This is the season when most people head home to visit family. I choose to travel at Christmas rather than Thanksgiving because I have more time available and if the weather turns bad, I've got more leeway for traveling.When making your plans, it is best to keep in mind there are certain days that are better to travel on. Although the day of the week Christmas falls on changes every year, generally the two to four days prior to it are the busiest days for travel.
Also keep in mind that about one third of the American population travels for this holiday. It is estimated 112.5 million people will fly, drive, or take trains or buses to get to their destinations. In general December 22nd is the busiest day and consequently has the highest priced ticket but the day after Christmas, the 26th is the second highest. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have the fewest number of people traveling and often have some of the cheapest fares. It is also suggested to wait till New Year's Eve to return because there are fewer travelers heading home but if you wait till January 2nd, you'll pay more and experience longer lines going through security.
To counter these things, it is advised people buy their tickets well in advance when there are more options and fewer restrictions. It is possible to wait till the last minute to book a ticket and manage a price break but this also means fewer choices for getting to your destination. The best time to book tickets is the period between September 25 and October 25. When booking flights, try to avoid the last flight of the day because these are often cancelled due to bad weather or are delayed and you might end up leaving the next day.
When purchasing tickets make sure you've added a bit of extra time in for your connections. You never know when your first plane will be delayed so you need that cushion. One year I purchased tickets from Alaska to Pennsylvania. My flight into Seattle ended up being two hours late due to weather. When I got there, there were announcements stating all flights were grounded but I checked and my flight heading east to Philly was marked as leaving in an hour so I rushed over, and made it there.
If you want to make it through the airport faster, there are some things you can do. First, check in from home, print off your boarding passes or make sure they are on your phone. If you travel with bags, check them in using the curbside service so you can go directly to security. If you prefer, travel with only a carry-on bag so you don't have to go through the lines at the counters. Many publications suggestion travelers invest in TSA pre-check to make going through security faster and easier.
Personally, I try to start my trips at smaller airports so I don't have to mess with long security lines but sometimes I can't manage that so I add in extra time to get checked in. For security, make sure you have your foods in plastic bags that you can pull out and have any electronic devices on top so you can pop them into a tub.
In addition, plan to head off to the airport a bit earlier than normal since traffic at this time of year actually increases and you never know if there is going to be an accident or construction that slows you down. It is always best to arrive early at the airport than accidentally miss your flight because flights are full at this time of the year and it is often hard to rebook in time for Christmas.
One more thing I do is pack a blanket, pillow, eye mask, and earplugs incase I get stuck overnighting at the airport or are on a long flight. These items take little room and make things more comfortable. I have a lightweight jacket I can squish into a small pillow and a blanket that folds up into a small roll I can stuff in my backpack shoe section.
Think about these things as you get ready to travel. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear. Have a great day.
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