Departing Cabo: first of all, leave the booze behind (now you know where our villa’s collection of liquor comes from!). You can no longer take it in your carry-on and if you put it in your checked baggage, trust me, it will break. Go ahead —ask me how I know Kahlua is 90% sugar…

However, if you can, pack snacks and water for the airport wait, as the prices are quite high. It used to be that you could take your water to the boarding gate, but no longer true! Now you’re stuck paying US$4 for a 1/2 liter of water, so hydrate during the drive to the airport. As far as getting to the airport on time, we usually arrive 1.5 hours prior to the flight and never feel rushed. They’re pretty efficient at SJD, at least at the Alaska Airlines check-in counter.