If you fly the skies often you know how challenging and expensive navigating an airport is. Cheddar's own Ashley Mastronardi finds out how you can stretch your dollar when flying.


<div class="block">If you fly the skies often you know how challenging and expensive navigating an airport is. Cheddar&#39;s own Ashley Mastronardi finds out how you can stretch your dollar when flying.</div>
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Stretching Your Dollar

Frequent Buyer: How to Save Big Bucks at the Airport 

If you're a frequent flyer, you're most likely a frequent buyer. Everything in the airport is designed for you to spend money. So what you want to do is plan ahead from getting to the airport to checking your luggage and fueling up on snacks. Personal finance expert, Jennifer Streaks says planning in advance can save you big bucks. You definitely want to check into taking public transportation that often going to be the quickest and cheapest method of transportation to get to the airport. If that's not an option, then I would look into maybe an airport shuttle. The next thing I would say is reserve your Uber or lift in advance because it's going to be much cheaper. If you reserve it, you're going to get the best fare. Once you get to the airport, then you have to check your luggage. The first thing is to pack light, you save money right off the top. If you don't have to check a bag, the next thing and this is a trick, maybe a gamble even think about checking your bag at the gate instead of the check in counter. Because if your flight is full airline employees might be looking for bags that they can check to make room for overhead storage. So you've got your transportation settled, your luggage settled. But what happens when you get behind the security line? Streaks says there's also ways to save on concessions like water by bringing a refillable water bottle. Also for food. If you don't want to spend money on food, bring in a snack, bring in a snack bar, a protein bar or something like that. Also bring your own books and magazines to read. You don't have to spend on the news stands. Streak says most importantly spend abundantly on the things that bring you peace of mind. Traveling is already a pain. Sometimes with layovers delays, cancellations, you are carrying luggage, so you might as well make it the best trip that you can have. So just plan for it and budget accordingly. And that rings more true than ever with all of the flight cancellations this summer. Ashley Masar chatter news.