Tickets, Seats and Stadiums: A Travel Mini-Guide for Sport Fans Who Love the Game
You want to see a bunch of games this season, but you’ve never taken an extended trip to all of the stadiums around the country. In some ways, it’s a little scary.
How do you do this without going broke (or crazy?). Here’s what other sports fans have done and what you can learn from them.
Bring A Partially Empty Carry-On
Let’s say you’ve bought your LA Dodgers tickets, and you’re gearing up for an epic trip to Dodger’s Stadium. You have to get on a plane, but you hate going through security. Here’s a tip you might not have heard before:
Before going through the airport security, put your books, papers, wallets, belts, jackets, and whatever else in your carry on. This way, everything is consolidated and there’s no need to take off all this stuff and put it into plastic bins.
Check On Flights Before You Leave For The Airport
Delays are common — especially this year with the crazy weather. But, they may be more and more common as passengers take to the skies and more people try to cram onto an airplane. It’s cheap, cheaper than driving in some cases.
So, rather than spending extra time sitting in the airport, print copies of itineraries and keep them handy. That way you’ll know about last-minute changes that have to be made. But, also, you can spend your time wisely in the airport.
If you don’t have to be somewhere until a certain time, you can go exploring around the airport.
Have Ground Transport Arranged
When you arrive, the last thing you want to do is wait around for a taxi or someone to come pick you up. Rental cars are going to be in short-supply if you’re flying in for a big game. If you’re “winging it,” then you might also be out of luck.
Taxis stand lines may also be long, and buses might be overcrowded. This is why you should book rentals in advance, or arrange for a ride-share on the day of before wheels hit the ground.
Stay In Town A Few Extra Days
A lot of times, you can save money by staying in town a few extra days beyond your scheduled trip. That’s because congestion is heaviest between Saturday and Monday. Consider flying Friday or Tuesday when airports aren’t as crowded.
Speed Through Airport Security
Many airports, including those in San Jose and San Francisco, give you fee-based services that will cut your wait time. Sometimes, you can cut the wait time down to a few minutes. This is a cost-effective solution for travelers who fly frequently for leisure or if you’re on business. But, if you’re going to a game, it can be a time saver that could mean the difference between making the open pitch or having to watch it later on recorded T.V.
You could also pay extra for something called TSA precheck. CLEAR is offering a free trial membership as well. These memberships can cost upwards of $80 for precheck and $50 for 6 months of CLEAR. Not all airports honor these services, however. But, programs like CLEAR use fingerprints or iris scans to give you frictionless and secure access through the airport security system.
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Joseph Fletcher is a sports crazy guy! He often travels to see the game live in action and says you just cannot beat the atmosphere of a live game.
