Thanksgiving is early this year, which means the Holiday Travel Season officially kicks off late next week with pre-Thanksgiving flights and runs through the end of the year.

Here are a few tips to help make this busy travel season a little bit more bearable.

#1 – Give yourself extra time – you’ve heard me say it before, but as always, I would rather you have time to sit an enjoy a cup of coffee at your departure gate than be stuck in a security line wondering if you’re going to make it to your gate before the final boarding call.

#2 – Be prepared to check a bag as the overhead bins fill quickly. With rising baggage fees it seems that everyone is carrying an extra piece of hand luggage. Checking a bag is my least favorite thing to do when I travel, however, more often than not, on a full flight the overhead bins fill before the plane does. Once they are full, passengers are required to check their bags at the gate and retrieve them from the baggage claim in their final destination. Make sure that you have a small bag that you can keep with you for medicines, keys and travel documents. You do not want these items in your checked bags. Also, if you have purchased a “basic economy” airline ticket most airlines do not allow use of the overhead bin for this type of ticket.

#3 – Pay attention to the route – if you are utilizing frequent flier tickets or companion certificates that can not be booked by a travel professional you need to be aware of the airports where you are changing planes. When traveling to points South or to the West Coast make sure you aren’t scheduled to change planes in places like Chicago that could be affected by Winter weather delays and cancellations.

#4 – It’s a little late for this Holiday season, but book early! It’s the busiest travel time of the year, flights are full, lots of people rent cars, resorts and cruise ships are at capacity, the sooner you book the better chance you have of getting the seat you want, the view you want, etc.

#5 – Expect to pay more than if you were traveling during the shoulder season. Again, it’s the busiest time of the year to travel. Schools are closed for at least a week, Colleges can be closed for a month or more. If you are expecting rock bottom prices this is not the time for you to travel.

#6 – Recharge – When traveling with electronics that might need to be charged en route, don’t forget to pack the necessary chargers. It’s also a good idea to pack a small power strip or outlet extender. The more crowded the airport is, the harder it is to find an available outlet.

#7 – Traveling with small children? Here is a link to my blog post about my top 3 tips for family travel.

#8 – Be nice! Sure, it’s stressful trying to get to Grandma’s house when flights are delayed or cancelled, but keep in mind that these airline crews, airport staff and baggage handlers are giving up their holiday with loved ones to make it possible. A “thank you” or friendly smile is just one small and easy way to spread some holiday cheer.

While no one ever begins a trip expecting bad things to happen and we certainly hope they don’t, remember you can always rely on the travel professionals at Slaydon’s Travel to help you in any way possible. Hopefully the above tips will help in avoiding a few mishaps, but if not, we are always more than happy to assist our clients when the unexpected occurs.

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