Whenever there’s a connection, there’s always that chance you could miss your flight. Getting on the connecting flight could be hassle sometime, so here are quick tips for an smooth connection

Book a Nonstop or Direct Flight- The top way to make a smooth connection is to book nonstop flights or flights that stop but continue on without changing planes. No matter how it's done, direct is always the best route.

Don't Book Flights on Separate Airlines - Some travelers book flights on two separate airlines to get lower fares. Resist the temptation, because if the first carrier has a delay and cancellation, your connection could be ruined -- and it could cost you a lot more in the end.

Choose the Right Airline Hub- long haul flight mostly have a stop over choosing an easy, helpful hub makes loads of different.

Avoid the Last Flight of the Day- And no matter what the cause, if you miss that last flight of the day, you will probably be staying at your location overnight and fighting with other passengers. 

Choose an Aisle Seat near the Front- When booking your flight, choose a seat in the front part of the plane, and make sure it's an aisle seat so you can make a quick getaway if necessary. If a seat isn't available online, try asking the gate agent to make a seat change.

Check in Before Arriving to the Airport- These days, anyone can print a boarding pass in the comfort of their home. They can also download a   Mobile boarding pass on their smartphones. So why waste time at the airport checking in via skycaps, kiosks, or ticketing agents? Plus, if you need to make changes, it’s less crowded at customer service counters or gates past airport security.

Don't Make Tight Connections- When booking a connecting flight, it is worth stating the obvious. So when booking a flight, make sure you have at least an hour to connect on domestic flights and two hours for international ones.

Carry Your Own Luggage- If you’ve checked luggage, it means that you will be wasting precious minutes waiting for your bags and rechecking them. 

Have Documents Ready- Have documents like passports and boarding passes easily accessible. You don't want to waste precious minutes during a tight connection looking for your boarding documents.

Use Your Smartphone- Most airlines, along with services like FlightView, have text message services that give you flight status alerts. A bonus with this is if you are running late, they have the ability to automatically rebook you on a later flight. If you choose not to use the text service, at least make sure you have your airline on speed dial to call them in case the worst happens.

Written by Evita Lopes