Imagine a world where you can get anywhere you need to go in your own time. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world. Unless you’re planning on taking a road trip, of course.
Airline travel means that you’re at the mercy of the airline company’s schedule. Often, that means you have to choose between an affordable early morning flight or a red-eye flight. Neither option is perfect, but at least the early morning flight will allow you to sleep in your bed instead of on the airplane.
If you’ve opted for the earlier flight, read on to learn how to show up on time and well-rested!
Estimate Your Wake-Up Time
The first thing you need to do when you book your early morning flight is to determine exactly what time you need to wake up. There are a lot of factors to consider when doing this.
First, you need to plan on arriving at the airport two hours early for a domestic flight and at least three hours early for an international flight. You can decrease these times if you’re flying out of a smaller airport or increase them if you’re traveling during a busy time, like the holidays.
You should then determine how long you need to get from your home to the airport. You might only live ten miles from the airport, but this can take an hour if traffic is heavy at the time you’re leaving. This means checking an app like Google Maps to determine how traffic there is at the time you need to drive during the weeks before your flight.
Change Up Your Sleep Schedule
If you typically go to bed at midnight, you’re probably not going to be ready to go to sleep at 8 or 9 pm the night before your flight. If you want to make sure you’re ready for bed at the time you actually need to go to bed, then you need to change up your sleep schedule about a week in advance of your flight.
Start by going to bed about 30 minutes earlier and waking up 30 minutes earlier each day before your flight. By the day of your flight, your schedule should be adjusted enough to allow for a full night’s sleep on your travel day.
If you’re struggling to adjust, try using a helpful sleep supplement to boost the quality of your sleep.
Schedule Transportation in Advance
We live in the time of Uber and Lyft, where transportation is just one click away. When it comes to early morning flights, however, you want to go old school and have your transportation booked in advance of your flight.
Why?
Uber and Lyft work well when there is an abundance of drivers available, and it’s possible that no one will be on duty when it’s time for you to leave. Booking with a professional transportation company will guarantee that your ride is at your home when it’s time to leave.
Book a Room
If you live more than an hour away from the airport and have a flight that leaves super early, then you should consider booking a room at a hotel at the airport or nearby.
For example, if your flight is at 6 am and you live two hours from the airport, then you’ll need to leave your house at 1 or 2 am in order to make your flight.
Save yourself the stress and loss of sleep and stay at the airport instead. You’ll be able to wake up and walk to the gate without losing a wink of sleep.
Pack Everything and Have It Ready to Go
Unless you’re a natural early riser, getting up early is going to be stressful enough. You don’t need the added stress of getting everything together and out the door in time to make your flight.
Start by creating a checklist of everything you’ll need for your flight. Pack everything you need and leave it by the front door so you can grab it and walk out in the morning. Before you go to bed, make sure everything you need for the airport is in a separate bag and ready to go.
If your car is in a secure space, you can even pack up your car the night before your flight to save yourself even more stress!
Check-In Online
If you’re not planning on checking a bag when you get to the airport, then checking in at the actual airport is just an additional step that’s not necessary.
Instead, opt to check-in for your flight online. Many airlines allow you to check-in for your flight up to 24 hours before your flight. As an added bonus, checking in early sometimes means you get to board the plane early.
Get a Good Night’s Rest
This should go without saying, but a good night’s rest is essential to making sure that your travel is as smooth as possible. Trying to drive safely and navigate the airport on a couple of hours of sleep is miserable.
If you struggle with waking up in the morning, then you should set several alarms to make sure you wake up in time for your flight. Move your alarm clock away from reach so you have to get up to turn it off. Turn on the light right away to help you wake up, too.
Are You Ready for Your Early Morning Flight?
If you’re worried about making your flight, then you should know that you’re not alone. Many people dread their early morning flight, but by following these simple tips, you’ll arrive at the airport without feeling rushed for time or exhausted. Doing as much as possible in advance will allow you to get up and walk out the door with confidence that you’re going to make your flight.
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