How to Quickly Get Through Airport Security

Getting through airport security in most countries outside of the US is like this:

1. Arrive at airport
2. Have boarding pass and ID checked
3. Place bags on conveyor belt
4. Walk through metal detector
5. Pick up bags and walk to gate

In the US, it’s more like this:

1. Arrive at airport
2. Have boarding pass and ID checked
3. Remove small baggie of liquids
4. Take off shoes
5. Take off belt
6. Pull pants back up
7. Open bag to remove laptop
8. Pick up everything else that spilled out of your bag
9. Get laptop placed in its own bin
10. Fight with the guy next to you over another bin
11. Remove phone, keys and wallet from pockets
12. Drop phone on floor, shattering the screen
13. Through tears, place bags on conveyor belt
14. Wait in 5 person deep line for backscatter or millimeter wave machine. Stand still with your hands in the air while a TSA employee inspects your junk OR have a TSA employee actually touch your junk
15. Dejected and humiliated, pick up bags, get dressed again and walk to gate

Let’s just say it’s not a fun experience. If you have to go through security in the US on a regular basis, like I did when I traveled for business, you’ve probably developed a few techniques to make the process a little easier. Below are a few of my own:

Wear Slip-on Shoes

If you are just traveling for fun, wear slip-on shoes. This will save time and effort as you won’t have to deal with tying and untying your shoes.

Don’t Wear A Belt or Watch

This isn’t always possible but if you can avoid wearing a belt or watch on the day you are flying, it’s one less thing to forget to take off. I’m usually wearing both of these, but I either take them off in cab on the way to the airport (yup) or while I’m waiting in line to go through security.

Prepare in Line Before Reaching the Checkpoint

Waiting in line is the worst, isn’t it? If you’re going to be bored anyway, use this time to prepare all your stuff. Some of the things I do in the line before the boarding pass check:

• Remove my watch and belt, and put them in my carry-on bag
• Take everything out of my pockets (wallet, phone, change, keys) and put them in a smaller bag inside of my carry-on. This makes it easy to get them back out once you’re through security.
• Have only your ID and boarding pass in your hands. After they check them, stick them right in the same small bag as the rest of your pocket stuff.
• If you’re not very clumsy, you can use this time to untie your shoes, and unzip your laptop bag so it’s ready to be pulled out.
• Have your liquids at the top of your bag or in a separate pocket so they are easy to remove

Stay Off Your Phone

This is more for the rest of the people in line, but stay off your phone and focus on the task at hand. If you’re trying to get through the security line and Twitter or text at the same time, you’re holding up the line for everyone else. If you followed my advice above, your phone is already in your bag.

Don’t Argue With The TSA or Try to Sneak Things Through

As ridiculous as the “security theater” you’re participating in is, you probably have somewhere to be, and the people working at the airport are just doing their jobs. It’s not their fault that you have to put up with all this crap. Many of them feel the same way as you, but they need a paycheck, so be nice to them. By all means, stand up for yourself if you are actually harassed, but otherwise just be polite and go on with your day. There is no point in trying to sneak things through and then act incredulous when they catch you. More often than not you’ll get caught and then you’re just wasting everyone’s time, including your own.

Follow these tips and you can aspire to be the “experienced traveler” advertised on the signs as you go through security! Or at least not be the one holding up the line.

Do you have any tips for getting through airport security efficiently?