Frequent Fliers/Orbitz Users Advice Please!

[MidnightFireflies]

I am flying from Milwaukee to Dallas, TX May 4th. I haven't flown in YEARS and even then, I was with my mom and she took care of everything. I am 27 now and will be doing this alone. I have NO clue about airport protocol and what not. I ordered my tickets off of Orbitz. But a friend of mine says they don't mail them to you. When you go to the airport you check in and they find your information to get a boarding pass or something? How the heck does the airport know I have ordered tickets if I don't physically have them? I'm really not sure how this works... Also, how early do I need to be at the airport before takeoff? What am I supposed to do after I literally walk into the airport? Where do I go? Can someone please help a clueless n00b? Thanks in advance =)

[Kiwi]

If you look up the airport's website (most have one), or the airline, they should give a list of instructions - times to arrive, baggage limits, how to check bags/overhead bags, tickets, etc

[babystarz]

But a friend of mine says they don't mail them to you. When you go to the airport you check in and they find your information to get a boarding pass or something? How the heck does the airport know I have ordered tickets if I don't physically have them?

Because they require a passenger manifest, and the names of all passengers must be submitted to the airline by the booking company, and the airline must hand those names off to the airport. So you can check in using the card that was used to make the purchase, with a confirmation number (should be in the email you received from Orbitz), or if all else fails, present your ID and they can look up your flight. You can also check in online at the airline's website ahead of time to save yourself waiting in lines at the airport beginning 24 hours before your flight. This is also a good time to see if you can score better seats.

Also, how early do I need to be at the airport before takeoff?

The general recommendation is to arrive at least 2 hours before a domestic flight, so you have enough time for your bags to be checked and loaded onto the plane and you can get through security and find your gate. Since this is new for you, I'd aim even a bit earlier, just in case you get lost finding your way to your gate or have other unforeseen problems. And then you have a chance to relax once you find your gate.

What am I supposed to do after I literally walk into the airport? Where do I go?

Your first step will be to check in, so find the counters for your airline. They will print your boarding pass for you and check your bags if you need to do that. If you're carrying on your luggage, remember that there's a bunch of prohibited items in carry-ons now, so honestly it's less of a hassle to check your bags if you have shampoo, toothpaste, etc. Although many airlines charge even for your first checked bag now. If you do check your bag(s) you'll get a claim number sticker that matches the one they put on your bag. HOLD ONTO THIS. It's your only proof that they have your bag if they lose it (this has never happened to me, but it can happen). If you already checked in online and you don't want to check your luggage, proceed directly to the next step.

Once you finish check-in, you'll head to the security line (pick any line, the one nearest to you or the least busy, it doesn't matter). You'll have your ID looked at, then you will arrive at the conveyer belt. Remove your shoes, any outer clothing like a sweatshirt, and any metal you have on your person (or better idea: don't wear any metal to the airport). If you're bringing a laptop, you need to take it out of its case and place it in one of the tubs provided. If you are carrying on liquids, they have to be less than 3 oz. (I think that's the current limit?) and placed together in a clear plastic bag. Your items will be screened, and you will pass through the checkpoint. The newer ones have a full body scanner so you'll need to stand and hold a pose for a few seconds. Then you'll get your belongings back. Once you have your shoes on and everything is in order, you'll go to your gate. Depending on the airport, this could be a short walk or require a tram ride/a lot of walking, so budget your time accordingly. You may want to look up a map of the airport to figure this stuff out ahead of time; usually flights arrive at the same gate every time, or at least one nearby.

Once you're at your gate, confirm that it's still the right gate. Then, wait to board. If you're flying coach, you'll generally have to wait for your "section" or "zone" to be called because the gate agents want to prevent a stampede of people all trying to board at once.

When you arrive at your destination, keep your eye out for screens that tell you where to find your checked luggage, if you have any. They will have the flight number, city of departure, and baggage carousel number listed on them.

