My Holiday Travel Tips
The holidays can be hectic, I feel ya! It’s the season for holiday frills and family get-togethers. From one traveler to another, I have learned that traveling during this season is a whole other ball game. To help make travelling during the holidays go as smoothly as possible, here are some things I have learned over the years:
Plan Ahead: A few days before you depart, check the weather and plan how you are getting to the airport. To save time, find a trusted friend to take you to the airport or use a parking service such as Park n’ Jet. Online check in will be available 24 hours before your flight is set to depart. During online check in, take a moment to sign up for flight notifications so you can stay up to date on your travel itinerary. If you need help with your online check in, contact your travel agent or arrive to the airport early to seek assistance from airline personnel.
On the day of your departure, double check your packing list and arrive to the airport early (especially if the weather is unfavorable). It is recommended that passengers arrive to the airport at least 2 hours before a domestic flight departs and at least 3 hours before an international flight departs.
Holiday Packages (in your carryon): Avoid wrapping any packages beforehand. Instead, wait to wrap gifts until you get to your destination. This will save you the time of having to re-wrap gifts should security need to screen your packages further. If you need help remembering, just sing yourself the song below to the tune of Jingle Bells:
Dashing through the airport, on our way to TSA, off to catch a flight, shuffling all the way!
Our packages are wrapped, our checklist is complete, but TSA holds my bags and tells me to retreat.
Packages, Packages
No wrapped bags for you!
Don’t you know, that you can’t have
A gift they can’t look through!
Packages, Packages
Leave that gift alone!
TSA will get their way
Or your bags they will postpone!
If you prefer to have gifts all tied up with ribbon, consider using a gift box or bag. Better yet, have Amazon deliver your presents to your destination or give gift cards instead. Be prepared to be stopped by a TSA guard if you bring items such as fudge, playdough, snow globes (depending on the liquid size), and ice cream.
Going through TSA: Make sure that your identification documents are easy to reach so you are not shuffling through your bags in front of the TSA guards trying to find them. If you haven’t already, look into signing up for TSA Precheck, CLEAR, or Global Entry. They come in handy, especially during holiday travel. Wear comfortable shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Should TSA need to look through your belongings for further screening, use packing tubes to organize your luggage and make re-packing at the airport look easy.
Above all, be patient and kind wherever you go. Sometimes, there are things that only Jack Frost can control. Whether you are going home for the holidays or venturing to some wonderful warm weather destination, take traveling head on and enjoy your holidays.