Airport information can help travelers (Credit: JB)
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Continuing the series on travel tips, we take a look at airport information and guides.
Airports all over the world are as diverse as the people who pass through them every day. They can be really busy and serve thousands of people a day. Others can be really small serving small towns and cities. Many have airport lounges, interesting and diverse places to eat, a variety of terminals, and a number of different amenities.
For some, airports are a fascinating stopping point before reaching their new destination or arriving back home. For others, it's a necessary evil that comes with travel and are just places that bring a lot of frustration. Regardless of your opinions on airports, knowing more about airports and what they offer can make your traveling experience more enjoyable and less stressful..
Airport guides and maps
Finding your way around an airport can be confusing for many people. With so many airports, terminals, and designs, getting from one gate to another could involve walking, riding a bus, taking a train, using an elevator or escalator, or walking on a moving sidewalk. Some airports have just a few gates with one terminal while others have many terminals for domestic and international flights. With the diversity of airports in the world, it can be hard for a traveler to find their way around. Some people may have to run to their next flight while others may have long layovers. Whatever the situation, it's good to know an airport's layout, amenities, wait times through security, and other helpful information for getting you through the airport on your next flight.
A number of different websites can assist you in providing this information. www.worldtravelguide.net/airport/ gives you parking information, phone numbers, addresses, terminal information, and nearby hotels for more than 250 airports all over the world. For the history of an airport, amenities, shops, and activities near the airport, www.expedia.com/daily/airports tracks information for a number of airports worldwide. For those wanting to know how to get from one gate to the next, www.airportterminalmaps.com can provide you with an airport's layout and diagrams of the terminals for many domestic and international airports. Knowing all of this information can help you find the best way to get to your next gate and what mode of transportation will get you there the fastest. For almost any airport you fly into, this information can be informational, save you time, and even help you find that next meal.
Real-time flight arrival and departure information
Flying has changed so much in the last few years that there is no other era in aviation history that can be compared to it. For one, there are so many more airlines today than just a few years ago. Unfortunately, there are a number of those struggling to make it financially. As a result, prices are higher, passengers are charged for a number of different services and items, and the number of flights has dropped in recent years. On the flip side, technology has made information so readily available that checking flights, purchasing tickets, and communicating with airlines and people have become instantaneous. What this means for passengers is that flight delays are up and flying is as hectic as ever but getting updates on travel is in the palm of our hands (literally).
For many people, Twitter is an easy way to keep up-to-date with the airlines and get instant information and provide feedback. However, sometimes more up-to-date information is needed to get real-time information on flights. With the use of cell phones, iPhones, Blackberries, and Droids, instant information is at the touch of our fingertips. www.flightstats.com may be one of the most useful sights out there for information on flights. It shows real-time status of departing and arriving flights by airport, airport weather conditions, facts and figures about airports, traffic conditions, and airport security wait times. flightaware.com allows you to check flights by flight number, airport code, or by flight/tail number (for small aircraft). From there, you can get more information on total flights in the air, flight activity in the US, and departing and arriving flights. So while airline websites can be useful information for flights, knowing what is going on at airports in terms of on-time arrivals and departures, weather, security wait times, and other airport information can help with planning and communication on your next flight.
Alternate airports (and other useful information)
Many times, flying into the big international airport in a city may not be the best or cheapest option for many people. Smaller or alternate airports may be better choices for getting to your destination or saving a few bucks when you travel. For example, Chicago has two airports - O'Hare and the lesser known airport Midway. Newark may be a better choice than JFK or LaGuardia. Choosing Oakland or San Jose may save you time and money over San Francisco. For those who want to explore alternate airports when you travel, www.alternateairports.com is run by the travel guru Johnny Jet and allows you to view all airports for cities in the US including the alternate ones. Johnny Jet's website (www.johnnyjet.com) provides more information on nearly every possible area of travel - train, parking, subway, airports, lodging, gadgets, travel guides, air safety, family travel, and many, many more areas. For more information on airports, you can use www.airportcodes.us to find all the 3 digit airport codes by city so you can locate the most convenient airport for you.
Technology
Aside from the use of cell phones and mobile devices for passengers, technology has become huge in the airports themselves. Many airports haver kiosks and stores which allow passengers to rent DVDs or purchase music and mp3 players for their flights. Technology is not only an asset. It's become business for the airports and airlines. In my article Finding the best seat for your flight, I mentioned the use of SeatGuru and how you can find out which seats have laptop power, Wi-Fi, and video on the various airlines. Many airports also offer Wi-Fi capabilities, many of which do it for free. Get more information on Wi-Fi at www.travelpost.com/airport-wireless-internet.aspx or www.wififreespot.com/airport.html. Then you will know that the next time you are in Phoenix, Sacramento, or Orlando, you can enjoy Wi-Fi for free (check these sites as well as the airports themselves as this information can change).
