Sometimes, it feels like the price of holiday travel extends way beyond the sticker shock. The price also comes in terms of heavy stress and more than a few bumps in the road. Still, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
If you can get out before the crowds (or, conversely, wait for all the crowds to pass and sneak out on Christmas Eve), you can skirt a lot of the chaos. It all boils down to getting a bit creative, keeping your eye on the upcoming Black Friday Deals, and knowing all the rules of the road – and the sky.
Set Price Alerts
As soon as you know holiday travel is a possibility for you, set up travel alerts on Google Flights and Skyscanner. Other popular sites like Kayak allow you to set up price alerts. They call it FOMAD – fear of missing a deal. Of course, you’ll still want to conduct daily manual searches if you’re serious about scoring the best deal (and the best flight times), but it certainly doesn’t hurt a thing to have the leads coming to your inbox, as well. You’ll know when it’s the right time to pull the proverbial trigger.
Look for Black Friday Deals
A bounty of Black Friday deals is on their way to sites like Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Priceline, and Groupon. Other masters of the sky and sea like Virgin will be running a great deal of specials. Some of these deals kick off as early as the week before Thanksgiving and continue all the way through Travel Tuesday.
Consider Quieter Destinations
If you’re not traveling to visit friends and family but just want a nice getaway, consider places with less traffic. Places like New York and Paris will be flooded with couples and families traveling together, as well as solo adventurists who are looking to change things up this season. Instead, use this time to book a wellness retreat in New Mexico or visit one of the quieter Caribbean islands like Grenada or St. Vincent.
Check Multiple Airports
We all have our preferred local airports. But is there another one that requires a bit more drive and has more convenient flights and connections? If you live in Florida, for example, and are used to flying out of Orlando, plug Sanford and Tampa into your Google Flight alerts as a backup plan. Each one only requires a bit more of a drive and may open the door to smoother travel.
Avoid Connections
With the assumption that you’ll have more baggage than usual, you really want to try to avoid connections. That’s why staying open to multiple airports may be useful. The first problem is the slight possibility of lost luggage. Then, there’s the second problem: connections can be stressful, even on the best of days, if you have a quick turnaround time and the airlines don’t handle it for you. The benefit of leaning into platforms like Kayak that help you avoid FOMAD is it increases the odds of finding both a great deal and a smooth itinerary.
Avoid Peak Travel Days
If you have enough PTO banked, can you fly out ahead of the most expensive days of the year? Or, perhaps you’re allowed to work remotely from time to time? Platforms like Kayak will show you which days are the least and most expensive. But, if you have enough PTO to book out as far as ten days before the holidays, that’s one way to find slightly cheaper flights. Ironically, Christmas Eve may also pop up as an affordable day, as the airlines assume most people are already settled in for a cold winter’s night. Play around with your alerts and travel platforms, but money aside, traveling on slower days will help you avoid some of the frenzy.
Reserve Airport Parking
Like everything else, airport parking will come at a premium. The last thing you want to do is get there only to find the main parking lots are full. Try to book your space online after your flights are secured.
Alternatively, is it within your budget to hire a car service to take you to and from the airport? This could save you the stress of having to park in a large lot and potentially take a crowded shuttle to the terminal.
Give Your Car a Once-Over
If, instead of flying, you have a bit of a road trip ahead of you, give your car a once-over. Check the oil levels, windshield washer fluid, and – if you’re driving through snowy terrain – the tires. That’s the perfect way to ruin a Christmas getaway – car trouble on the side of the road. Now’s also the time to thoroughly clean it before you stock it up with all sorts of yummy drinks and snacks.
Fly Early In the Morning
Flying early in the morning may seem like drudgery. But, if you’re leaving well in advance of the holidays, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on your sleep. Flying out in the wee hours of the morning can be worth it because it’s less likely to get delayed than a later afternoon flight, for example.
Download Your Entertainment Offline
Once you heave that sigh of relief from your seat on the plane, it’s time to get comfy and cozy – at least as much as possible. Spend some time on Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube downloading your favorite videos offline. Netflix, for example, allows you to download 15 videos per calendar month. You could have a proper binge-a-thon with your noise-canceling earbuds, a tablet or MacBook Air, and a cozy sweater.
Make Backup Plans
Even though it’s the most wonderful time of the year, in many parts of the world, it can also bring the most treacherous weather. As you’re solidifying your plans, keep your eyes open for potential backup plans. If a flight gets canceled, is doing the drive even a possibility? Are there alternate train routes? In the worst-case scenario, if you can’t get out at all, can your family stay at a resort near the airport? Anything is better than spending Christmas in an airport lounge, so keep your mind open to alternative plans should the worst-case scenario become a reality.
Pack Lightly
Even though we just mentioned multiple suitcases, the goal should always be to pack lightly. We love finding new and unique ways to pack lightly. In fact, we often challenge ourselves to pack for a week in only a carry-on. We’re about to contradict this with our next point. But, in terms of clothing, toiletries, books, electronics, and other everyday items, you’ll save yourself a lot of sweat if you can pack as lightly as possible for this trip.
Pack Valuable Gifts In Your Carry-On
Although we just tried to reduce our carry-on to nothing more than the essentials, there is one curveball when it comes to holiday travel. If you’re bedazzling anyone with jewelry or another expensive item (that’s not a restricted item), pack it in your carry-on. We must always hope for the best. But, in the worst-case scenario where luggage gets lost, you won’t have to stress over those big ticket items.
Spread Your Gifts Across Suitcases
Most airlines have weight restrictions. So, if you’re bringing quite a few gifts for quite a few family members, be sure to spread them out across however many pieces of luggage you’re bringing. There’s a limit on how many large suitcases we can check, as well as the weight of each, so the sky’s not really the limit here. But, once you have everything sorted in terms of how much you’re allowed to bring, try to spread the joy evenly throughout your luggage. And don’t forget: you, too, will be returning home with some gifts, so consider whether or not you’ll have room for that on the return trip.
Wrap Your Presents When You Arrive
Wrapping paper rarely survives the trip once it’s smushed inside a suitcase. If you’re arriving well enough in advance, plan to pack your gifts in your room one night. If you’re arriving on Christmas Eve, you might want to ask someone to pick you up a few rolls in advance because many stores will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Expect a Bit of Stress, But Remember It’s All Worthwhile
The chaos of holiday travel is relatively unavoidable. But how we react to it is something we can control. If you head to the airport or take to the roads, assuming a fair bit of stress is inevitable, it’ll prepare you for what’s to come. Pack your favorite herbal tea. Dab a few drops of your most relaxing essential oil on a facecloth and pack it in a Ziplock baggie. Remember, you have a glorious binge-a-thon awaiting you on the plane. Do whatever it takes to put your mind at ease, remind yourself this will all be over in a little while, and remember the holiday cheer that you’re about to savor is on its way.
Who’s Ready to Spread Holiday Cheer?
Are you ready? Holiday travel feels a bit like drawing up a battle plan, but it all boils down to proper planning and keeping your eye on upcoming Black Friday deals.
Here at Travel Reveal, we love developing travel plans and seeking out inventive travel tips. Stick with us throughout the holiday season and beyond. Together, we’ll get where we’re going and have the time of our lives.