Face the facts: airline travel could be demanding anytime, but it is particularly so throughout the holidays. Airports are crammed, pressure to get at your destination promptly is intense, and weather could be iffy throughout the Christmas season. There is no method to eliminate the risk of weather related delays, but there are many steps you can take to reduce your stress levels level and take care of holiday travel just like a veteran.
- Leave the house promptly.
This most fundamental requirement is even more important throughout the holidays: airports are busy, frequently with travelers that do not travel by air frequently. Consequently, everything slows lower. Make certain you depart home early on to allow enough time for you to sign in and obvious to safeguard safety’s sake, allow 30-50% additional time than you would allow — for example, should you normally arrive at the airport terminal an hour before flight time, have 80-1 hour 30 minutes throughout the holidays. Note: if you are unsure how early to get at the airport terminal, look at your airline’s website because of its recommendations regarding check-in occasions.
- Leave the gravy in your own home!
If you are bound and going to take the blue-ribbon-winning-gravy to Aunt Lulu’s for that big holiday cholesterol-fest, you are going to need to transport it in luggage you are likely to check. Giblets or no giblets, it is a liquid and therefore is susceptible to the TSA’s 3 oz. limit. Exactly the same rule pertains to bandages, cranberry sauce, wine, and so on: check it, or even better, let it rest both at home and allow it to be fresh at the destination. Side note: if you’re checking luggage, allow it to be stick out around the slide carousel by tying some colorful ribbon or yarn on every bag’s handle.
- Travel light
Schlepping huge wheelie or any other kind of bag via a congested airport terminal is only going to supplment your distress when you are concern about dealing with your destination and concerned about the elements. Purchase: travel light, having a minimum of clothing. You will be more confident, and might feel a little liberated. Unsure how to get it done? There are lots of websites with articles about this subject onebag.com is a superb starting point.
- Don’t wrap presents!
If you are getting gifts along with you, don’t wrap them before you achieve your destination. The TSA may create a keen curiosity about a number of them, therefore, they will be tearing from the wrapping paper, and never the intended recipients. Wrap Them when you are getting there! Or even better, wrap them and ship them in advance via UPS or perhaps a similar service.
- Zip with the security checkpoint
During the TSA security checkpoint without hassle isn’t complicated. While you approach the checkpoint, get the boarding pass and movie ID ready. Once beyond the initial checkpoint, stow your mobile phone, watch, and then any other heavy metallic objects inside a zippered compartment in your bag. Put these in to the same compartment.