Make sure to grab all your carry-on and personal items before you leave the plane.

If your flight isn’t international, you can just go to the baggage claim. There will be signs pointing you towards the baggage claim. If you get lost or confused, ask an airline employee. Or even ask someone working at one of the snack bars or Starbucks. They will probably know which way the baggage claim is.

If (on an off chance) you get really delayed coming through immigration, the airline might take your bags off the carousel.

If that happens, and you get to the baggage claim and it looks like everyone from your flight has gone and you can’t find your bags there, DON’T PANIC!

The airline will have a small office where they keep bags that got left behind or had an issue. This has happened to me a few times. just go to the office and tell them you can’t find your bag. They will help you. Finding bags is the entire job for those people.

If you are flying internationally, you will have to go through customs. This is where they check to make sure you aren’t bringing in any illegal items, and that you are allowed to enter the country. You will have to fill out a customs form on the plane, or at the airport. It will ask you what country you are from, what country you are entering, and if you have any items that need to be declared.

They will give you this form on the airplane.

You might want to look it over before you leave so you aren’t surprised by anything when you’re jetlagged and trying to figure things out.

When you get to customs, there will be a line. Wait in line. This might take a while.

Nothing on this is too complicated or a trick question. It can just a bit disorienting when you’ve been on a plane for 7 hours and suddenly you’re in a new time zone with new accents.

When it’s your turn, an agent will ask to see your passport and the customs form. They will ask you some questions about your trip, like how long you were gone, where you went, and why you were there. They might also ask if you have anything to declare.

If they ask if you have anything to declare, the correct answer is “I only have personal items for myself.”

Now that you’ve collected all your stuff, it’s time to leave the airport!