SFO (And General Airport) Hack: When There's Traffic At Departures... Just Go to Arrivals.

Mindy Kaling once famously asked, "Is everyone hanging out without me?" This is a question I'd never asked myself -- until today. Because today they are. In the Bahamas. On a boat. Without me. Even though I went to ActionQuest and I'm an awesome sailor and a Master Scuba Diver.

But I digress. 

​The point is, there was a ton of traffic when I dropped my friend off at SFO. Like, a TON. But we spent exactly zero minutes stuck in it.

Why was there traffic? 

I assumed it was because it's the Fourth of July weekend. But an American Airlines employee told me it's because Uber/Lyft drivers aren't allowed to pick you up at Arrivals -- so people who are departing and people who are arriving are all using the Departures level.

Either way, the traffic was pretty crazy.

But instead of waiting in it, I was mindful. (It's easy to be complacent, but I prefer not to be.)

I thought, if all you have to do to get from Arrivals to Departures is take an elevator up one level... why not just drop your passenger off at Arrivals?

That's what I did, and it worked like a charm. 

As usual, I was cutting things pretty close -- we had about three minutes of wiggle room before American decided it was too late to check a bag. And the only​ reason that wasn't a problem... is because we used Arrivals instead of Departures.

Another option, in case Arrivals is also crazy, is to use the parking garage. At SFO, the first ten minutes are free -- which I'm pretty sure is because of the traffic. Enter the garage and follow the signs to your correct terminal. 

Then just walk across the little bridge thingie over the road into the terminal. Whether you end up in Arrivals or Departures doesn't really matter -- they're literally just a floor apart.

So do that! Don't miss your flight. Don't contribute to the problem. Don't pollute. And have a good trip!

Also, if you enjoyed learning a bit about traffic, one of the coolest books I've read recently is Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us), by Tom Vanderbilt. It's incredibly epic, and I probably quote it at least once a week. Ideally, you will listen to the audiobook while road tripping from San Francisco to LA, with a stop in Disneyland. You will find the information incredibly timely and relevant.

Want to know more airport and travel hacks? Check out:

• Long Layover in Korea? Don't Miss These FREE Tours From Incheon International Airport!
• Last-Minute Change of Travel Plans? This Trick Will Get You Your Deposit Back EVERY Time.
• Are Probiotics the Key To Avoiding (And Treating) Traveler's Diarrhea?
• First Class Cabins May Increase Air Rage, But The Economist is Wrong About Why
• Advantages of traveling while female.

​Oh! Also. Regarding those jerks who went to the Bahamas without me?

​Their loss.