Traveling on business can be hard work. With all those trips and waiting around in the airport, you?ll probably want to minimize the time you spend in the airport.

But one area where delays can occur is at security. If you make a mistake and pack the wrong thing, this could cause holdups, which can be frustrating. Here?s what you need to know to keep Homeland Security happy.

Know What You Can and Cannot Take on the Flight

The first thing you should do is know about any banned items and substances, and you can do this by visiting the TSA?s website page here. It will only take five minutes, and you will find out exactly what you can take.

If you have any doubts before your flight, always check this page. If you end up taking something you are not allowed to take, you could face difficulties including delays. You might also have to give up the item because you cannot take it on the flight.

Prepare Your Luggage Before Joining the Queue

One of the best things you can do to speed up the process is to prepare yourself before you join the queue for security. This means putting your watch, belt, coins, and other metal objects into your carry-on bag rather than having them on you, packing your liquids in a single clear plastic bag, and removing your laptop or tablet.

Then when you join the queue, you can simply place everything on the tray and pass through quickly rather than struggling to sort everything out in the moment.

Stick to Liquids of 100 ml or Less

If you pack liquids or gels in your bag, always ensure you don?t use bottles or containers larger than 100 ml so you stick to the rules. This applies even if you don?t actually have 100 ml of liquid. For example, having a 200 ml bottle that is only a quarter full will still not be allowed.

Arrive at Security with Lots of Time

While you don?t want to spend too much time in the airport if you can help it, you don?t want to be rushing to catch your flight either. The problem with security is that you never know quite what you can expect to find. Sometimes the queues are incredibly long, the machines might stop working properly, or there might be a holdup because someone has packed something they shouldn?t have.

So make sure you arrive with lots of time to spare. If you are flying back from your trip, make sure you know how long it takes to get from your hotel to the airport. If you?re staying somewhere like the Marriott Vail Mountain Resort, the trip is likely to be longer than if you?re saying in a city hotel.

Just make sure you know the travel times, and check the traffic, which you can do using an app like Google Maps. This will ensure you arrive with plenty of time.

Don?t Get Frustrated

Finally, try to keep relaxed when you go through security. Don?t get stressed if it takes a long time, don?t get angry with the security guards, and always be polite. Also, don?t try to make any jokes about terrorism because they will be taken seriously.

As long as you have prepared in advance, you shouldn?t have any problems, and then you can get through quickly and get on with enjoying your trip.