Holiday travel: Get through airport security as quickly as possible

Canadians will be packing into airports this month as the busy holiday travel season begins. Here are some tips from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority on how to avoid hassles and delays in the coming weeks.

CATSA spokesperson Mathieu Larocque said one major way to avoid delays is to double-check your carry-on bags to make sure you aren't carrying any items which are not permitted such as scissors or blades.

"It's a common mistake by travellers, especially when you're travelling with families – there's lots of bags and lots of stress," he told CTV's Canada AM.

Snacks, liquids and gels

Families should also look out for any snacks in gel or liquid form, like peanut butter, yogurt or jams. These items are considered gels and are only permitted in a carry-on if it's less than 100 mL, he said.

Those parents travelling with children under the age of two are allowed to bring certain liquids with them including formula and juice, but these must be presented to the screening officers beforehand, he said.

Leave gifts unwrapped

Larocque said passengers should also leave any gifts they're carrying unwrapped, as the screening officers may be required to unwrap them during the security check.

"The screening officers, they love to open presents, but they love to open their own presents not the passengers'," he said. "So if you're travelling with a gift, we advise not to wrap them."

Larocque said that despite many of these restrictions being well-known for some time, CATSA continues to confiscate non-permitted items every single day.

"We see all sorts of things. Just recently this spring, we saw a passenger who tried to come through with a small chain saw in Montreal," he said. "In Vancouver, we've seen a bottle of rice wine with a marinating dead cobra (inside)."

Check bag fees

Check to see if your airline charges for checking in any bags. In September, Air Canada and WestJet announced they would be charging passengers a new $25-fee for the first checked bag.

The fee will be charged to WestJet economy passengers travelling within Canada and to the U.S.

Air Canada economy passengers travelling within Canada and to Mexico and the Caribbean will be charged the fee.

Consider NEXUS

If you frequently travel to the U.S., you may want to consider enrolling in the NEXUS program. The program is designed to speed up border clearance to the U.S. and Canada for pre-approved travellers.

To become a member of NEXUS you must submit an application, meet the eligibility criteria and pass both U.S. and Canadian risk assessments.

Travellers who are approved in NEXUS will receive an ID Card that they may use whenever they enter Canada or the U.S. They will save time by using the designated NEXUS kiosks and border inspection lanes at most major airports.

Membership costs $50 per applicant aged 18 and over and lasts for five years.

During the time of year, many of the airports across Canada will see a surge in passengers. It is estimated that about 60,000 people will go through the security screening at Toronto's Pearson International Airport in December, up from the usual 40,000.