Are you about to experience your first time amidst the skies? Aren’t you feeling first-time flier jitters? If yes, then you are not alone. From planning to start online flight ticket booking everything seems to be a nerve-wracking experience for first-time flyers. It’s a mixture of nervousness and excitement together, but it's quite common. Hence, to ensure your smooth journey, in this blog we have gathered the top 5 useful essential checks that you must consider before flying. Let’s delve into all of them one by one. 

Before commencing your packing it's important to know the luggage policies of the airlines you are about to fly. Airlines have varied luggage policies including their weight, size, and shape. Sneak on all the requirements and try to match them as mentioned in the policy to avoid unnecessary extra charges. Knowing everything beforehand may lead to surpassing unexpected surprises at the airport. For example, here check the luggage limitation of IndiGo Airlines: 

Likewise, check the luggage policies for a smoother journey. 

You may be wondering why one should leave early to catch flights.  Each mode of transportation has different rules. Thus catching airplanes is different from catching trains and buses. According to the TSA, it is advised to arrive at the airport 2 hours early for domestic airlines and 3 hours for international airlines. This will let you have an adequate amount of time for security, luggage checks, boarding passes, and more. It is to be noted that the airlines start boarding the passengers 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. 

Keep your ID cards such as your driver's license, passport, etc. in an easily accessible place like top pockets of bags and other similar places. This tip will help you to save your time during luggage checks and security check-ins. 

Next comes the most stressful part of flying. You must be wondering why to wear slip-ons over fashionable shoes/sandals. The security checks are quite strict in the airport. It may lead you to remove shoes from age 12 to under 75 years old. TSA check-in also asks you to empty your pocket, remove hats, check laptops and liquids (even water), and put all your stuff in the X-ray machine for proper scanning. Thus, wearing a slip-on is suggestible for stress-free check-ins at the airport.

First-time flyers must do some homework for alternative options in case of any uncertain event. Here know how to handle the situation: 

If you miss your flight: The airline may place you on the following flight without charging you any additional fees if you miss your flight due to an unforeseen event, such as a significant traffic delay. Thus to receive free rebooking, you need to inform them within a few hours of missing your initial trip.

If you miss a connecting flight: Check the displays at the airport or the app for your airline if you're concerned about missing a connection. This will let you know whether or not your flight is still on schedule. There's still a chance you can make it if it's delayed. If it’s the airline's fault for your missed connection, they often offer you a complimentary rescheduling. To make up for the difficulty, they may occasionally even provide you vouchers for food or lodging.

By purchasing a separate travel insurance policy or utilizing a credit card with travel insurance, wise travelers lower their chances of experiencing these issues while traveling. It's like traveling with a safety net.