This guide breaks pre-trip planning into a timeline, working backward from
your travel date. Each stage lists the specific things worth arranging in
advance, so travel day itself involves as few new decisions as possible.
3–4 weeks before
Check the airport's accessibility page. Look up your departure and
arrival airports in our airport directory and open the linked
source page. Accommodations and booking windows vary by airport.
Book special assistance if the airport requires advance notice. Some
airports and airlines ask for 48 hours' notice; others want it at booking.
Confirm the airport's specific requirement rather than assuming.
Order a Sunflower lanyard, or add the digital pass to the Hidden
Disabilities Sunflower app, if you plan to use one. See our
Sunflower program page for how it works.
Photo via Unsplash
1–2 weeks before
Look for a social story or visual guide. Several airports publish
PDF walkthroughs of the security and boarding process with real photos of
their own terminal. These are listed on individual airport pages in our
directory when available.
Plan carry-on items, including anything for your sensory kit.
Check security rules for any items you're unsure about (liquids, medical
devices, specific sensory tools) so nothing is confiscated at the gate.
Confirm seating requests with the airline if seat location matters to
you (aisle access, avoiding the very back near the galley, extra legroom
for stimming space).
2–3 days before
Write the itinerary. A short, ordered list of what happens between
leaving home and boarding reduces in-the-moment decision load. See our
trip anxiety guide for a template.
Check the current security wait times for your specific airport and
terminal if the airport publishes them, and decide on an arrival time with
some buffer built in, since rushing tends to amplify sensory and emotional
load.
Pack the night before, not the morning of.
Photo via Unsplash
Day of travel
Build in more time than you think you need. A slower, less rushed
pace through the terminal is usually worth leaving home earlier for.
Locate the quiet room or sensory room early, if the airport has one,
rather than only seeking it out once you're already overwhelmed.
Use the Sunflower lanyard or verbally flag your needs to the first
staff member you interact with if you anticipate needing extra time or a
quieter route.
A condensed checklist
✔︎ Airport accessibility page checked
✔︎ Special assistance booked (if required)
✔︎ Sunflower lanyard ordered or app downloaded
✔︎ Social story / visual guide reviewed
✔︎ Sensory kit packed
✔︎ Seating request confirmed
✔︎ Written itinerary saved somewhere accessible
✔︎ Buffer time built into the day-of schedule
Print or copy this list into your notes app and check items off as you go;
having a visible record of what's already handled can itself reduce anxiety
in the final days before a trip.
