Remain calm when traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas: Holiday Travel Tips

November 24, 6:47 PMCarolinas Travel ExaminerPaul McDaniel

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Many veteran travelers as well as persons employed in the travel industry typically dread the holiday travel season simply because many more people who normally don’t travel and are unfamiliar with the process are indeed traveling during this time of year.  If you are traveling out-of-town for the holidays this year, whether flying, driving, or traveling by train, you may want to review this list of travel tips. If you are a frequent traveler these tips should come as no surprise to you, but if the holiday season is the only time of year you travel you will also find these tips valuable to help you avoid stressful travel situations. Ultimately, keeping these ideas in mind will help you have an enjoyable journey to your holiday destination.

Tips for flying: 

• Try to fly non-stop when possible. This should not be a problem if you live in or near an airline hub city.
• Arrive at the airport earlier than usual, between one to two hours ahead of your scheduled departure time for domestic flights. 
• Pack as light as possible and avoid checking any luggage (to avoid extra cost and hassle). If you bring only carry-on items you’ll move much more swiftly through the whole flying process (as long as what you carry on the plane is permissible as a carry on item, of course).  Not checking luggage will save you time and hassle upon arrival at your destination – you’ll simply be able to walk out of the airport and away from the crowds without having to wait in baggage claim for your checked luggage.
• If you are bringing gifts with you to your destination, it is extremely important not to wrap them before flying. Otherwise, the security inspectors will have to un wrap them and open them, causing delays for you and other passengers.
• Book an aisle seat on the aircraft if available. You’ll have a little more room and will be able to move around much more freely on longer flights.  You’ll also be able to exit the plane more quickly upon arrival at your destination.
• Bring a good book to read, an MP3 player to listen to music, a portable DVD player or notebook computer to watch a movie on, and/or playing cards. This will help pass the time on long flights, during long layovers, or when experiencing unexpected delays.
• Remain civil, calm, respectful, and friendly to your fellow passenger as well as to the crew (as in all situations, the Golden Rule should apply here).  Hopefully you’ll be treated the same in return and will probably receive slightly better service from the flight attendants. They’ll remember you as one of the nicer people from the particular flight.

Tips for driving:

• Plan to leave for your destination earlier than normal and anticipate a longer journey time than normal due to increased holiday traffic (more cars on the road than usual), construction, accidents, and other unanticipated mishaps.
• Make sure you have appropriate maps or GPS to help you navigate your way when traveling in unfamiliar places.
• Avoid feelings of road rage at all costs. Again, the Golden Rule should apply in this and all other situations despite how others may treat you.  Remain civil to fellow motorists and all will be better off.
• Keep cell phone use to a minimum (and by all means don’t send text messages while sitting behind the wheel of an automobile). This will allow you to remain more focused on the increased holiday traffic. 
• Make sure to bring along emergency equipment for a variety of unforeseen circumstances.

Tips for traveling by train:

• Allow plenty of time to arrive at the train station with enough time to check in and board the train. 
• Similar to traveling by plane, you should bring some sort of entertainment along with you, such as a book, an MP3 player for music, or a notebook computer or portable DVD player for movies, to entertain yourself during long journeys, long layovers, or unexpected delays. 
• Again, remain civil towards other people traveling with you on the train and to railway employees. A positive attitude and smile will go a long way in making an uncomfortable or stressful situation that much better.
• Bring an extra blanket and pillow with your for long train journeys and to help regulate your comfort level if the passenger car climate is uncomfortable.

These tips are just a sampling of the sound advice available for making your holiday travel a smoother process. If you think of more tips that would be valuable to readers preparing to embark on their own holiday journeys, feel free to leave a comment containing the tip. Happy Holiday traveling!