HOW TO

Get Through the Airport Faster

5 apps to smooth your holiday travel. Tap to read.

We may not be able to help with flight delays, cramped seats, or long coffee lines, but we can suggest a few apps to smooth your journey this holiday season. From speeding through immigration to measuring your carry-on with your iPhone camera, these apps make excellent travel companions.

MyTSA

If the app can’t answer your question, just ask the nearest TSA officer.

‣ The TSA’s official app is your go-to source for rules about what you can and can’t bring on the plane. (Cooking spray, no. Antlers, yes.) But MyTSA’s best feature is a live-updated look at checkpoint wait times. Turn on location services to see how long you might be in line.

Mobile Passport

Any app that reduces time spent in line is an app worth having.

‣ Despite its name, Mobile Passport doesn’t replace your hard-copy passport. Instead, it serves as a digital version of the paper immigration form you fill out upon reentering the U.S. Just scan your physical passport with the app, answer a few questions, and scoot through TSA and customs faster. Mobile Passport works in more than 30 airports and cruise terminals.

TripIt

If you’re still printing out a hundred different receipts and itineraries, you can stop now.

‣ TripIt is a remarkably handy service—use it as a comprehensive travel guide. Sync TripIt with your email and whenever you book a flight, hotel, car rental, or other reservation, the app automatically parses the details and provides an easy-to-read itinerary.

Kayak

Your carry-on bag is ready for its close-up.

‣ A longtime favorite for booking travel, Kayak now helps you while you’re at the airport. Using your iPhone’s camera and augmented reality, you can now measure your luggage to determine if that roller bag will fit in the overhead bin.

LoungeBuddy

Warning: Once you become an airport-lounge person, it’s hard to go back.

‣ Escape the hustle and noise of the terminal by firing up LoungeBuddy, which sells access to those fancy airport lounges that offer coffee, Wi-Fi, and respite from the bustle of the terminal. Filter by criteria such as Basic and Solid, and those located before or after security.