Flying for the First Time
Before you leave for the airport, getting through security, finding your gate and boarding group, and what happens on the plane.
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Check in online as soon as your airline opens it, and go by what your airline and airport recommend for how early to arrive rather than a rule of thumb. What has to come out of your bag at security is set by your departure airport's screening authority and differs by country.
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General advice: applies wherever you fly
The basics
Before you leave for the airport
Check in online as soon as your airline opens check-in (the app or your booking confirmation will say when that is) and download your boarding pass then. For how early to arrive, go by what your airline and departure airport recommend for your kind of flight rather than a rule of thumb: it changes with the airport, the season and the time of day. Check your bag against your airline's carry-on and checked size limits before you pack, not at the gate.
Getting through security smoothly
What has to come out of your bag, which liquids you can carry and in what quantity are all set by the screening authority for your departure airport, and they differ by country and change. Look up the current rules for your specific airport before you pack. Wear shoes that slip off easily, and keep your ID and boarding pass somewhere you can reach without digging.
Finding your gate and boarding group
Your boarding pass shows a group or zone number rather than a boarding time, so you don't need to rush the line the moment it opens. Gate numbers can change right up until boarding, so glance at the departure boards on your way.
What happens on the plane
Flight attendants point out the exit rows and walk through the safety card during the pre-flight briefing. Your ears may pop on ascent and descent; swallowing or yawning helps. It's completely normal to feel nervous, and most of what feels unfamiliar becomes routine after one trip.
Plan beyond the flight
Work out what happens after landing: documents, baggage collection and the route to your accommodation. Save its address and check-in instructions. Keep a way to contact the property and a backup transport option. Before leaving home, practise finding your booking and travel documents without an internet connection.
Take it with you
What to confirm with your airline
Everything here is drawn from the advice above. Airlines and airports set their own rules, so these are the things to ask about for your own flights.
Tick a point once you have confirmed it. Download a PDF with your current checks to take with you.
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Helpful guides
A Pre-Flight Checklist for Nervous Flyers
Take the unknowns out of the day: choose your seat when you book, pack a small calm kit, give yourself time at the airport, and keep your seat belt fastened whenever you're seated. The FAA says turbulence can throw unbuckled passengers from their seats.
When to Book Flights: What Holds Up and What Doesn't
No published rule makes a particular day cheaper to book. Book when a fare fits your budget and schedule. For eligible flights booked directly with an airline at least seven days ahead, check its U.S. 24-hour cancel-or-hold option.
How Aviation Safety Works
Safety comes in layers: two-pilot crews with regular proficiency checks, aircraft certified to keep climbing after an engine failure, enforceable airworthiness directives, and accident investigations. The passenger's part is keeping a seat belt fastened when seated.
Flight & Airport Etiquette
Most cabin friction is avoidable: give the middle seat both armrests, recline gently, use headphones and pause them for announcements, keep the aisle clear while carts are moving, and save the call button for when you need it. In Canada, alcohol you brought on board stays closed and crew instructions are not optional.
Flight Delayed or Cancelled? What You're Owed
Move quickly: check the app for rebooking, call the airline while you queue, and keep records and receipts. What you're owed depends on where you fly. Canada and the EU set fixed compensation in some cases, while U.S. rules focus on refunds.
See all 16 helpful guides
Flying to Cusco and Machu Picchu with Altitude Concerns
Cusco sits at 3,400 m, an hour's flight from Lima. The CDC advises only mild exercise for the first 48 hours at altitude; talk to your doctor before you go about the altitude and whether any medication is right for you.
Where to Put Your Carry-On — and Why the Bin You Choose Matters
If you can, put your carry-on in the bin above your seat or slightly ahead of it, not behind you. It keeps your bag reachable when you land, instead of leaving you to fight the aisle or wait for it to clear.
Don't Lose Your Earbuds on the Plane
Take your earbuds out and put them back in their case before you fall asleep. If one does fall into the seat, tell a flight attendant instead of moving an electric seat around to look for it.
Before You Board: Three Things That Make It Easier
Have your boarding pass open and your seat number ready, take your backpack off and carry it in front of you in the aisle, and use the bathroom in the terminal rather than during boarding.
Once You're Seated: Three Small Courtesies
Bring your seat upright while the person behind you is eating, don't take it personally when turbulence stops the hot drinks, and keep your seat belt loosely fastened whenever you're sitting.
Flying Alone: The Complete Airport-to-Arrival Guide for Older Adults and First-Time Travellers
Flying alone becomes much easier when the trip is divided into small, predictable handoffs: home to the airline counter, the counter to security, security to the gate, the gate to the aircraft, and the aircraft to the person meeting you.
