Nations Classroom Blog

For most students, embarking on a school-sanctioned class trip is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience. But for a few, it can be a source of great anxiety. The biggest cause of that anxiety is most often the fear of flying.

And they are not alone.  

After months of shelter-in-place and quarantines, states are finally reopening for travel. For many families, this means that vacations and leisure travel can be rescheduled.

As they prepare for the influx of travelers, airports across the United States are preparing new safety and cleanliness standards to keep travelers safe. The TSA plans to roll out their updated security procedures by mid-June. Here's everything travelers will need to know.

Leading an educational tour provides opportunities to teach all types of lessons,  including how to get through airport security as efficiently and painlessly as possible.

Preparing your student travelers and chaperones before heading to the airport with the following advice will give them the practical knowledge they need to reduce stress and enjoy the thrill of group travel. 

Spring and summer travel means traveling with the popular aerosol sunscreens - but what exactly does the TSA allow in a checked bag and in a carry-on?  Review the TSA's guidelines on traveling with aerosols in today's Travel Tips blog post.

Trip leaders and parent chaperones often admit that the most worrisome aspect of traveling with students is getting everyone through airport security efficiently.  But the truth is that airports can be easily maneuvered, as long as everyone in the group is on the same page with packing. 

Luckily, the TSA offers a free app to provide airline passengers with 24/7 access to the most frequently requested airport security information on any mobile device.  Learn more about how the" MyTSA" app can help your students pack and prepare for your trip. (Our  favorite feature? Definitely the searchable database of items that can and can't go in checked or carry-on bags.) 

The most stressful part of student travel for trip leaders and chaperones can often be the thought of getting all the students efficiently through airport security.  Not surprisingly, one of our most popular blog posts is about advice for reducing airport stress when traveling with a school group.  According to a new study conducted by Upgraded Points, these are the U.S. airports with the best and worst TSA security wait times.

Travelers flying in the next two weeks need to be well-prepared as the TSA is predicting a record-breaking number of travelers this holiday season. 

Experienced travelers know that the key to efficient airline travel is smart packing, but what about all the eggnog, poinsettias, and Christmas gifts you need to pack?  Should you wrap your presents before flying or wait until you arrive at your destination?  What about bringing Aunt Sally's leftover fruit cake back home with you?  Is that even allowed past security?   Check out TSA's top recommendations for 2019 Holiday Travel to answer all your questions:

The TSA has designated September 25th as National "If You See Something, Say Something" Awareness Day. 

The campaign works with partners year-round to inspire, empower and educate the public on suspicious activity reporting.  The campaign has identified indicators of terrorism-related suspicious activity - and urges us all to learn the signs and learn how we can all play a role.  

For many students, traveling by airplane is an exciting adventure, filled with an array of sights, sounds, and new experiences.  But for some of our students, particularly those with sensory sensitivities or autism, air travel is a source of discomfort, anxiety and debilitating fear.  One airline, however, is on a mission to ease those anxieties. 

The United States makes up only roughly 4% of the world's population, yet is home to over 30% of the world's airports.  In fact, it's estimated that over 100 million visitors traveled through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2018, making it the busiest airport in the United States, a title held in Atlanta since 1998.  But there's a newly named "top airport" in the United States.  And this time, the rankings are based on quality over quantity.