Security screening at Denver International Airport

Traveling is something we all love to do here at CheapOair. We kind of have to don’t you think? In any event, one thing can really bugs us about the process of getting from point A to point B is the hassle of airport security checkpoints.

Place your laptop in a separate compartment than everything else, take off your shoes, remove your belt, loose change and jewelry. It is often times a nightmare!

But in light of recent events such as the Nigerian underwear bomber and the breach at Newark International Airport, security has believe it or not gotten even tighter.

The extra pat downs and baggage inspections are leading to longer lines at most of the popular airports nationwide.

In order to avoid being “that person” in line, check out these simple tips on how to breeze passed airport security.

Dress as casual as possible: When heading to the airport I do not dress to impress. As long as it is comfortable and easy to remove when I get to the security checkpoint line, I am good to go.

Some of the ways I make it easier on myself, fellow passengers in line and the TSA agents when I go through security is to lose the belt (I always store it in my luggage), wear footwear that slips on and off easily and place all my metal items in one bag ahead of time.

Electronic ease: One item that gives me the biggest issue when I am on to go is my laptop. I always need it when traveling, so simply leaving it at home is not an option. Plus I do not trust the airlines enough to handle my expensive piece of merchandise, so it is always a carry-on item.

Security agents will make you remove the laptop from the bag it is in, so be prepared to do so. I once forgot to remove my laptop and was pulled aside for a pretty lengthy search of my luggage. They even made me turn my laptop on to ensure it was real and not a bomb!

So to avoid this mess, consider bringing your laptop in a sleeve. You can purchase one for about $20 and I highly recommend Skooba Design’s laptop sleeve. It has a removable shoulder strap and unfolds easily in order go through the X-ray machine belt.

Make 3-1-1 as simple as 1-2-3: A few years back, the TSA started cracking down on how much liquid passengers were allowed to bring with them onboard. They even gave it the cute little nickname of “3-1-1”, which stands for a 3 ounce or smaller container for liquid or gel, 1 quart-size clear plastic zip top bag to 1 passenger each.

One way to avoid having to remove all these loose items from your bag and holding up the line is to invest in a set of zip-top bags. Magellan’s sells a set of 20 bags in various sizes for under $5. Eagle Creek also has a great set of four 3.4 ounce bottles for your liquids and gels that fits inside of a clear zip-top bag for $14.99.

Common sense: If you are preparing to board a flight, two things you should always be ready to show a security agent is 1) a boarding pass and 2) identification.

I can not stress how important this is people. I have been held up many times from boarding my flight due to the person in front of me bumbling around looking for one of these crucial items.

So now that you have been given some useful information when it comes to speeding up the airport security process, I expect to see all of you flying through the checkpoint the next time I arrive at the airport.

Flickr: Dan Paluska