AAA released their 2024 holiday forecast and they project that “119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period* from Saturday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 1. This year’s domestic travel projection narrowly surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers. AAA expects an additional 3 million travelers this holiday season compared to last year.” AAA also expects air travel to set a new record this holiday season with 7.85 million passengers. That number surpasses the previous record of 7.5 million air travelers last year.
Following these tips can make your holiday travels more bearable!
1. Arrive early
One of the biggest keys to successfully navigating the holiday travel crowds is getting to the airport early. How early? At least two hours before you normally would. Parking can be crowded and security lines long, so allow yourself plenty of time. An extra hour or two sitting in the terminal after arriving early is a much better alternative to being stuck in a TSA line at departure time.
2. Plan longer connections
Busier passenger terminals also mean busier airports. To carry many millions of holiday travelers, airlines add extra flights to their schedules. This means an already busy airport can become even more jammed. Things like gate availability and air traffic congestion can cause delays, and bad weather can compound these issues. So if you need to connect, be sure to allow plenty of time. Look at your itinerary. If you connect through a big hub such as Atlanta, Chicago or New York, allow at least an hour and a half. I have personally seen passengers miss connections scheduled with 45 minutes at airports like these. Plus, with airplanes filled with holiday travelers and empty seats rare, rebooking after a missed connection isn’t an easy proposition.
3. Bring what you need
As most travel sites suggest, pack a carry-on only if at all possible. However, leaving home with a family doesn’t always make this possible. So if you do end up checking a bag, take out everything you might need and keep it with you. This includes things like medications, phone chargers and diapers … anything you might need during the course of a day. Also include items needed in case there is a delay or missed connection. I have had personal experience with a passenger who packed her child’s diapers in her gate-checked baggage. Since the airlines do not carry diapers, the result was a very frustrated mom.
4. Pack snacks or make time to eat
One of the more unfortunate changes in the airline industry over the last decade is the disappearance of free meals in economy. So, while you won’t necessarily expect a meal on your next flight, making sure you and your family are properly fed is still very important. Flight crews regularly deal with medical issues in-flight caused by low blood sugar. (We sometimes say orange juice is the best medicine we have on the plane!) And in severe cases, we will divert the airplane to ensure that passenger gets the medical attention they need. So take the time to pack snacks (make sure they are TSA-friendly) for the family or grab a bite to eat at the airport.
TIP: If you’re hunting for good airport eats, check out locations where there are lots of airport staff eating. Since they are in the airport day after day, their patronage is a good indication of the quality of the restaurant.
5. Have flight information at hand
Having electronic boarding passes and itineraries on your mobile devices is great. However, there are times when your phone doesn’t have service or dies or the Wi-Fi doesn’t work properly. For me, the times when I need my phone to work properly are exactly the times when it doesn’t. So when I travel, I always carry a paper copy of my itinerary, rental car reservations and other must-have information. Usually I don’t need the paper copies, but they’re there just in case.
6. Read the monitor
When you check in, airlines will post gate assignment numbers on your boarding passes. Many times, I have seen passengers get flustered when they go to the gate on their boarding passes, only to see that the gate has changed. Since airports are very complex systems, oftentimes an airplane’s gate assignment will change based on availability to keep the operation running smoothly. To avoid this frustration, simply look at the departure board when you arrive at the airport. The gates posted here are updated by the airline and reflect the most up-to-date information.
So while we are ramping up for the busy holidays rush, following these simple tips will help you and your family navigate this hectic travel season. Do you have any holiday travel tips? Share them in the comments.
KEEP READING
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–2023 Holiday Gift Guide For Travelers
–The TSA’s Advice For Traveling With Gifts This Holiday Season
–Traveling This Holiday Season? This Is My Number One Travel Tip
–Holiday Gift Idea: The Touchscreen Crossbody Bag That’s Perfect For Travelers
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