The winter holiday season is coming up, and that means airports and roads are going to get busy again. Whether you’re planning a grand trip during your winter vacation, or are just hoping to get home for some rest and relaxation, traveling during this time of year can get a bit stressful. Luckily, you can minimize your worries with a little bit of preparation. Check out this quick list below of do’s and don’t’s for traveling during the holiday season.Family travel tips and advice with all of the things to do and not to do if you decide to travel on holiday season.Look at this article.
DO’S
DO make sure you’ve set aside enough time to get to your destination
Almost everyone is headed home during the holidays, so you won’t be the only group on the road this time of the year. According to CNN, a record-breaking 112.5 million Americans traveled during the December holiday season in 2018. That’s a 4.4% increase over numbers in 2017, and the upward trend looks like it’s going to continue into 2019. Make sure to set aside ample travel time, and keep track of traffic updates and other relevant information so you don’t get stuck in the rush.
DO be prepared for the Christmas rush at the airport
This is one of the busiest times of the year for airports and aircraft. Aviation JobNet predicts a 4% to 6% rise in passengers between November and December compared to 2018. Airports can get pretty chaotic, so it’s important that you keep track of all your belongings and where you’re supposed to go. Be prepared for long lines and slight delays at the check-in counters and security and immigration, and don’t be surprised if your pre-flight preps take longer than usual.
DO try to travel during off-peak days
Most people do their traveling during the period right before Christmas and after New Year’s. These dates are popular for a reason, but unfortunately, that means tons of people at the airport or on the road, as well as higher ticket prices overall. If you don’t mind spending your holidays traveling, you can usually find that ticket prices are cheaper on Christmas and New Year’s Day, and you won’t have to deal with the masses of people at the airport. If you can’t handle that, setting your travel plans for a weekday rather than a weekend is all right too.
DON’T’S
DON’T travel with too many wrapped gifts
While Christmas is the season for giving, a lot can go wrong with your gifts if you aren’t too careful. Airport security may find something suspicious in your gifts and ask you to unwrap them. And while SITA reports that the baggage mishandling rate has dropped more than 70% since 2007, you still don’t want to have to deal with the hassle of a lost check-in full of presents. To avoid these problems, try wrapping your gifts in easy to open paper bags, or have them shipped to your destination instead.
DON’T fly without knowing your rights
With so many people traveling during the holiday season, you have to be prepared for anything to go wrong. The likelihood of flights being overbooked or delayed increases with the amount of people traveling, so it’s important to understand your rights as a traveler. If an airline bumps you off their passenger list or loses your checked bag, you need to know what you’re entitled to. Smarter Travel has an Air Passenger Rights cheat sheet that you can print or save to your phone just for situations like these.
