When you are scheduled to take a flight, the last thing that you want is to miss it. Apart from the hassle and frustration, you may have to spend more money than you originally intended to.

Fortunately, there are several tricks that you can use to ensure that you arrive at the airport promptly and do not miss your flight.

Going to the airport, you can opt for an . This eliminates the hassle of getting stuck in traffic as the chauffeurs know the best routes to take at specific hours. Furthermore, the vehicles are regularly maintained, so that eliminates unexpected breakdowns while you are en route to the airport.

Ideally, you should have packed your things, at the very latest, the night before your flight. Better yet, begin packing at the earliest time possible to ensure that everything that you need is there and you can have ample time to buy any supplies that are still needed. Make sure that your passport and other identification documents are ready and within reach.

Whenever possible, check in at the airport even before you go there. Airlines are strict about check in cut-off times, and if you miss these, you’ll need to take another flight. The best workaround here is to check in online. Apart from ensuring that you won’t miss your flight, this tactic offers two other benefits. First, you can get to pick your seat, and second, you can avoid paying baggage fees.

You probably don’t like waiting at the airport for an extended period of time. However, if you want to catch your flight, you should get to the airport two to three hours ahead of the schedule. If your only target is to arrive just in time, your hopes may be immediately dashed by unexpected factors like traffic. Also, you may want to make allowances for the lines at the security checks.

It would also help you save valuable time by knowing which gate to enter. Sometimes, airport personnel change the gates intended for a particular flight without informing the passengers. The best workaround here is to look at the departure boards. If you are tech-savvy, there are apps that you can download which offer valuable travel information.

Whenever possible, avoid traveling on the busiest days like the Thanksgiving or Christmas week. Or again, make sure that you arrive at the airport earlier than you normally would.

The quick takeaway here is to never leave anything to chance. If you want to catch your flight, make the necessary preparations and make the extra effort to get to the airport at least two hours before.