Carry-On Checked at the Gate? What to Take Out First
Take out spare lithium batteries and power banks first. FAA rules require them to stay in the cabin when a carry-on is checked at the gate. Then remove what you need before baggage claim, such as medication, documents, phone and valuables, and ask where you will collect the bag.
Travel eSIM Checklist: What to Check Before Buying
Check your exact device and network lock first, then match coverage and validity to the trip. Read the chosen plan’s installation and activation instructions before paying.
Airport Transfer Checklist: Compare the Whole Journey
Compare the journey to your exact address, including the final walk, luggage and any access needs. Get the meeting point, total cost and delay or cancellation terms in writing before paying for a transfer.
Paris Airport Hotel or City Stay?
For time in Paris, start with a city base near the places you plan to visit. For an early departure or late arrival, compare a stay near the airport on your ticket. Check the terminal route and check-in arrangements before paying.
Montréal: YUL Airport Hotel or City Stay?
Start near YUL when reaching the airport or getting to a room after a late arrival is your main priority. Start downtown for a city-based itinerary, or in Old Montréal when your plans centre on the old city and waterfront. Compare the complete journey before choosing the cheapest room.
Questions before you book
What is worth checking before I buy the ticket?
Compare the airports, travel dates, baggage, seat choices and change terms. Read the final total before paying. Ask the airline about any arrangement you need rather than assuming it comes with the fare.
What if I cannot find my gate?
Check the airport’s departure display using your flight number, then ask airport or airline staff for directions. Keep checking for gate changes while you wait. Follow the instructions for your actual flight rather than another traveller’s route.
Travel essentials
Complete your travel plans
Choose the service you need, then compare the offer and its terms with the provider.
Mobile data for your trip
Compare an eSIM with your carrier’s roaming offer and a local SIM. An eSIM only helps if your exact device and the plan suit the trip.
Affiliate partner options
Affiliate links through Travelpayouts. FlyingWith may earn a commission on an eligible purchase or paid service.
Build my eSIM shopping list →Checks before choosing
Installing an eSIM and starting its validity period can be different events. Follow the chosen plan’s instructions. The checklist is a reminder, not an automatic device check.
- Check the device model, purchase region and network lock with the provider before paying.
- Compare the countries covered, data allowance, validity start, hotspot rules and any speed limits.
- Check whether calls and SMS are included. Save maps, the hotel address and installation instructions for offline use.
Getting from the airport
Compare the airport’s official public transport and taxi information with a prebooked transfer. Choose based on the whole journey to your accommodation.
GetTransfer is a transfer marketplace. Availability and suitability depend on the offer; a listed vehicle does not confirm accessible transport or a child seat.
Affiliate partner options
Affiliate links through Travelpayouts. FlyingWith may earn a commission on an eligible purchase or paid service.
Take these details to your airport pickup quote
Copy these questions into your request. A marketplace listing alone does not confirm a child seat or accessible vehicle.
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Checks before choosing
- Confirm the exact terminal, meeting point, luggage space and contact method if your flight changes.
- Ask for written confirmation of any child seat, pet or mobility requirement before payment.
- Read the total price, waiting policy, cancellation deadline and refund method for the specific offer.
The provider handles prices, booking terms, payment and support. Review the details there before paying.
Sources checked
Destinations to explore for this trip
- Peru: Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
- Paris Travel Guide: Airports, Transport and Museums
- Tokyo: Senso-ji, Shibuya & First-Trip Planning
- Mexico City: What to Know Before You Go
- Morocco: Casablanca and Marrakech
- Albania: Tirana and the Southern Coast
- Nice: Airport Tram, Old Town and the Seafront
- Lisbon: Airport Arrival, Hills and a First-Day Plan
- Lyon: Airport Arrival, the Rhône and Presqu’île
- Nassau & Paradise Island: Beaches & Blue Lagoon
- Algarve with Kids: Albufeira and Marinha
- Chicago: Airports, Riverfront and City Stays
- Egypt: Giza Pyramids, Cairo & Where to Stay
- Osaka: Universal Studios Japan & Where to Stay
- Montréal: YUL Arrival, The Ring & Where to Stay
- Marseille: Airport Arrival, Porte d’Aix & Stays
- La Paz: crossing from Puno and Lake Titicaca into Bolivia
- Salar de Uyuni: getting there, tours and the two seasons
Worth considering
New to flying? Travel insurance is one of those things experienced travelers rarely skip. It's worth understanding what it covers before your first trip.
FlyingWith doesn't sell insurance or have an insurance partner. Compare policies directly with insurers, and check what your credit card or employer plan already covers.
This page is general preparation guidance. Rules change, and this page does not state any official one: where an official detail matters, the linked guides quote it, cite the authority that sets it and show the date it was checked. Confirm anything that affects your booking with the airline, the airport or the authority concerned. The date at the top is when this page's text last changed. It is not a verification of any rule.
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