What to expect at the airport

 If you haven't been on holiday by plane before, or it's been a while since you have travelled through an airport, you may be wondering exactly what will happen when you get there.

Here, we look at what to expect at the airport and tips for getting your holiday off to a stress-free start.

Check-in

A lot of the time you will find that you can check-in online around 2 weeks before you're due to fly, depending on which airline you have booked your flights with.

You will need to provide your passport details when you check-in and this is when you will be allocated your seats or can choose them for yourself, although you may be charged for this, and you'll receive your boarding passes.

If you are taking hold luggage with you, you'll need to check this in when you arrive at the airport. Simply head to the desks belong to your airline and you'll be told how to do this yourself, or someone will do it for you.

Security

Next stop is security which you will need to scan your boarding pass to access. Here you will need to have all of your liquids in a clear bag, around the size of a sandwich bag, which you will need to out into a tray along with electronic devices, your bag, and your coat plus any other outerwear.

Your items will be put through a scanner and you will need to walk through a scanner yourself too. Make sure that you remove your watch, belt, or large pieces of jewellery and put them in the tray with your belongings to avoid setting off the scanner.

Boarding

Once you are through security you can enjoy the facilities that the airport offers, just keep an eye on the boards to ensure that you spot when your flight is ready for boarding.

A gate number will appear next to your flight details around 45 minutes before your departure time, then simply head to this gate where you will have your passport checked and boarding pass scanned before you head on board and towards your holiday destination.