Travel Advice in Preparation for Holiday Travel

With holiday travel coming up, it is time to mentally prepare for the crowds and rush of the season. Here are 7 tips to get through holiday travel:

1. Off-peak travel days

Travel during off-peak days – as in not the day before Thanksgiving, but on the day before that when everyone is still at school and work. This can save you money and the stress of dealing with the loads of holiday travelers.

2. Travel on the actual holiday

If you can arrive at your destination for dinner, travel on the actual holiday, such as on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Airports are significantly emptier so you will likely experience fewer delays.

3. Fly early or fly late

Fly in the early morning or late evenings. These inconveniently scheduled flights may be cheaper because there are fewer people willing to fly at that time.

4. Add cushion time on travel day

Add more time in getting to the airport. Even just an added 30 minutes more than the usual 1, 1.5 hours ahead of time can make a difference when it comes to check-in and security lines.

5. Mentality prepare

The holiday rush cannot be completely avoided. There will be those frustrating travelers and procedures to get through. So the best you can do is to mentally prepare for it and have an extra dose of patience during this holiday travel season.

6. Avoid airline counters

The longest lines at the airport are found at the airport check-in counters. If you can, avoid these lines by checking-in online, printing your ticket (or having the mobile boarding pass), and checking-in your luggage at curbside check-in or simply traveling with a carry-on bag.

7. Phone chargers, books, snacks

Bring a phone charger as you will find yourself using up the battery while waiting in lines and waiting for your flight to board. Or, use this as your opportunity to read a book. And finally, bring or buy snacks as you will be there for hours and will surely get hungry.

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