The weather outside may be frightful, but travelling this winter can be delightful! Whether you’re packing for a winter wonderland with the kids or escaping the cold, these tips from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) will make airport security a breeze.
Before the airport
Snowy weather can make getting to the airport a challenge, so make sure to arrive with plenty of time to check in and go through screening. Wait times for major airports are listed on CATSA’s website or CATSA’s app for your convenience.
Remember to put all liquids, aerosols and gels over 100 millilitres in your checked baggage―only amounts less than 100 ml in a 1-litre clear, re-sealable plastic bag are allowed on-board.
Dress for success
Though you’ll likely be bundled up for winter weather, remember to put your coat in a bin at the screening checkpoint. Same goes for boots and belts with large buckles.
Bringing the kids along?
Keep them happy by packing their favourite snacks – solid foods like fruit and chocolate are allowed in your carry-on bag. If you are travelling with an infant younger than two years of age (0-24 months), you can bring baby food, milk, formula, water, juice and other baby items in your
carry-on bag.
Look for the Family/Special Needs lane. There is extra space to accommodate larger items like strollers and car seats, and screening officers who offer additional assistance.
Travelling with gifts?
Screening officers hate unwrapping other people’s presents. Gifts packed in your checked bag or carry-on should be wrapped when you arrive at your destination. Better yet – some airports have gift-wrapping services located past security during the holiday season.
For more tips to help you breeze through security this winter, visit CATSA at catsa.gc.ca, on Twitter (@catsa_gc) or Pinterest (CATSAGC).
I didnot know about the family/special needs lane. Good to know!
On our trip to California in August, we were directed to the family lane! It was awesome, other parents in line with us were super happy to get ushered along with our strollers and kidseverything (yup it’s a word I say!) into the lane. Made the airport process much easier.
Lots of great tips! No one likes to have to wait any longer than necessary at the airport especially when travelling with their children.
great tips! thankfully i wont be traveling with my little ones anytime soon lol. but these are great to know for when it is time!!
I am glad we won’t be traveling far, but about a 2 hour drive to visit family this Christmas. Great tips!!
We arent travelling anywhere this christmas.. but those are all great tips!
Awesome tips I’ll pass along
Good tips! i have never seen a gift wrapping station after security…I’ll be sure to ask if there is one on our next trip!
Will definitely download that app before we fly off in January!!
I don’t have kids, but I also like bringing snacks 🙂
Thank you for the tips! We are travelling in January for the first time with our baby and we are a little nervous!
We do not travel but its always good to know these things just in case the day comes that we do go somewhere.
pack less, and always do presents at home no wrapped gifts
family lanes brilliant. when my kids were little we had to travel on military flights hated it. you never knew if you were going to get on or be bumped.
It’s so wise to be well prepared when you bring your kids along.
Great tips! No travelling for us this year. Work schedules won’t permit.
These are some great tips you have posted. We have never used air travel at Christmas as family is within driving distance.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing.
great tips. I never knew they had a family/special needs lane, but I do now!
Very good ideas for travelling with kids, we have not done it yet but these tips will make things easier.
This time of year, it’s a good reminder about our coats and boots. Sad we have to cart them along when going somewhere warm.
Great tips – I travel a bit so I know most of the tips
I hate travelling over the holidays, but thanks for the tips!
Wish I was going somewhere this holiday season but good things to remember year-round!
Oh wow, I did not know that some airports have gift-wrapping services! How neat! I love that!
Great tips. I always keep checking the weather and the airline sites for possible cancellations. Once I called and the airline put us on a earlier flight before the bad weather hit my area.
Great tips Tenille especially using special needs / family lane!
Thanks for the tips, I also didn’t know that some airports have gift wrapping services
These are some great tips, thanks for sharing.
Some really great tips ! Thankfully my family is very close- so not much travelling required for me
Some great tips 🙂
These are great tips. I don’t travel often but I will keep these in mind!
Great tips – wish I was going somewhere so I could use them!
Great tips to keep in mind for speeding everything along 🙂
These are great tips for getting through the hassle at the airport!
may I say I do a lot of travelling and it can be a little *achem* irritating to be behind those that didn’t know to have liquids separated and no aerosols….
Lots of great tips!
Thanks for sharing these handy tips but we wont be travelling anywhere this year but will definantly pass them on to sis in law who travels alot
Great tips but is there a typo shouldn’t gifts be unwrapped not wrapped if in carry on?
great tips but happy we arent traveling this year
I have travelled before during holidays and vowed to wait several years before attempting it again!
Great tips especially to have gifts unwrapped.
great tips. I like the advice not to take wrapped gifts in luggage..was not aware that some airports have gift-wrapping services located past security during the holiday season.
All good ideas it can be such a headache to get where you are going
We fly quite often and there were some things here I didn’t know about. Thanks for posting!
I like the idea of making sure to arrive with plenty of time to check in and remember to put all liquids, aerosols and gels over 100 millilitres in your checked baggage.
I’d never thought about travelling with wrapped gifts being a concern… I thought they’d just go through the x-ray thingy. Good tip
Thank you for the travelling tips, in fact we hope to use them one day now that the kids are growing up! 🙂
I won’t be travelling this season but great tips. I had no idea about not bringing wrapped gifts!
Great traveling tips, not just for the holidays, but year round, especially if you have little ones that you travel with.
those tips can really help make things go smoother at the airport
Great tips and reminders. We travel a lot, and with our kids a lot, and it really helps to follow ALL of these! Makes the trip so much smoother.