5 Tips to Keep Thanksgiving Flying from Becoming a Nightmare

HANOVER, MD — If your Thanksgiving trek to grandma's includes travel out of Maryland via BWI Airport, the Transportation Security Administration has some advice aimed at reducing passenger stress and long security lines.

The nation's airports will be crowded this month with families who only fly once a year and aren’t familiar with navigating through airports, say officials. Stormy weather in one part of the country can throw off flight schedules across the country. So arrive at the airport early, and expect terminals packed with air travelers.

Air traffic has been increasing at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, and that means it's best to come prepared to avoid delays in boarding your flight. The TSA screened 449 million travelers in the first five months of 2016, which is 57 million more than the same time period last year, according to a TSA statement.

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Here are the the Transportation Security Administration’s top five tips to make security screening go smoothly:

Get to the airport early

The Thanksgiving holiday is the most popular time of the year for air travel, so it will take longer to get to the terminal. Allow more time to park a car, longer to return a rental car and longer lines at airline check-in counters. And security checkpoints will be busier because airplanes are fully booked. Plan to arrive two hours before a domestic flight out of a major airport.

Enroll in TSA PreCheck

For a five-year, $85 TSA PreCheck membership, passengers can speed through security and don’t need to remove their shoes, laptops, liquids, belts or jackets. Apply online and schedule an appointment at the nearest enrollment center. A 10-minute, in person appointment includes a background check and fingerprinting. On the day of your flight, your boarding pass will indicate that you can use the checkpoint TSA Pre lane at more than 180 airports.

Prepare drinks, documents in the checkpoint line.

While in the checkpoint line, finish your drink and bring the empty bottle through the checkpoint to fill at a water fountain once you're through security.

Next, get out your boarding pass and ID and have them in hand when you step up to the TSA podium. Each person in your group must present their own boarding pass and ID. Parents or guardians should give the TSA officer the boarding pass and ID for small children they're traveling with.

While in the checkpoint line, start to empty everything from your pockets and put those items inside your carry-on bag so you have a head start on getting everything into the bins on the conveyor line before stepping into the scanner. The scanners detect both metallic and non-metallic items between the clothing and skin, including items tucked inside pockets such as tissues, wallets, mints, driver’s licenses and passports. Be sure to remove everything from your pockets.

Pack smart; don’t bring along any prohibited items

What's prohibited in carry-on bags? Aerosols, electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, lighters, ammunition, firearms, most foods, oversize liquids and various knives and much more.

Visit tsa.gov, and in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage, click on “What can I bring?” Type in the item, and you will find out immediately if it should be packed in a carry-on bag, a checked bag, either or neither.

You can also ask about items in advance by tweeting a photo of the item to @AskTSA on Twitter; ask your question via Facebook Messenger at fb.com/AskTSA; or call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673. Automated information is available any time in several languages. Representatives are available 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET weekdays; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends and holidays.

If you left something behind at a checkpoint, contact TSA Lost & Found.

If you leave an item at a TSA checkpoint, log onto TSA’s website and type in the airport name or code. You will be given a telephone number to leave a detailed message including your name, contact information, the date you traveled, the terminal (if you know it), your flight information and a detailed description of the lost item. TSA will contact you to let you know if your item was turned in and if so, how to get it back. Items can be picked up or shipped.

If you think you may have left your item in the airport terminal, contact the airport. Or if was left on an airplane, contact the airline.

»Patch file photo of Baltimore Washington Airport terminal