Other tips:

- Bring snacks. The ones you get on the plane these days are pitiful.
- Once you've passed through security, buy a big bottle of water to take on the plane. It's easy to get dehydrated with the high altitude.
- If you are germ averse, bring moist towlette packets with you to sanitize your tray/hands/armrests. They get grubby and don't seem like they're washed very often.
- If your flight is over 3 hours or you have neck/back issues, bring a pillow (either a normal pillow or a neck pillow). Plane seats are not comfortable to sit in for a long time.
- If you have extra time, check out the duty-free shops in the airports. They don't have to pay import taxes so the products are cheaper than the suggested retail price.
- Bring your own headphones. Some airlines charge for these in order to view the in-flight movie. Or just plan to read a book.
- Put any medications you need to take daily in your carry-on. It would be very unpleasant to deal with your meds being lost or delayed along with checked luggage.

I hope that was somewhat helpful I've flown over 300 times, and have been doing it by myself all over the world since I was 17 ^^ I've got this stuff down to an art lol!

[KiwiSquirtBottle]

Babystarz seems to be spot on! One other thing I'll add, and this may be something I do because I'm paranoid about them losing my bag, is to pack a spare change of clothes in my carry on. It could be a full set, could be everything but pants, but I always make sure I have an extra pair of underbits JUST IN CASE. I've never had my stuff lost, but there have been a few times when I get to where I'm going and it's late and I'm tired, and I don't really want to unpack everything.... I just change in to my cary on extras and sleep.

Also. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. I usually travel in comfy jeans or work-out pants, t-shirt with a sweatshirt or blanket in my cary on ('cause aparently everyone who's not me is secretly a penguin and I end up freezing all the time) and shoes that are easy to slip on and off (flip flops, or crocs that don't look like gardening shoes.) Fancy clothing will most likely get wrinkled, and isn't fun to wear while spending 5 hours in tight quarters.

Most importantly... You will never see most of these people again ever. And half of them are possibly just as lost as you are. Don't worry if you make a mistake or feel like a fool; others are too wrapped up in their own issues to pay much attention to your mistakes. And... have fun!

Welcome (in advance) to Texas.

[kaoskat]

Sounds like everything's been covered! Best of luck with your trip!

[melodys_angel]

Looks like things have been covered

I guess something else to note is they dont *do* tickets anymore.  Its just a piece of paper with all the information on it that the booking company sends to the airport--and you.

Also, you might want to arrive a bit earlier then that.  My experiance has been that it sometimes takes a bit longer, even if its domestic.  We nearly missed our flight one time because of it.

On the other hand, weathers a bid issue so theres a good change it will probably be delayed anyway.

[aero_oceana]

This information is all so helpful! I am going to be taking my very first flight this summer and I am so nervous about it. I'm from a small town and I've heard the airports in bigger cities are pretty confusing. My mom also told me about plane turbulence... I have a feeling if I feel that I will freak out and think the plane is going to crash!

[babystarz]

  My mom also told me about plane turbulence... I have a feeling if I feel that I will freak out and think the plane is going to crash!

Turbulence is rare for jets, they can handle a lot of wind. There has only been one flight in my hundreds of experiences on a jet where I was genuinely terrified by the turbulence, and it only lasted for 3 minutes off and on. Pilots do a pretty good job of warning about turbulence in advance, so this is comforting. And just remember that these people are experts. Even if you feel like the plane is in freefall, they're in control of it. If you really want to know about the relative risk here, turbulence isn't dangerous. In fact, once you're in the air, that's the safest part of the trip. The most dangerous parts are the take-off and landing, and even those aspects have become safer by leaps and bounds in the last two decades. You're hundreds of times more likely to be in a lethal car accident.


Small planes on the other hand.. blegh. I'm never flying on one again. My dad and his business partners have their own small plane, and sometimes we fly in it when we're vacationing close to Minnesota. On the way back from a ski trip to Michigan, the turbulence was so bad that I had that experience people talk about, where your life flashes before your eyes. I haven't set foot in a little plane again, and that was 5 years ago. I'll take a jet or helicopter any day, just no small planes!

[MidnightFireflies]

Omg! Thank you guys for all of your help! This is calming my nerves immensely!