Start your trip with less stress

• Take a screenshot of your boarding pass. Airline apps and airport Wi-Fi have an uncanny ability to stop cooperating exactly when you reach the front of the line. Keep an offline copy on your phone.

• Know which terminal you're leaving from before you head to the airport. At some large airports, changing terminals after arriving can mean another train, bus, or security line.

• Put an identification card inside your suitcase. Luggage tags can disappear. Put your name, email, and phone number inside the bag as backup. Avoid putting unnecessary personal information on an external luggage tag.

• Photograph your checked bag before handing it over. If it disappears or is damaged, you'll have a current photograph showing exactly what it looks like.

• Use a luggage tracker. A small tracker can help you determine whether your suitcase made the connection even before the airline does. Check your airline's rules, although qualifying small trackers are permitted in checked luggage under U.S. aviation rules.

• Keep your power bank with you. This one catches people out: spare lithium batteries and power banks cannot go in checked baggage. If your carry-on is unexpectedly gate-checked, remove them first.

• Don't put all your essentials in your checked bag. Medication, documents, electronics and at least one change of clothes belong in your carry-on. A delayed suitcase is annoying. A delayed suitcase containing everything you need is a much bigger problem.

• Check the airport map before a tight connection. Knowing that your next gate is in another concourse can change how quickly you leave the aircraft — and whether you stop for coffee first.