With the Spring Break travel season in full swing, we want to ensure your trip is anything but “March Madness.” So whether you’re springing for snow-capped mountains or breaking for the beach, these travel tips will ensure you don’t miss a beat:

• Check in online up to 24 hours before departure or on-the-go from a Web-enabled mobile device in select cities. Or if you’ve printed your itinerary, simply scan the barcode at our self-service airport kiosks.
• Arrive at least 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to domestic departures and 2 hours prior to international flights to meet required check-in times and clear security.
• Check out our baggage rules, including size requirements and fee information (you may carry on one bag and one small personal item at no charge). Then, check baggage at the counter or with our Skycaps curbside.
• Stay up-to-date on the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight program, as well as passport and visa requirements.
• Know the requirements for security checkpoints and pack your 3-ounce containers of liquids in a single quart-size, clear plastic, zip-top bag.
• Read the DOT’s Safe Travel information about traveling with spare batteries.

Need assistance? Reach out to one of our Red Coat customer service agents in select airports.

Do you have a tip or two that makes your trip through the airport as easy as a day at the beach? Spring them on us.

Buffi Planas, Marketing

I stumbled across this article written by Caroline Costello from the  independenttraveler.com and thought this would be a fun article to share.

-Sean C., Delta Vacations

Flights with layovers are often cheaper than direct flights, but despite the savings, many travelers will pay more to avoid the extra time in the airport. Can we blame them? The thought of sitting around in an airport for six hours is only vaguely more enticing than a dental appointment. And who would want to prolong their travel time more than necessary, especially when an oceanfront villa in Thailand or an Amazon River cruise awaits at the end of the journey?

But despite their reputation as a necessary evil, layovers don’t have to mean endless hours of watching the clock and waiting for your vacation to start. In fact, a layover can be a memorable part of your trip and, dare we say it, fun. Instead of killing time filling out crossword puzzles and browsing the bookstore (there are only so many hours you can spend flipping through magazines you haven’t purchased before you’re asked to leave), why not dine on dishes created by celebrity chefs, take a mini-excursion to a local city or burn some calories in a fitness center?

Work Out
If you’re not shy about folding into downward dog in public, pack a yoga mat and work on your positions at the airport. A few minutes of deep breathing and stretching is a fantastic way to get your blood flowing after a flight. Check your airport Web site to see if it offers a yoga area. Singapore’s Changi Airport has a space specifically dedicated to practicing yoga, while Newark Airport has a meditation room that’s available to travelers at no cost. The quiet corner of an airport lounge also works as a suitable place to do some yoga if your airport doesn’t offer an appropriate facility.

Want to get some cardio in during your layover? AirportGyms.com is a useful Web site where you can search for fitness centers in or around airports in the U.S. and Canada. If there’s no gym in your airport, stuff some sweats into your carry-on bag and go for a jog around the terminals. This is best to do at an airport that offers shower facilities — be considerate of the person who will have to sit inches away from your sweaty armpits on the next flight.

Leave the Airport, See the Sights
Airports that offer fast and affordable transportation to the cities they serve are the best places for an airport layover adventure. In cities like Amsterdam, Sydney, Washington D.C., Chicago and London, travelers can easily take public transportation from the airport to the city center and spend a half-day exploring.

On IndependentTraveler.com’s Facebook page, member Bob Swanson posted about a memorable layover: “We were in Boston for about six hours. So we grabbed the subway and dined at the Union Oyster House in the Haymarket. Got back to the airport with no problem.”

For best results, sketch out a rough itinerary ahead of time. Find out what kind of transportation you’ll need to take to and from the airport (most airport Web sites list this information) and research the locations of attractions you want to visit. You may want to focus on a single attraction or neighborhood to save travel time. Allow plenty of wiggle room for traffic, long lines and other variables.

Sleep
Some travelers think sleeping in the airport is disturbingly analogous to sleeping on the street (especially during an overnight layover), while others have no qualms about catching some Z’s on a terminal bench. One’s comfort level depends on a number of factors, from personal experience to conditions in the airport in which you’re staying. Many airports have designated sleeping sections or special sleep chairs that make for painless napping. Hong Kong International Airport, South Korea’s Incheon International Airport and Vancouver International Airport are a few major hubs that offer comfy lounge chairs and padded benches on which travelers can fully stretch out. For more information about sleeping in airports, check out sleepinginairports.com, an excellent resource for drowsy travelers.

If you’re planning to spend the entire night on an airport bench, you may be awakened by airport security guards who aren’t fond of travelers setting up camp in public, depending on what airport you’re snoozing in. Stay overnight in the airport at your own risk.

Get a Room
Your eyes are heavy after a seven-hour red eye, but you don’t like the idea of dozing off in public. There’s a solution. Consider paying for short-term lodging, even if it’s for a layover that’s only a half-day or so long — it may be cheaper than you think and well worth the cost.

London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schipol airports both have YOTEL facilities, which are accommodations within the airport terminals inspired by Japanese capsule hotels. A standard cabin starts at 40 euros for a minimum of four hours, and comes with a bathroom with shower, a bed, a fold-out desk and a flat-screen TV (all amazingly squeezed into seven square meters).

To get the cheapest rate at an airport hotel, plan ahead as opposed to showing up and requesting a room on the spot. Check rates online for airport hotels before you leave for your trip, and keep an eye out for special rates and other offers.

To read the full article and get more ideas visit www.independenttraveler.com

What do you like to do on a layover?
–written by Caroline Costello