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10 holiday travel tips

December 15, 2010 | (0) Comments

The holidays are upon us, and that means friends, family, food, gift giving and celebration. Too often, it also means stress – and travel can be a contributing factor when we don’t plan early and properly.

With tens of millions of people simultaneous trying to gather with family and friends, holiday season travel can be like wading into a giant mosh pit. Security checks, time delays, canceled flights and exorbitant prices are some of the frustrations.

The good news is that you have more control over your travel experience (even during the bustling holidays) than you might realize. Allow us to help. Here are 10 holiday travel tips from the website IndependentTraveler that can make the difference.

Avoid peak travel dates. Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Saturdays this year, which means Friday is the critical outbound “avoid” day. Traveling on Christmas or New Year’s Day is often a breeze and more affordable; there are often cut-rate airfare deals on holidays. Fly on the holiday itself if possible, and avoid Sunday evening at the end of the long weekend. The bottom line: If you are looking for a deal, you won’t find one on the peak travel days.

Book early. Haven’t booked your holiday travel yet? It’s time to stop waiting and start booking. Fares are only rising as the holidays approach, so those who hold out in hopes of a late-breaking sale are likely to get left out in the cold or pay a very steep price for their procrastination. With the current state of the airline industry, it is never too early to book your holiday travel flights. While many of the best deals are probably already gone, you can still get a deal if you’re prepared to be flexible with dates and flight times.

Shop around. Whether you’re using booking sites like Travelocity, bid or auction sites such as Priceline, or aggregator sites, shopping has never been easier. During peak travel season, casting the net as wide as possible will help you understand all of your options. For many travelers, price isn’t the only or even the most important factor, especially during the holidays. Thoughtful, deliberate use of the “search adjacent days or airports” features found on many web sites may also surrender greatly improved fares and travel times.

Know your airports. Checking alternate airports is a pretty standard tactic, but at this time of year it can really make a difference. At no time can the alternate airport gambit pay off better than during the holiday crush. You can score on almost every front – parking, rental cars, traffic to and from, nearby hotels – and save both time and money. For example, a flight to Hanscom airport outside Boston can drop you right into Thoreau and Minuteman country near the peak foliage season, offering a very different experience than flying into Logan. Also, keep in mind that smaller airports see fewer flights and, typically, fewer delays – not a small consideration during the busy holiday travel season.

Plot connections carefully. When booking flights, check your search results carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes. Particularly during the winter months, peak travel times often bring peak travel delays, and your connection is more likely to be jeopardized. Avoiding really tight connections may save you a sprint through the terminal or a missed flight. Also, it is best if you can muscle your flight path into position so that connections are in places less likely to experience delays – specifically, airports in warmer climates.

Leave early. During peak travel times, much of the trouble you’ll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Leave early for the airport and anticipate all the peripheral delays you may encounter.

Pack wisely. In the past, you may have been able to fit everything into your carry-on without having to check any baggage – a strategy we still recommend. However, Transportation Security Administration rules about liquids and gels make this a trickier proposition. For the record, you may bring liquids and gels in three-ounce or smaller containers, packed within a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. You’re also allowed to bring any liquids (such as coffee or water) or gels purchased after you go through a security checkpoint onto your plane with you. If you want to bring more than the three-ounce amounts, you’ll have to pack the items in your checked luggage. When packing keep in mind that most airlines are now charging travelers a fee for checking any bags on domestic flights. Read more about trimming your luggage load in the IndependentTraveler’s tips for what not to pack.

Use the web for more than just booking. The latest self-service developments in online travel can be tremendous time-savers during peak travel times. Whenever possible, print your boarding passes at home or use check-in kiosks. These services are no longer restricted to the airport, and can be found in hotels and other places in increasing numbers. Think about doing your holiday shopping online and having your gifts shipped to your destination. This will cut down on luggage and the risk of them getting lost.

Travel early or late in the day. As a rule, airports are least congested at times when normal human beings would rather be at home or even asleep. Delays are far less likely for morning flights, and airports usually unclog as the afternoon and evening peak passes. A couple of caveats: Staffing can be spotty for really early flights, so although your flight is highly likely to be ready to leave on time, check-in may take a while, along with other personnel-dependent steps like riding shuttle buses.

Consider package deals. Peak travel periods can be the best time to buy package deals, even for folks who would never buy one, as the bundled pricing offered by packages can be very competitive, even (or especially) at times of high demand.

Some more tips…

Be prepared for more than the usual slowdowns at security. Even though the TSA’s liquid and gel rules have been around for years, folks who fly very rarely might not be familiar with all the ins and outs – and new types of screening machines could catch even frequent travelers off guard.
Gas up the night before you travel; no one leaves enough time for buying gas on the way to the airport.
Investigate your frequent flier options to get better (and better guaranteed) seats.
Bring diversions. Take along work, books, magazines, a CD player, some healthy snacks – whatever you need to get through delays. This goes double when traveling with kids.
Keep your cool. Airline employees have considerable power over your well-being. Unfortunately many enjoy wielding it against you, and few respond well to anger.
Have phone numbers for everything – your hotel, your car rental agency, your airline, friends at your destination. Directory assistance is expensive, whether from your cell or a phone booth.
Check flight status repeatedly. Know your airline’s 800 number as well as your flight numbers and exact times.
When traveling on an E-ticket, carry a printout of your itinerary from your airline or booking site.
Choose nonstop flights. The worst, most brutal delays occur in connecting airports, where you have no home, friends or family to retreat to.
With airlines continuing to cut back on service, it’s more important than ever to confirm your flight several days before you leave, that way you’ll have a little leeway to make alternate plans if necessary.
If you know you’ll need long-term airport parking while you’re away, be sure to reserve yourself a spot ahead of time at an off-airport lot so you’re guaranteed a space.
Don’t over-pack even checked luggage; overstuffed bags that must be opened for a security check are much harder to repack.
Do not wrap gifts, especially if you intend to carry them on the plane. Even in checked baggage, there is a strong chance they will be unwrapped for inspection by security personnel. Consider gift bags instead of wrapping paper this holiday season, so you can easily remove the items from their bags if required and you don’t have to do a last-minute wrapping job at your destination.
Give your cell phone a full charge and write down or program the phone number of your airline so you can call easily as your flight time approaches.
If you’re leaving pets at home and you haven’t made kennel reservations, do so right away. If Fido is coming along, check out this IndependentTraveler article Traveling with Pets.