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Flying Out Of California: Top Tips For Every International Airport
Travelers who plan to depart on an overseas flight from California are well-served when it comes to the airports they can fly out from.
As well as a number of small domestic airports, California is home to a grand total of 9 world-class international airports – each one offering its own unique advantages.
To help you on your way, here are some top tips for traveling from each major Californian airport.
San Jose International Airport
Hassle-Free Parking At San Jose: Will you be driving your own car to San Jose International Airport and leaving it at or near the airport during your trip? If so, then you’ll be pleased to hear that you won’t need to worry about extortionate costs.
Services such as Parkway Parking offer travelers a variety of affordable parking options to choose from when dropping off their car all over the country, including Orlando Airport so you can pick the package that suits your requirements. Many of these services offer an airport shuttle to take you to and from your vehicle.
Los Angeles International Airport
Arrive Well In Advance: Los Angeles International Airport is one of the biggest and busiest airports you will ever visit, with a grand total of 9 terminals. As a result, it’s a good idea to arrive at least three hours before your flight, so you have plenty of time to navigate your way through the airport to reach your gate.
It may be a good idea to pack your bags the day before your journey, to save yourself one less hassle on departure day. If you’re not sure about getting yourself there, simply hop on an airport shuttle or book a taxi, rather than driving yourself and risking getting lost.
Make sure you set off good and early to leave room for any unexpected delays, whether it’s a traffic jam – highly likely in LA, depending on the time of day – as well as slowcoach drivers and roadworks.
Ontario International Airport
Make Sure You’re All Set For Security: At Ontario International Airport, staff pride themselves on providing a much speedier and more streamlined service than other airports – and this includes security checks.
To help airport employees ensure things keep moving along, prepare your carry-on items before you reach the queue. This includes storing your liquids in 100ml bottles, tucked into see-through jiffy bags, so they can easily be checked. It’s also recommended to remove all metallic items such as jewelry or belt buckles before you reach the queue.
Palm Springs International Airport
Check-in Before Arrival To Save Time: New technology has helped to make air travel increasingly more convenient, and that includes the check-in process.
If you won’t be taking any luggage with you, to help you save time once you reach the airport, you can opt to check in beforehand. Simply download your airline’s app to your phone and get it sorted before you leave. That way, you can head directly to security checks upon your arrival at the airport.
Once you’ve breezed through, you will then have plenty of time to devote to a spot of duty-free shopping, or perhaps a pre-flight cocktail.
San Diego International Airport
Stay Tuned: If you’re flying out from San Diego International Airport, you have the option of keeping up-to-date with the latest travel news before your trip begins. Simply tune your radio to the 1690 AM radio station and catch up on the latest updates.
By making sure you stay informed, you won’t have to worry about any potential surprises, such as a delayed flight. This will help to make your journey as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
Hollywood Burbank Airport
Get A Priority Covid Test: If you need a Covid test for whatever reason – for example, perhaps because your destination requires it by law – Hollywood Burbank has made the process simple.
Thanks to a convenient partnership with Covid Clinic, Hollywood Burbank passengers can enjoy easy access to a drive-through testing site, located just a 2-minute car ride from the airport. Not only that, but travelers will be able to take a designated lane for swift service at the testing site – simply follow the signs that say “Traveler’s Lane” for your priority testing. There are 5 different Covid tests available at the clinic, so you can have the particular test that you require.
Because appointments are recommended, it’s a good idea to book your drive-through test online in good time, by using the clinic’s dedicated website.
Sacramento International Airport
Soothe Any Pre-flight Jitters With Some Fine Art: If you tend to feel a little anxious before an international flight, it can help to take your mind off things with a soothing activity before you’re due to board.
While listening to a meditation app or doing a crossword puzzle can help, at Sacramento International Airport you can also distract yourself from your nerves by taking in the airport’s museum-caliber collection of fine art.
Among the spectacular works you can expect to see are Seyed Alavi’s immersive Flying Carpet, detailing 50 miles of the Sacramento River; Leslie Birleson’s vibrant illuminated silk sculptures, aptly named Traveling Light; and the 12 majestic bird sculptures that make up Denis Oppenheim’s Flying Gardens exhibit.
Santa Ana John Wayne Airport
Keep Updated Online: If you will be departing Orange County from Santa Ana John Wayne Airport, you can double-check your flight details using the airport’s official website, which offers live status updates.
This also means that your family and friends can keep tabs on your flight once it’s departed, so they will know about any delays beforehand and, if need be, they can adjust the time they arrive at your destination’s airport to pick you up.
To monitor a specific flight, all you need to do is put in your airline and the city it’s flying to, or your flight number, and all of the information you need will appear onscreen.
Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Bringing Baby? No Problem!: While it may take a lot of courage and plenty of forward-planning, there’s no reason why you can’t take your young baby on an overseas adventure.
Fortunately for new mothers, Californian airports such as Fresno Yosemite are often very well-equipped to make traveling with a very young child as easy as possible.
Fresno Yosemite offers a dedicated Mother’s Room where you can rest and recharge with your baby after you’ve completed airport security checks. With its soft lighting and comfortable seats, this room provides an ideal place to take a breath, feed your baby, and hopefully enjoy some quiet time before your flight. There are hand-washing stations for you to use if you need to change a diaper, and the Mother’s Room also includes electrical chargers so you can plug in your phone or tablet, or even use an electric breast pump if need be.
Have A Safe Trip
Whichever major Californian airport you end up departing from, we hope these insightful tips help you on your journey, so you can start your travels as you mean to go on – in style, and stress-free.
