Many NRIs from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia seek travel companions for their visiting elderly parents. Sometimes, they find a companion if they match the companion’s itinerary and travel dates. Most of the time, multiple considerations like reliability, safety, fare, route…make it nearly impossible to get a companion for parents traveling to USA. Indian Eagle, your trusted travel-booking partner, brings you this exclusive guide on how to plan your parents’ first-time travel to USA, along with a checklist for each phase of the long-haul journey.
How to select flight itineraries for unaccompanied parents
Choosing a suitable itinerary for parents’ long-haul flight requires more considerations than planning your travel. The current circumstances, like geopolitical tensions and regional airspace restrictions, call for a great deal of attention to selecting a flight itinerary for unaccompanied senior citizens.
Entry airport in the US (POE): Medium-size airports are easier to navigate, from arrival till exit, than major metropolitan airports. If your parents’ destination is Detroit or Raleigh in the US, choose an itinerary with DTW Airport or RDU Airport as POE rather than Chicago ORD or New York JFK. Some carriers like Turkish Airlines have direct flights to Detroit, and Lufthansa to Raleigh.
Transit airport navigation: Flight itineraries for elderly parents must have easier connections – precisely, without confusing terminal changes and long walks at the transit airport. At London Heathrow Airport, the US-bound travelers from India are often required to change the terminal (T3 to t4), unlike at Qatar Airways and Etihad’s hub airports in the Middle East. It is better to contact Indian Eagle’s customer support for India to US flights with easier international connections.
Layover duration: The shorter the layover, the tighter the connection at a transit airport. Select an itinerary with minimum 3 hours of layover at the operating airline’s transit hub; it will spare elderly parents of palpitation, hurried movements, and anxiety. After hours of sitting onboard during the first leg of international journey, a decent layover (3 to 4 hours) gives them the much-needed space to stroll, stretch, eat, and walk to the next gate for connection.
Total travel time: Since the nonstop flight network is shrinking these days, itineraries with one-stop or two-stop connections have become standard even for senior citizens. The more the connections, the longer the travel time – which leaves the elderly fatigued. IndianEagle.com makes it a lot easier to search for itineraries, check their components, and compare them.
Baggage packing tips for Indian parents going to USA
A good rule of thumb for parents’ first-time travel to USA is to let them travel light. Firstly, review your list of imports from India and strike off secondary items so that they can travel with one checked bag and one carry-on. Secondly, help them pack the bags and keep the contents in an order so as to make airport security checks, transit connections, baggage claim, and US customs clearance less stressful for them. Make sure they follow the below checklist:
- Keep passport, visa documents, medicines, wallet, jewelry, mobile phone, charger, and other valuables in a hand bag.
- Use checked bags mainly for clothes, shoes, toiletries, packaged food items, and daily-use essentials
- Put name tags with Indian and US phone numbers both outside and inside checked bags
- Use Apple AirTag or luggage tracker inside checked baggage, especially for India to USA flights with international connections.
- Tie a bright ribbon or colorful tag on every bag for easy identification
- Avoid prohibited food items from India, such as rice, seeds, fresh fruits, milk products, meats, and unpackaged spices.
- Follow TSA baggage rules for what you can and cannot bring to USA from India.
How to prepare your parents for airports, India to USA
Airport formalities for international travel feel more stressful to elderly travelers if they have never been abroad. Try to acclimatize your parents with the airport processes step by step
- Airline check-in
- Security check
- Immigration in India
- Boarding gate
- Transit airport
- US immigration clearance
- Baggage claim
- CBP inspections
You can share airport terminal walkthrough videos from YouTube with your parents. Visual preparation reduces anxiety more than verbal explanations. Many non-English-speaking parents feel nervous because they think English is necessary everywhere. Reassure them that the airport staff assist passengers, irrespective of language and communication barriers.
Safety checklist for unaccompanied parents’ travel
Many elderly travelers are naturally gullible. You should explain basic travel safety dos and don’ts to them. They should
- Never accept bags from strangers
- Never carry items for unknown passengers
- Never hand over travel documents to a random person
- Never share any one’s food on ground and onboard
- Never leave carry-on bags unattended at the airport
- Never swap their seats with a co-passenger
Know the harms of seat swapping on a flight. Passengers should not swap seats without the cabin crew knowing it. Switching seats creates confusion for flight attendants when it comes to serving passengers according to their preferences and individual needs.
Set up parents’ mobile phone for international travel
A properly prepared phone can make international travel much easier for elderly non-English speaking Indian parents traveling alone.
- Check whether the parent’s phone supports international roaming and US networks
- Install essential apps like Google Translate, Google Maps (offline too), Find My Device, WhatsApp, and more
- Save photos of passport, visa, flight tickets, boarding passes, and your US address
- Create a separate folder in the phone and save digital copies of travel documents in it
- Save emergency contacts on speed dial and create one-tap calling shortcuts
- Increase font size and icon size to make the phone interface easier to use and read
- Guide them how to connect to airport Wi-Fi at transit and US airports
Basic English sentences for crucial communication
Not everyone can speak English fluently. Not a big deal. Confidence is greater than communication in times of crisis. Teach your non-English-speaking parents to communicate in bits and pieces of English; it will help a lot if they get confused or feel overwhelmed at the US port of entry. Even basic English sentences can help them with crucial communication.
- I speak Telugu/Hindi/Bengali.
- I need help.
- Where is my boarding gate?
- I am visiting my son/daughter.
- Can you call my son?
- I am carrying my medicines and food items
Tips for US immigration and CBP clearance at entry airport
For many first-time visitors, US immigration and customs can feel more intimidating than the flight itself. Preparing your parents for the arrival process, common CBP questions, and customs rules can help them clear the airport with confidence.
- Explain the arrival process step by step: Immigration → Baggage Claim → Customs Inspection → Airport Exit
- They should carry printed copies of your address proof, return flight tickets, and contact details in a folder.
- Prepare them for common CBP questions like “Why are you visiting the US?” “Who are you visiting?” “How long will you stay?” “Where are you from?” “What’s in the cabin bag?”
- They must cooperate with CBP officers and respond to their questions honestly, clearly, and briefly.
- International airports use translation tools to assist non-English-speaking travelers these days. Your parents can request language assistance at the US port of entry.
- If they are not comfortable in English, let them carry a pre-written letter (in English) stating their names, return travel dates, purpose of visiting the US (tourism/family), your details, such as contact number and address. Usually, it helps first-time travelers
