Your cross country flight will begin in one time zone and end in another. When it is 3 p.m. in Miami, it is only noon in Los Angeles. Be aware of your arrival and departure times for each flight in each time zone. Ideally, you will want to book a nonstop flight. Unfortunately, not everyone lives near a major airport, so making connections via smaller airports is a possibility.
So you don't miss your connecting flight, reset your watch to the time zone of the connecting airport. You can also check your mobile phone when you land--cell phone clocks adjust automatically to new time zones.
Allow adequate time to get through the airport for your next flight. Though it's normal to want the least amount of time between connections, give yourself at least 30 to 90 minutes to change flights. Check the on-time departure and arrival status of your particular carrier and flight to determine how much layover time to allow.
Allot a longer layover time if your'e traveling with children in strollers or individuals in wheelchairs. Take advantage of an airline's wheelchair service. United, for example, will pick up a passenger in need of a wheelchair at the arrival gate and expedite her to her next flight for no charge.
If you are traveling across the country, you are likely traveling with one or more pieces of checked luggage. When checking in at your gateway city, your airline will check your luggage through to your final destination. If you are changing carriers when you change planes, however, look at the tags when you check in to ensure your bags are checked through to the right airport.
