Although it might seem unfathomable to the anxious traveler, some more seasoned passengers don’t find it helpful or useful to check the gate at the airport.
“I personally do not check the gate itself,” said Ray Kanevsky, co-founder and CEO of travel agency Two Travel.
“Since most boarding passes don’t have the gate number, the first thing I do is check what gate number I am on the big screen and then what lounge is closest to that gate,″ he added.
Nearly every airport has screens indicating each flight’s time of departure and gate number. These are the most up-to-date information. “People should probably check when they arrive at the airport and once they are through security,” Scott said.
“Check the big screen and get to your gate five to 10 minutes after the official boarding time on your boarding pass and you can steer clear from any stress and anxiety,” Kanevsky said.
Additionally, you can use your airline’s mobile app to check in, check your flight’s status and see the gate number.
Scott recommended planning to check for changes to flight plans at regular intervals, but it’s important to put a limit on it. For example, you can tell yourself, “I’ll check every 30 minutes but not more than twice before I board,” she explained.
At the end of the day, if checking the gate when you get past security helps ease your anxiety, then do it. If signing up for text notifications helps take the edge off, then do that. The most important thing is that you get where you need to be as safely and efficiently as possible.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
