Traveling take's time! So here are the lines I skip so I can spend my trip sight-seeing instead of waiting in line.
I love to pre-purchase tickets! Many tourist attractions have a line to buy tickets and then a separate line to use your ticket to enter. When you buy your tickets ahead of time, you’ll go straight into the entrance line.
Pre-purchasing tickets vs buying in person will save you time and ensure you get the time slot that fits into your trip.
This saved us hours on or trip in Bellagio, Italy. We skipped the hours long line for ferry tickets by using the app to get our ferry tickets. We had lunch across the street instead of waiting in line!
You may not want to do this if you haven’t cemented your travel plans yet. I’ll start pre-purchasing tickets after I’ve booked my flights & hotel.
E-Passport at Customs Abroad
As a United States Passport holder, in many countries we have access to scan our passports instead of waiting in line for someone to stamp them, via the E-passport program.
This gives us a separate customs line when entering the country, that’s quicker and has less people in line. Look around for the e-passport symbol (a circle inside a square) and markers on the wall and ground directing you to this area. When in doubt you can also ask the area staff.
Check out the official e-passport website here Link for more details, l use this often in Europe and Mexico! and it's saved us hours of waiting in line.
Global Entry & TSA Pre-Check
Once you get a US passport you can apply for Global Entry which includes TSA pre-check. TSA pre-check gives you a quicker process when going through US airport security. Global Entry gives you a quicker process when coming back into the US from international travel.
With these processes it gives you access to a line just for other people that have this pre-screening so the line moves quicker and has less people in it.
These have also saved us hugeeee lines with traveling and given me a less stressful travel experience overall, I love having Global Entry & TSA pre-check. Here’s the website for Global Entry, it includes TSA pre-check - Link
Airport Food Mobile Pickup
Many airports are implementing new and faster ways for you to get food at the airport. From kiosk ordering with multiple restaurant options to ordering from your phone!
My airport in Tampa, FL has a program where you can now mobile order via UberEats. I recently got an early morning weekend flight and this mobile ordering saved me from waiting in line to even order. I loved that I was able to use an app I already had on my phone to skip the line. They were even running a promotion of $5 off to use it! Lookout for these promotional signs in your airport.
Airport Car Rental Pickup
Car Rentals are starting of offer “pre-checkin”. This means that on your car rental app, you can enter your drivers license, pick options and sign any waivers beforehand. I like to do this on the tram or bus on the way to the car rental site.
Then when you arrive at the car rental spot, you can go straight outside to pickup your car and continue your travels. I love using this for early morning pickups, this makes sure I’m one of the first outside and get first pick of the cars!
Think about how much more you’ll get to see and do since you won’t be waiting in line! Save this post for your next trip. Happy Travels!