It seems impossible but my calendar assures me that the holidays are just around the corner. Am I ready? Not even close. As Scarlet would say, “I’ll think about that another day!”
But I don’t need another day to share some great holiday travel hacks with you!
According to Wikipedia, over 55 million people travel for Thanksgiving, with numbers twice that of people who will travel between Christmas and New Year’s. Whether you are a November or December traveler, you are at risk for encountering some kind of hiccup during your travels.
1. Be flexible!
Last year, when I attempted to travel from Texas to California for Christmas on December 23, a major airline shut down nationwide. it was announced that nobody was traveling on December 23. I was rebooked for December 24. I showed up at the airport, only to face another day of shutdowns. I canceled my flight, filed a grievance with the airline, and booked a new flight on a different airline for Christmas Day. Not only did I miss two days of pre-Christmas preparations with my kids and grandkids, but my newly purchased flight was extremely expensive.
It was a disappointing event, to say the least. What was even more disappointing was watching fellow passengers who were angry. I mean screaming angry. I get that we were all frustrated. But what I saw was beyond what was warranted. People were downright nasty. The airline employees were not responsible for the shutdown and were doing their best. If you’re going to travel in peak times, you need to keep your wits about you and be flexible. This is travel and while I believe in the importance of travel, rarely is it a “life and death” situation.
If you ARE delayed and will miss a connection, immediately get in line with the airline’s customer service counter, but at the same time, check your airline app for alternate flights. You may have already been re-booked. At the same time, CALL the airline. Often you will get through by phone before you get to the front of the counter.
If you find yourself in a delay, please remember that you catch more flies with honey. Not that you want flies, though. Ha! Just be kind.
2. Travel insurance!
While travel insurance doesn’t cover everything, many policies do allow for delays. They also have coverage in case you need to cancel for a covered reason. This includes breaking a leg days before travel, injury/serious illness of an immediate family member, death of traveler or immediate family member, and more. I have parents in their 80’s and if they have a medical emergency, I will be at their bedside. For that reason, I purchase travel protection for international travel. (And really, at age 58, the medical emergency could be with me, as well!)
3. Pack light!
With so many holiday travelers, IF you can pack in carry on luggage, consider it. If you do need to check a bag, consider adding an Apple AirTag (Apple) or a Tile (Android) to your bag. [Affiliate links – if you purchaes through the links, I earn a small bit.] If luggage goes missing, it is easier to track. I will say that the amount of bags airlines handle on a daily basis is massive and I believe they largely do a very good job with getting bags to the correct destination. We all have our own “But they lost my bag…” stories, but usually your bag will arrive with you.
Speaking of packing light, don’t pack valuables in checked bags. Leave expensive heirloom jewelry at home. If your bag did get lost, could you do without its contents?
4. Jewelry!
Consider leaving your “good” jewelry at home. While safes can be safe, taking along valuable jewelry puts you at risk for theft in a couple of different ways. When you wear a ring that boasts a 3 carat diamond, you are noticed but may be noticed by the wrong people. This tells people you have money and you likely have cash in your wallet or handbag, not to mention the value of the jewelry itself. Resist the urge to bring the nice pieces and consider a plain wedding band instead. You want to avoid drawing attention to yourself, especially during crowded holiday travel when you may get distracted and potentially have your valuables stolen.
5. Airport security!
Since 9/11, TSA is a very real part of airport travel. When you are prepared, your experience will be easier.
One of the challenges is LIQUIDS. Take time to review the Liquids Rule. Large bottles of cologne, health & beauty products, beverages, and more, will be removed from your bag and disposed of. There are exceptions with medications, formula for babies, and more. A sealed water bottle may be taken through security if it is needed for medication. You need to present it to the TSA agent and tell them. They will give it an extra screening. It can be easier to bring an empty water bottle and take advantage of the airport bottle fill stations. [I love this Brita water bottle with filter!]
Listen carefully and be prepared when it is your turn for screening. Not only will the process be easier for you, but people behind you won’t have cause to become impatient.
6. Gifts!
If you are flying to your destination, you may be traveling with holiday gifts. On occasion, TSA may need to unwrap your lovely gifts in order to see the contents clearly. A hack I have found is to ship what I can to my destination (a family member’s home). I even ship a roll of wrapping paper and roll of tape. Upon arrival, I spend some time wrapping gifts.
7. Booking travel!
Holiday travel is expensive. There’s no way around it but planning ahead can help cut down costs. Depending on your plans, can you move your travel a day or two? If so, you may save a bit of money.
Avoid the urge to shop only by price. Itinerary is just as important as price. Sometimes the lower price options have unreasonable connections, or you may be flying through a city that gets inclement weather often. (I avoid Denver and New York during winter months!) You get what you pay for comes into play here! If you are delayed and miss a connection because of a weather-related issue, the airline is not obligated to provide hotel and meals for you, as they usually do when it is a mechanical issue. Plan your connections carefully and assume that your flight may have a delay. If you are delayed by 30 minutes, will you still make your connection? If not, find another itinerary.
Many airlines offer low or basic economy flights. These flights are sold at a bargain price, but you are not allowed to select your seat, and you will even have to pay for a carry-on bag. If you are traveling solo, this may be acceptable to you, but realize you will be toward the back of the plane and in a middle seat in most cases. To some, the savings is worth it.
Book directly with the airline in order to have access to the best customer service in case of flight delays.
It’s unavoidable, but you pay more for prime travel season and that includes holidays. Budget for it, plan ahead, and book early.
Where are YOU gonna go this year?
heywannago 