Build in more buffer than you think you need. Airport traffic is unpredictable even outside of peak hours, and security lines can run long during holidays, early mornings, and school breaks. A good rule of thumb: arrive at the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one, then work backward from there to set your pickup time.

Avoid long-term parking fees by having a driver bring your car back. Airport parking can run $20-$40 a day depending on the lot, which adds up fast on a week-long trip. Instead of parking and paying by the day, a driver can drop you at departures and your car never has to sit in a lot at all.

Know your airport's terminal layout before you leave. JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty each have multiple terminals serving different airlines, and picking the wrong one can cost you 15-20 minutes of extra travel once you're already on airport grounds. Confirm your terminal on your boarding pass or airline app before you're en route.

Plan your return trip before you land. If you're being picked up, share your flight number so your driver can track delays and adjust the pickup time automatically — you don't want to be stuck curbside for 40 minutes after a long flight.

Keep valuables and documents on your person, not in checked luggage. This applies no matter how you get to the airport, but it's worth repeating: passports, IDs, and anything irreplaceable should stay in a bag you carry on.