Holiday Season Travel Tips

The holiday season is fast approaching. Can you believe it?

Many like to travel for Thanksgiving, including my family, but there are always some travel troubles that come with planning trips during this busy time of year. In 2018, 50 million people traveled for Thanksgiving and about 61 percent of those travelers chose to fly. 

It’s a stressful travel season, but thankfully there are some travel tips to help with saving money, time and hassle. 

Plan Ahead

What is most important about holiday travel is booking your flights far in advance, and if you haven’t done that, then you should do so before the month ends. According to CheapOair, the best time to book Thanksgiving travel is in the month of October. The average price of a domestic flight is $379.05. 

Generally, the earlier the better, and early fall is always a good time to start planning because travelers can take advantage of the lower rates and variety of seats to choose from. It’s useful to sign up for sale notifications from certain airlines or you can use Google Flights which sends you daily emails about the cost of a trip you’re planning.

Skip Checked Luggage 

Do you tend to overpack? I’m especially guilty of this (oops!), but skipping checked luggage and opting for a carry on can help with a smoother travel process. 

More often than not, there will be long lines at kiosks for self check-in and for service check-in, and if you’re running late, you especially don’t have the time to wait! There’s a higher percentage of families traveling during this time of the year, which means more checked luggage and longer lines. Most airlines charge fees, and if you have a big family, those costs can add up. 

Best Times to Depart & Return 

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is probably one of the busiests and worst days to travel which can lead to higher fees. Leaving on Black Friday or the Tuesday after Thanksgiving will not be as busy as many people are already home or returning to their normal work routines. 

Many major airports will be less crowded, which means TSA will be a breeze to get through, overhead bin space will be plentiful and airline prices will be cheaper on the “non-peak” days. 

The Monday before Thanksgiving, depending on where it falls on that calendar, is the best day to fly out on, whereas that Tuesday and Wednesday before are the worst. The best days to fly back home is the Friday after Thanksgiving. 

Take advantage of these non-peak days, airline deals and luggage tips as your plan ahead for your holiday season travel. This can lessen your travel worries and help with a smoother process.