A backpacker’s guide to remaining stress-free in airports
Airports have a tendency to embody a stressful and chaotic energy. Some travellers love the frenzy and savour the moments from checking in to sailing down the runway just before take-off. Others dread this part of travel and see it as a necessary evil in order to get to the final destination. If you’re in the latter camp, there can be a number of reasons why you may feel anxious, disoriented, or simply scared of your travel day. You may have a fear of flying, not understand how to navigate the airport, feel uneasy about travelling after covid, or be worried about intimidating immigration officers and border crossings. These are all valid concerns. International airports can feel like disorienting mazes filled with confused tourists, loud announcements, strict immigration officers, and tough security. On top of that, you’ve got a flight to catch! It can all be a little much.
This is why we’ve compiled a guide to remaining stress-free during this part of your trip. Here's our checklist to help you keep track of it all:
Leave early
If you’re that person who arrives at the airport barely in the nick of time, you’re truly living on the edge. (Anyone else break into a cold sweat even thinking about this scenario!?) Look, that spontaneous personality trait is admirable in certain cases but seriously, just save your wild side for your actual trip. The go-with-the-flow, lackadaisical approach is great when embracing cultures that aren’t so pent up about punctuality. But in airports? That approach can be at best stressful and at worst, result in missing your flight.
Know what to expect
Sometimes airport anxiety comes from being unfamiliar with what you need to do once you get to your terminal. So do your homework. First, make sure you go to the right area of the airport (international or domestic). Next, find the airline that you’re travelling with and check in (if you haven’t done so online already). There, the agents will check any necessary travel documents, visas, and proof of when you’ll be exiting the country (if applicable), and they’ll weigh your bag. Being a prepared traveller involves knowing that your bags are under the weight limit and having proper documents to prove citizenship, residency, legal entry, and your return ticket. One thing that some backpackers may overlook during this part is the proof of when you’ll be leaving. If you’re hopping from one country to the next, you likely won’t have booked a return ticket. Many airlines will still require a plane, bus or train ticket out of the country to show that you’ll be leaving before your tourist visa runs out. After visiting the airline desk, you’ll go through security and immigration. Be prepared to answer any questions about your travels and make sure only the permitted amount of liquids are in your carry-on bag.
Take a breather in the bathroom
Introverts or anxious travellers may already be aware of this hack. On hectic travel days, bathrooms can provide just enough personal space to gain composure or clarity before the next part of your journey. Something as simple as splashing your face with cold water, freshening up, or closing the door and being in your own space for two minutes can be the mini recharge you need before braving the chaos at your gate.
Get a luggage tracker
Alright, in a time when airlines are constantly losing luggage, handing your bags and precious belongings off to an agent can be stressful. That’s reasonable considering that bags get lost or go on little side adventures of their own all the time. If this is weighing on you, there are a few things you can do. For starters, if you have a connection (particularly through another country), verify with the agent that your bag is definitely going directly to your destination. Next, bring valuable items in your carry-on or, even better, in your personal item. (Like cameras, technology, expensive gear or gifts.) Lastly, get a luggage tracker. These little tags are seriously your bestie and they will ensure you know where your luggage is at all times. They will connect to your phone and you’ll get notifications along the way. They’ll also come in handy as your adventure unfolds giving you peace of mind that your stuff is safe.
Charge your phone to 100%
And bring a battery pack for charging when electrical outlets aren’t available. During stressful moments, it can be helpful to control the controllable. You may not have a say in which agent is checking your travel documents but you can be sure that your phone won’t die before handing over necessities like your boarding pass or travel visa.
Don’t carry loose items
You’ve got a carry-on and personal item for the flight. Great. Once you start venturing into the territory where you have a bag from the gift shop, a magazine for the journey, a jacket and a water bottle, you start making things unnecessarily complicated for yourself. When you’re travelling with several loose items, it’s only a matter of time before you leave one down and lose it. (I fully own up to losing a favourite water bottle this way… twice in a row. Lesson finally learned.)
Know the airport’s quirks ahead of time
You don’t have to go full sleuth mode, but if you’re an anxious traveller, it could be useful to know a few things about the airports you’ll be travelling into. Know someone who has gone to your destination lately? Ask them. International airports can have different ways of doing things that can sometimes catch travellers off-guard. For example, Panama restricts access to certain individual gates and makes you go through security a second time (requiring even Duty Free liquids to be tossed). Miami has a large, sprawling layout and it can take a long time to get from point A to point B which is stressful during a tight connection. Smaller international airports like Cusco’s can be at risk for organizational issues and cancellations. Toronto’s YYZ airport has a great train system to connect to the city but your ticket is only valid for 45 minutes so it’s best to buy it after you collect your bag. Things like that are so handy to know in advance.
Pack a spare shirt in your carry-on or personal item
After a lot of flights and trial and error, you come to learn exactly what you need in your bag on the day of your flight. Most people think of phones, reading material, headphones, snacks, water, and sanitizer. Other items that you might not even know you need could be an extra shirt, lip balm, deodorant, candy (they’re high calorie, not messy, and can settle a queasy travel tummy), and caffeinated electrolyte tablets (a non-cumbersome answer to fatigue and dehydration that often accompanies an air travel day). Know what you need and plan for it without packing the whole kitchen sink.
When possible, fly into or out of small airports
Does the city or town that you’re flying to have a smaller airport and is there an airline that offers routes there? This is such an underrated travel tip. Small airports mean less chaos, smaller crowds, and less traffic. A great example of this is Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport. Within moments after landing, you can be walking on a boardwalk along the city’s waterfront or dining on a patio. Vancouver Island’s Comox Airport is another great example. Arriving here is a great way to kick off a trip to Tofino, Victoria, or Cumberland and you can be at the pine-tree-lined Pacific Coast beach within moments after exiting the airport.
