The busy spring break travel season begins March 11 and will last through the end of the month.  Passenger volumes are expected to increase as leisure travelers, including college students and families, start their vacations. Passengers should arrive two hours before their flight departure and anticipate that the security process will last at least 30 minutes.

Houston Airports suggests these tips to make your travel easy and stress-free:

Before leaving for the airport:

• Verify airline departure time before leaving for the airport.
• All passengers — with the exception of minors— are required to present government issued photo identification.
• International travelers of any age must have a passport and other required documents.  Passengers should make copies of these documents and carry an extra set with them should the original identification be lost or stolen.
• Limit carry-on items to one bag and one personal item.
• Passengers are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in carry-on bags and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces or less per item. Placing these items in the small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage better facilitates the screening process.
• Many airlines offer online check-in up to 24 hours before flight departure

At the airport:

• Arrive two hours before flight departure.
• Passengers have a variety of convenient parking options when flying from Houston Airports.
  • Valet Parking: enjoy the convenience of drop-off service available inside each terminal garage
  • Terminal Parking: each terminal has a dedicated parking garage
  • ecopark:  on-airport economy parking lot. Reservations can be made in advance.
• Utilize the self-service check-in kiosks. These machines are offered by most airlines and allow passengers to print boarding passes, check luggage, select seats and purchase upgrades.
• When approaching the security checkpoint, passengers should have their government issued photo ID or passport available with their boarding pass.  To expedite time through the security screening process, slip-on shoes are recommended.  Passengers not eligible for TSA’s Pre✓™ program should be prepared to remove shoes and jackets for screening.  All laptops, portable DVD players or large electronic items must be removed from their cases and placed into their own bin.  Passengers should place keys, cell phones, pagers, and loose change in their carry-on bags before getting in the security line.
• Due to TSA security restrictions regarding liquids, passengers should plan on purchasing their beverages after clearing security.  Houston Airports offers a variety of food and beverage outlets for passengers in the secure area.

Additional travel tips can be found on the TSA web site at www.TSATravelTips.us.