Family-friendly
Many airports now offer services that cater to families and kids. A few years ago, the American Society of Travel Agents asked their members which had the most family friendly airports in the US and abroad. By a large margin, Orlando was the winner in the US while London took the top spot for international airports. Orlando's airport design, classical music, arts, kid-friendly stores (it is the home of Disney World), video games, and aquariums made this a fun place for kids. Atlanta finished second with its play areas, TVs, and exhibits. Rounding out the top 5 were Denver, Tampa, Charlotte, Detroit, and Minneapolis-St Paul (Denver and Tampa tied at #3 while Detroit and Minneapolis-St Paul tied at #5). For international airports, Schipol (Amsterdam), Frankfurt, Gatwick (London), and Changi (Singapore) rounded out the top 5. While these may be the airports at the top for kid-friendly, there are many others that offer something for kids with exhibits, hands-on experiences, and fun things for kids to do. On top of keeping kids entertained, many airports have started family-only security lines to ease the stress and burden of traveling for families with kids. For more information on these kid-friendly airports and family security lines, check out the airport guides above or go directly to the airport's website.
Shopping and relaxing
The idea of shopping appeals to many while waiting at the airports or before getting on that last flight home. Whether it is checking out the bookstore, shopping for clothes and accessories, buying music or movies, or checking out the duty free shops, there are plenty of opportunities to purchase items for your travels and return home. Duty free shopping is the purchase of goods which are exempt from import taxes. On the surface, this may sound like a good idea as you are looking to get rid of that last bit of change or currency in your pocket. However, sometimes duty free isn't the cheapest option for shopping. Sometimes you can find better prices than what you would pay at home where you are taxed for them. For information on duty free shopping in countries all over the world, www.worldtravelguide.net/country/ has a duty free section for each country letting you know the restrictions and guidelines for bringing items into the country. Many of the airport guides above also feature the shops available at many of the airports so you can plan your next outing when you land.
For those looking to relax, there is always room to spread out in those uncomfortable seats at the gates. However, for the business or more well-traveled passenger, frequent flier and first class passengers enjoy the VIP lounges with a wide variety of amenities. Many of these lounges vary by airport and airline as to what they offer. From flat screen HD TVs to gourmet food to showers to beds, many of these services are first class. However, if you aren't a member of these frequent flier programs, don't travel first class, and don't spend much of your life in an airport, there are still ways to enjoy this type of luxury. www.prioritypass.com and www.loungepass.com can give you access to lounges in over 100 countries Prices for this access range from around $27 per visit to $399 a year for a membership. So you can relax in style no matter where you travel.
Sleeping and parking
Speaking of relaxing, the more frugal and budget conscious traveler can find the best airports for taking a nap or spending the night. If your airline is at fault for you missing your flight and having to spend the night, they can put you up in a hotel. For others, there are many airports that offer transit lounges, sleeping pods, or rent-by-the-hour beds to snooze. As a last resort, sleeping in the airport may be your only option. For that, you can check out www.sleepinginairports.net to find the best places in airports to sleep and which airports are the most sleep-friendly.
Before you reach check-in or right after you arrive home, there is one more inconvenient and often costly stop - airport parking. Knowing your airport and the best, cheapest, and most convenient place to park is an issue of both time and money. Parking in the economy lots and taking the shuttle is the cheapest option but also takes the most time. Parking close to the terminal is ideal but also costs the most money. Aside from the resources above which you can use to find parking maps and the best places to park, there are more convenient ways to park at the airport. Some airports offer you the chance to book your spot in advance. Check out www.airportparking.com, parknflynetwork.com, or airportparkingreservations.com for more information
Conclusion
Every airport is different. They vary not only in their design and layout but in their flight schedules, amenities, wait times, and extras. Getting around the airport and making it a little more stress free could be a matter of just being prepared. Hopefully, this information will help you navigate your way through the terminals, lines, and crowds to help your enjoy your airport experience a little more.
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For information on Sacramento's airport, check out airports.co.sacramento.ca.us/int/ or find your airport's website at www.worldtravelguide.net/airport/. Thanks to information from Peter Greenberg (www.petergreenberg.com) for some of the information provided in this article.
Follow me on Twitter at @budgettravelsac or on Facebook on my Examiner Budget Travel page.
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