DOCKSIDE JOURNAL ENTRY / October 10, 2017
Fall Travel Tips from SHW


Fall is the busiest season for travel, and the busiest for corporate events. So our team has some tried and true tips for the travel season. We hope you find they will help you get you where you’re going with a little less stress.
Bring a power strip, make friends. Instead of searching for an unused outlet, bring extras with you! A small portable power strip or wall adapter with multiple USB ports will make you everyone’s best friend at the gate You’ll never have a dead battery, and you just might earn a spot on someone’s holiday card list. Or get a free drink on the flight!
Travel mid-week. Traveling at low-traffic times can make your travel experience way easier (and cheaper). It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes to travel in the middle of the week, instead of Friday-Sunday when airlines are busiest and tickets are pricier. For holiday travel, if you can get some extra time off, adding a couple days on either end of your trip will make airfare significantly cheaper. For example, if you’re visiting family for Thanksgiving, consider returning on Monday or Tuesday, instead of just staying through Sunday.
Enroll in expedited screening programs. If you’re traveling domestically, enrolling in TSA Pre-Check can save you tons of time waiting in long, airport lines. Online enrollment is easy, though you’ll have to schedule an interview and wait for a background check. If you’re a U.S. resident and travelling internationally, Global Entry is a similar program that will let you go through expedited screening entering the U.S., which saves tons of time before going through customs. Both programs are good for five years once you’re cleared, and require a one-time, non-refundable application fee ($85 for TSA Pre-Check and $100 for Global Entry).
Go paperless. Most major airlines have smartphone apps where you can check in and use a digital boarding pass. These apps also let you check flight status, link mileage accounts, contact customer service, and more. If you’re not comfortable relying on your phone for your boarding pass, printing it won’t hurt but it can save a lot of time getting through security, or serve as a backup in case you lose your paper copy.
#3 could get you on board early. Alaska Airlines will let you cut the line and board with their MVPs if you wear Russell Wilson’s #3 jersey during the regular football season. Other airlines have similar programs. JetBlue, for example, is the official airline of the New England Patriots, and allow fans wearing official Patriots clothing early boarding on game days, but only out of local New England Airports.