TillbrookTravel

When travelling by plane, we tend to spend a lot of time talking about how to survive long haul flights. While there’s no denying that long haul trips have their downsides, it doesn’t mean that short haul doesn’t come with its own cons too! We’ve been on some incredibly short flights, and here are some of our top tips for making sure your short flight doesn’t leave you with a short fuse…

Tip One: Arrive at the airport with plenty of time

It’s tempting when a flight is only an hour or so to think we can save time at the airport – but while there might be less checks than if you’re flying long haul, there are still plenty of opportunities to be delayed before boarding your flight. Whether its a long security queue or having an unexpectedly long walk to your gate, we like to arrive at least two hours before our flight to make sure we aren’t missing final boarding call!

Tip Two: Bring a good book

When travelling short haul, many people rely on their phone or the inflight magazines for entertainment. But, unlike on the long haul flight where your plane will be packed with entertainment via the head rest in front of you, your short-haul flight will have no such luxuries. And, if you’re delayed on the run-way (as, sadly, many flights were last Summer) you’ll be grateful to have a good book to sink into and start that holiday slightly early!

Stay tuned for our list of reading recommendations…

Tip Three: Be prepared for unexpected travel sickness

Although your short haul flight might only be a matter of hours, sometimes the decreased time between take off and landing can actually have the unexpected effect of increasing travel sickness! Make sure to eat plenty before your flight and if you’re prone to travel sickness, make sure to stock up on sick bags and travel sickness tablets!

Stay tuned for our list of tips to avoid travel sickness…

Tip Four: Get your meals outside of the airport!

Everyone knows that the airport prices are bumped up, but when travelling long haul, it’s silly to avoid eating at the airport because you know you’ve got no choice but to eat the expensive food on the plane too! But, when travelling short haul, our advice is eat a hefty meal before you leave home, eat a snack at the airport (brought with you to save money) and then save yourself for food on your arrival. Not only will the quality be better, but you’ll likely save some cash too!

Tip Five: Try to only bring a carry on

When travelling short haul, you’re likely to only be staying a few days, so think carefully about how much luggage you actually need to bring. We tend to treat it as the five day rule – anything five days or less, you can probably use a carry on rather than a suitcase. This obviously needs to be discounted by parents travelling with small children (we will need a whole different list for travelling with small children!) but travelling with a carry on allows two things. First, you save a bunch of time waiting at the other end. Second, you save a lot of money without paying for a separate bag. Pro tip – try to make sure your carry on is back-pack shaped and can squish down, that way, you won’t be made to check it if the plane is full!

Stay tuned for our post on how to make the most of your carry on allowance…

Tip Six: Print your boarding passes ahead of time

This is just another time saver – if you’re relying on your phone, you’re relying on technology, and relying on technology is always additional stress you don’t need! Whether it is the screen not being bright enough, or QR codes not working, it’s always nice to have a physical copy to avoid these delays – particularly when the security line ends up being longer than your flight!

Tip Seven: Research your airport transfer options

After a long haul flight, the last thing you want to do is wait around for an airport bus or train, but a short-haul flight gives you more flexibility in what your next mode of transport might be! When travelling to a city, make sure to check out what transport passes they have available – there will probably be a really cheap option that doesn’t take too long!

Stay tuned for our tips on airport transfers and modes of transport from the airport…

Tip Eight: Consider parking in long stay (even if you’re not staying for a long time!)

When travelling short haul, it can be tempting to leave things like overnight parking at the airport until the last minute, because you’re only paying for a few nights and assume the price doesn’t vary too much. But, booking in advance and exploring all your options can reap dividends – and nine times out of ten, the long stay car parks will be cheaper and nearly as convenient as short stay. But, if you’d prefer short stay, make sure to book in advance as it only gets more expensive as time goes on!

Tip Nine: Check in online

Checking in at the airport is no longer a convenient and useful way to check in. A few years ago, after waiting in the long line and realising you don’t even often talk to a person but a machine, I swore I’d never check in at the airport again for short haul. It saves so much time! It’s also nice to know your seats and flight are confirmed before you leave the house for the airport.

Tip Ten: Treat the airport as the start of the holiday!

Although you can save lots of money by eating at home (and many times I do) another way you can make short haul feel fun is by making the airport itself part of your holiday. Most airports have excellent shops and restaurants, so why not budget for a shopping trip or a cocktail while there? By treating the airport at both ends as an extension of your trip, the short-haul flight becomes enjoyable and just part of the journey!

Have any short-haul travel tips of your own? Comment them below!