Airline travel volume is starting to pick up since the pandemic began a year ago, but with the CDC continuing to advise against non-essential travel, not everyone is ready to fly again.
Whether you’re waiting for the CDC to give the “all clear” or you’re trying to decide when you’ll be comfortable flying again, there are three things you can do to prepare for that next flight.
- Get your REAL ID license. Beginning October 1, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States. So now is a good time to visit your local department of motor vehicles to update your driver’s license to a REAL ID.
- Enroll in TSA PreCheck®. Travelers who are TSA PreCheck members travel with ease through a checkpoint. They have no need to remove shoes, belts, liquids, food, electronics or light jackets. Just submit an online application in five minutes and schedule an appointment at any of 380+ enrollment centers. Then come in for a 10-minute in-person appointment that includes fingerprinting for a background check. Receive a Known Traveler Number to enter into a future airline reservation to enjoy faster, more seamless and touchless screening the next time you travel.
- Download the free MyTSA app. The MyTSA app provides airline passengers with 24/7 access to the most frequently requested airport security information on any mobile device, including a searchable database that will let you know whether an item can be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither. The app also identifies delay information and current weather conditions at your favorite airports nationwide.
Taking these three steps will help ease your transition back into flying again when you’re ready to do so.