Most people look forward to vacations with excitement, but if flying is involved, there may be a lot of trepidation, as well. Between the long lines, the security process and baggage concerns, the airport can be pretty stressful. To help calm your nerves, we’ve compiled these tips that seasoned travelers swear by to get through airports as quickly as possible.

1. Spend a little money to gain precious piece of mind

TSA Pre-check:  This genius program costs $85 for a 5 year membership. It’s accepted at nearly 200 major airports and allows members to glide through airport security without being required to remove shoes, liquids, laptops or jackets. Not only does that save time in of itself, but the lines are significantly shorter for TSA pre-check, as well.

Priority Boarding:  Most major airlines have a priority boarding up-sell that they offer to fliers looking to avoid the long lines during check-in. These fees can range from $10 per flight to $50 depending on your airline and class.

CLEAR:  Currently at only a dozen major airports, the exciting thing about CLEAR is that it is also at select MLB stadiums. For $175, you can breeze through security in 5 minutes and add family members to your plan to get you and your loved ones on the plane faster.

2. Be conscious of your luggage 

If possible, don’t check a bag. Ditching the checked baggage can save you over an hour of wasted time. You won’t have to stand in a line (provided you’ve already printed your boarding pass) and you won’t have to worry about any extra baggage fees!

If you absolutely have to bring more luggage, try to make your carry-on as manageable as possible. Fit everything you can in the checked bag and streamline your carry-on so you can whiz through airport security after checking your bag.

If you’re bringing your laptop along, make sure that you have a TSA approved case that will allow you to keep it in its case as you pass through security. Don’t pack anything in your laptop bag but your computer and assure that it can lay flat on the X-ray belt before purchasing the appropriate bag.

Things NOT to pack! To make your trip through security as smooth as possible, you’ll need to make sure you aren’t packing anything forbidden by the TSA. For an up-to-date list of currently prohibited items, check the TSA’s website before your flight.

3. Choose your flight outfit carefully 

You’ll want to plan out your traveling outfit ahead of time so you aren’t stuck at security longer than necessary. Slip on shoes are a must, unless you participate in TSA pre-check. Choose comfortable clothes that don’t require belts and are free of other metal objects to avoid metal detector mishaps. Jackets should be light, and ideally should have pockets for you to easily store your essentials such as wallet, keys and phone. Keep your boarding pass and ID handy in your pants pockets for easy access, and keep jewelry at home or in your checked bag.

4. Things to do before your flight

Print your Boarding Pass ahead of time. Airlines allow you to check-in up to 48 hours ahead of your flight and print your boarding pass before you even get to the airport. If you aren’t checking a bag, this saves a huge chunk of time.

Check your flight’s status. Please do not leave home before checking the status of your flight. All airlines have flight status available on their websites in real time so you can avoid the boredom of wasting a few hours in the airport when a flight is delayed.

Do your due diligence and check real-time traffic to the airport before heading out. Security line times and parking availability can also be determined by calling your airport or checking online. Get rid of the hassle of parking at the airport by booking your ParkSleepFly package in advance!

Lastly, pick your flight time accordingly. Avoid peak travel times such as holidays, Mondays & Fridays or between the times of 4-8 pm since those are the busiest times for airports.

Good luck and safe travels!