Increasing levels of security around air travel, combined with falling levels of customer service, such as the removal of the free food and drinks that used to be provided on shorter routes, means that flying is a far more stressful ordeal that it used to be.

Getting to the airport, checking in and even collecting your luggage all take far longer, often adding to an overall sense of anxiety and making the beginning or end of your vacation far less than ideal. Identifying the key factors that most contribute to your stress and finding ways to tackle them is the best strategy for making sure that every journey you take

Calm your nerves
Even the most frequent fliers will occasionally experience a moment of anxiety while in the air, and for those that fly less regularly, such feelings can quickly become a source of significant stress. Focusing your attention on the positive side of the trip – the luxuries that await you at your destination, the joy of spending time in new and beautiful surroundings with friends or family members – rather than the trip itself can help to put any concerns you might have into perspective.

Reduce your travel time to the airport
Fighting your way through rush-hour traffic or encountering unexpected diversions while you are on your way to the airport can easily send your stress levels through the roof, especially if you’ve only given yourself just enough time to make your flight. It can be just as difficult on the return leg of the journey when all you want to do is get home as quickly as possible.

If you fly on a regular basis (for example, for business) and want to avoid this source of stress, starting your journey to the airport much earlier and using the time there to either relax or catch up on work is one simple solution. A more radical option, but still an option all the same, is to relocate your home to a place where your journey time is greatly reduced. If, for example, you frequently fly from LAX, searching through the listings of southern California homes for sale and purchasing a property closer to the airport would be one possibility. Making such a change can cut your travel times between your house and the airport in half, and make it a more straightforward ordeal for you to deal with. This is a great option for the business person who is flying to and from one state (or even country) to another.

Pamper yourself
Waiting for your flight in a private airport lounge is a far superior experience to being in the main airport. Annual passes can cost hundreds of dollars for each person, but there are a number of ways you can gain free or heavily discounted access, such as finding credits cards or other financial services that offer entry as a perk. You can also buy day passes - ideal if you want to treat yourself before a luxury trip.

As well as offering a quiet space away from the chaos of the main terminal, entry to a lounge includes access to private bathrooms, showers and a range of food and beverage choices. You'll also find secure Wi-Fi, charging stations for devices and plenty of places to sit, all of which will help put you in a far more relaxed frame of mind in the hours before you board your flight.

Share this article: