How to Skip Those Lines

Insider secrets for getting reservations at always-booked restaurants, tickets to popular sporting events and concerts, important medical appointments, and more

We’ve all experienced the stress of missing a flight because of long security lines, waiting on hold for an hour trying to get through to the IRS, or being told we have to wait a month to see a doctor for back pain.

All that waiting may be one of the most unpleasant things we have to do. According to the 2022 State of Waiting in Line survey by the technology company Waitwhile, it’s like a form of torture. Nearly 69 percent of 1,000 consumers surveyed said it made them feel bored, annoyed, frustrated, and impatient. Richard Larson, a retired MIT professor who has studied queues, says that Americans spend two to three years over their lifetime in them, and that lines make us feel like life is literally slipping away while we just stand there. And then there are the lost opportunities. What would we do with our time if we had two or three years of it back?

But with some clever moves, you can avoid long lines and put the time you reclaim to better use.

Reduce Doctor Office Waits

The average wait for an appointment with a doctor for new patients is 26 days. That’s according to a 2022 survey of 1,034 medical offices in 15 metropolitan areas by the physician recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins (now AMN Healthcare Physician Solutions). It’s the longest average wait time since the company began the surveys in 2004. Here’s how to make it shorter.

Get on a waiting list. Doctors’ offices often get last-minute cancellations. So book the earliest appointment you’re offered, but then ask to be put on a waiting list. You can also call the office to ask when cancellations tend to happen. For example, a receptionist who books appointments for Advanced Dermatology, which has offices in Connecticut and New York, told us that cancellations are more likely on Mondays and Fridays, and that the best time to call on those days is between 8 and 10 a.m.

Work the provider’s portal. Use your practice’s online patient portal to send a message to your doctor directly. Explain what your problem is and ask if it’s possible to get an appointment sooner than the one given to you by the front desk.

See a specialist more quickly. Ask your referring doctor to call the specialist’s office to explain why you should be seen in a more timely way. Or get a referral to another specialist who can see you sooner.

Use an independent pharmacy. In the past, CR found that 41 percent of people surveyed said mom-and-pop pharmacists went out of their way to fill prescriptions quickly. Only 20 percent said that was true at chain pharmacies. Independent pharmacies were also more likely to suggest a less expensive drug.

Speed Through an Airport

The most dreaded lines at an airport are for security screening and rental cars. But there are ways to beat them.

Enroll in an airport security program. Paying for security clearance programs can significantly cut your time in lines. TSA PreCheck, for example, gives you access to faster security lanes at more than 200 airports for $78 for a five-year membership. As of July 2024, 99 percent of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than 10 minutes in line, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

If you’ll be traveling overseas more than once in the next five years, Nick Ewen, senior editorial director at the travel website The Points Guy, recommends joining the Global Entry Program instead. It includes TSA PreCheck and provides expedited entry back into the U.S. A five-year membership costs $100.

You can apply online at ttp.dhs.gov, then schedule an in-person appointment at one of the Global Entry enrollment centers near you. One drawback: Due to a backlog, it may take a few months to get an appointment.

Download an airline’s app. That usually lets you get your boarding pass 24 hours in advance. And many airline apps allow you to easily change your seat and track your checked luggage, and they’ll alert you to flight changes.

Join rental car loyalty programs. It’s free to join a rental car company’s loyalty program. Membership will typically allow you to skip the line at the counter and go directly to the rental car garage at larger airports. There, you’ll find a kiosk or person to tell you where to find your car. "The keys are in the car, you show your license and credit card on the way out, and you’re on your way," Ewen says.

Avoid Lines at Stores

People spend more time waiting in line at retail stores than at banks, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and restaurants combined, according to a 2022 survey by Waitwhile, the technology company. But the strategies below can speed you through the checkouts (or avoid them altogether).

Schedule a pickup. Getting your goods at the curb is now more ubiquitous than you might expect. A 2024 survey from Digital Commerce 360, a research company, found that 48 percent of the top 500 retail chains in the U.S. offer this free convenience, up from just 10 percent in 2020. So after ordering online, you can avoid stepping foot in the stores of retailers as far ranging as Best Buy, The Container Store, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gap, Home Depot, Kohl’s, Nordstrom, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Old Navy, Petco, Target, and Walmart.

Seek out stores with ’smart’ technology. Smart carts, which can be found at a growing number of supermarkets, including Kroger and ShopRite, have sensors and scanners that keep a running tab on items you put in them, along with payment systems, so that you can bypass a register altogether.

Whole Foods Market has been testing Dash Cart, its own version of a smart cart, since 2022.

Some smaller regional chains are also getting into the smart cart game, including some Save Mart and Lucky stores, both of which are part of a 194-store chain in California and western Nevada.

At some retailers, you don’t even need to use a smart cart to avoid standing in a checkout line. Technology developed by Amazon called Just Walk Out is showing up in convenience stores, entertainment venues, sports stadiums, and more. It uses computer vision, cameras, and sensors to track your purchases. You scan a credit card or mobile wallet when you enter, shop, then just leave. Your purchases are automatically charged to the payment method you chose.

Score Reservations and Tickets

Tired of missing out on exhibition openings and seats at top-rated restaurants? Solutions ahead.

Join a presale list. Tickets to events like concerts often go on sale early to fans, usually as a reward for their membership or customer loyalty. Set up a Ticketmaster account if you don’t have one so that when tickets go on sale, you’ll be ready with your payment and contact info. Then make sure to mark all of the artists, performers, and sports teams as "favorites" so it can deliver information to you about future sales.

Also, go to the websites of local live performance venues to subscribe to their newsletters for presale alerts. And sign up on the websites of artists you’d like to see perform to get presale notices. Sports teams may also give fans on their email list early access to tickets; go to their websites to sign up.

Become a member. The cost of an annual membership to a museum or other cultural institution typically can get you free admission over the course of a year and early access to show openings, special programs, guest tickets, and more. An $83 membership at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, for example, grants early access to museum events, discounts to the Alliance Theatre and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and other perks. A $100 membership to the Public Theater in New York City earns you priority access to performances before the general public, waived fees on tickets, and free ticket exchanges, among other benefits.

Book a table at popular restaurants. The only way to wrangle a table at some dining places is by using a digital reservation system like OpenTable or Resy.

No openings? Go to the website (or call) to find out when the restaurant opens up tables on these apps. Some release reservations for an entire month on the first day of the previous month, while others open them up every night at midnight for the corresponding date one month ahead. Book the minute they make tables available. If one isn’t available through Resy, hit the "Notify" button to be alerted if a reservation opens up.

Get passes to tourist attractions. Before you take off on a trip, go to the website of places you want to visit. Entry into some national parks, like Arches in Utah, requires a pass you may need to buy well in advance. Must-see spots abroad like the Colosseum in Rome can book out months in advance, so it’s essential to get online reservations early.

Get Through to the IRS

Call this number. If you want to speak to an IRS rep, cut waiting time by calling 800-829-1040; for business filers, it’s 800-829-4933. For info on a current-year refund, try the automated refund line at 800-829-1954 or 866-464-2050 for an amended return. The IRS website says wait times average about 3 minutes from January through April and 11 minutes from May through December.

Download the app. The IRS app, IRS2Go, provides general information about tax filing, the status of a refund, tax payment options, and other IRS news. You can also request transcripts of tax returns, helpful when addressing IRS inquiries.

Schedule an appointment. Need advice on a complicated tax issue? Schedule an in-person appointment at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. TACs provide services that include assistance with account inquiries, tax return prep, and document review. Use the Taxpayer Assistance Locator tool or the IRS2Go app to find one near you.

Hire help. The average cost to hire an accountant to deal with tax issues was $38 an hour in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But a CPA can often expedite the resolution process by communicating directly with the IRS so you don’t have to.

Avoid Long Voting Lines

Take advantage of early or mail-in voting. You may have already done this if you live in a state with these options. If not, check with your local or state election office by phone or online. Or search for details by your address on the League of Women Voters Education Fund to find your best polling station options

"Lines tend to be longer on the first and last day of early voting," says Rachel Orey, director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Elections Project. Lines also tend to be longer right when polls open, she says, then ease up over the course of the day.

Pick the best time to vote in person. Before going to vote, check with your election office to see if it provides wait times at its polling locations via online tools or mobile apps. Counties in California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, and Texas have provided that info for past elections. Otherwise, remember that the longest lines tend to be before and after regular working hours and during lunchtime. "Go between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. if you can," says Jeanette Senecal, senior director of mission impact for the League of Women Voters of the United States.

Find alternate polling locations. Some areas, especially those in larger cities, offer multiple polling sites where you can cast your ballot. For example, some community centers, colleges, and universities have voting locations for residents and students. Penn State offers mail-in boxes and early voting for residents of Centre County and day-of voting for students. The University of Michigan has two polling locations run by the city clerk’s office in Ann Arbor for residents and students. Ask your local election authority to see if alternate polling spots that tend to have shorter lines are available to you.

Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the October 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2024, Consumer Reports, Inc.