquids. Liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, and pastes must be 3.4 ounces or less and all bottles must fit in a quart size plastic bag and placed in a bin for screening—limited to one quart size bag per person. For our destination travelers, this includes sun block and tanning sprays.
- TSA is here to help. Travelers or families of passengers with disabilities and medical conditions may call the TSA Cares Helpline toll free at 1-855-787-2227 or visit tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares with any questions about screening policies, procedures, and what to expect at the security checkpoint 72 hours prior to traveling. Injured service members and veterans including individuals associated with a wounded warrior program may contact TSA Cares to help facilitate the screening process.
PTI wants all our travelers to experience a safe, easy travel process year-round and especially during the holidays. Keep the above tips in mind as you plan your itineraries this year so your travels are simple and stress-free.