From getting through security checkpoints to dealing with unexpected flight delays, airline travel is messy and then some.
To glide through the process as effortlessly as possible, you really need an airport dad in your crew. What, exactly, is an “airport dad”? The term went viral on TikTok around 2021, when kids began documenting their hyperfocused, multitasking dads in airports.
Such dads handle a number of thankless tasks at the airport: Carrying the group’s boarding passes, ensuring that everyone gets to the airport with ample time to go through security, making sure transportation is booked to and from the airport. They do it all with gusto ― and usually while making dad jokes. (We should give it up to moms here, too; dads may take over mental load at the airport but it’s generally mom who packed the suitcases, ensured everyone has the correct clothes for the climate and enough SPF.)
You don’t necessarily have to be an actual dad (or even a man) to inhabit the role of airport dad: On TikTok, you’ll find plenty of 20-something, childless airport daddies fearlessly leading their groups through the airport.
Airport dadding is for everyone ― and given how stressful travel is lately, we need more of them out there. With that in mind, we asked airport dads to share the tips they’d give someone looking to take on the role.
Make sure the kids have various entertainment options.
Travel blogger Lee Huffman has two kids, ages 9 and 13, both of whom started flying at 6 weeks old. (“At this point, they have more passport stamps than most of my adult friends,” Huffman told HuffPost.)
If you’re similarly traveling with kids, Huffman said, his No. 1 tip is to prep all their favorite things in advance: bring their go-to snacks, charge devices and download videos ahead of time. Unless you want grumpy kids, you don’t want to be entertainment-less in the airport.
“Keeping kids entertained and well-fed is a great way to keep them happy while traveling,” he told HuffPost. “As they get older, you can involve them in this process by assigning tasks and responsibilities, but even when they become teenagers, I still think it’s a good idea to create a checklist and double check to ensure nothing is forgotten.”
Track the flight starting 24 hours before departure.
To avoid, or at least be prepared for, travel hiccups, make sure you’re tracking the flight starting 24 hours before departure, said Martin Gomez, who runs the travel YouTube channel Tourist to Local with his wife, Juliana.
“Using Google, search the flight number of your airline, then cross check the status on FlightAware,” he said. “Figure out where your plane is coming from and keep your eye on the news of what weather is like there so that you can be prepared for delays.”
Juliana and Martín Gomez
Plan to get to the airport early, but not half a day early.
Forget the antiquated rules about arriving super early; you’ll only spend that time staring at the flight board waiting for your flight to appear, said Nick Demski, a dad of one and the creator of the YouTube channel Nomad Lifestyle.
“I’m about to upset my own father but I recommend taking the new dad approach by accepting that two hours is generally good enough for any flight to anywhere,” he said.
Keep in mind, many recommend arriving for international flights three hours early. Demski stands by two hours, though. Sure, you’ll cut a few international flights pretty close, he said, “but it’s better to feel the quick pain of impunctuality than a premature and very slow death in an uncomfortable chair wondering why you arrived so early in the first place.”
Know what features and restaurant options the airport has to offer.
Rob Taylor, a father of two boys and creator of 2traveldads.com, likes to do some research on the airports his family will be leaving from: From his Googling, he’s learned that Denver has a large outdoor patio space with couches and fire pits, while Punta Cana has a lounge with a rooftop pool. Meanwhile, O’Hare has iconic movie filming locations that his family enjoyed checking out while waiting to take off.
“Being armed with something to occupy your airport time or add a level of fun to a stopover makes you seem extra cool to the kids and adults you’re traveling with,” he said.
Take advantage of TSA PreCheck.
Taylor thinks it’s definitely worth applying and paying for TSA PreCheck. (It’s $78 for the application fee.)
TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program that allows pre-approved travelers in U.S. airports to keep their shoes, jackets and belts on during security screening, while keeping liquids and laptops inside their bags.
“It’s been a lifesaver for our family when it comes to time and stress,” he said. “When we have others traveling with us, we are sure to communicate to them far in advance how important these services are and have gotten our travel buddies to enroll for their benefit and ours.”
Pack water bottles with frozen ice.
Liquid of any kind isn’t allowed, but did you know that ice is allowed through the checkpoint as long as it’s frozen solid when it’s screened?
“Filling water bottles with ice ensures cold beverages throughout the travel day, so everyone stays healthy and hydrated during travel,” Taylor said. “If somebody forgets to fill their water bottle before boarding the plane, they at least have ice chips to enjoy until there is beverage service.”
Use the airport lounges.
If you have the option to relax in an airline’s lounge, by all means, do it, Demski said. (Some ways to get access? Have a premium travel credit card, be enrolled in an airline-specific loyalty membership or be a guest of somebody with access.)
“You get free food and drink, plus a calm and safe place to relax and spread out,” Demski said. “Your whole family can rest and stuff their faces while they never think to thank you. That’s the thing about being an airport dad; much like an umpire in a baseball game, you’re doing a good job if you’re being totally ignored.”
Make use of airline loyalty programs.
If you’re traveling often, make a solid effort to stick with one airline and receive loyalty points, Taylor said.
“There’s a lot of perks, including getting to be one of the first to board due to status,” he said. “When you’re carry-on travelers like us, it means that you’re nearly guaranteed easy overhead bin space, which ultimately saves you time and stress.”
Don’t forget to relax and have some fun yourself.
If you’re an airport dad ― or an aspiring one ― you probably already have a mental blueprint of every airport in the country, complete with the best coffee spots and the secret shortcuts to the gate, Gomez said. But don’t forget: This is your trip, too ― try to relax and have some fun.
“You’re not piloting the plane. There’s no need to arrive five hours early and instruct the TSA on how to do their job,” Gomez said. “Your carry-on bag doesn’t need a survival kit fit for a zombie apocalypse. Enjoy the journey.”