How to avoid the pitfalls of holiday travel? Thanksgiving and Christmas are the biggest holidays in the US and arguably the time when everyone has a reason (if not obligation) to travel. During those periods, traveling can become a real pain, real quick: traffic jams, expensive airplane tickets, etc. With the right mindset, a little preparation and the following holiday tips, you will travel happy, without busting the piggy bank.
1. Book early
Some people expect airlines to drop prices to fill planes. Yes, airlines don’t want to fly empty planes. But, they will most likely reduce traffic rather than give away seats.
You might want to start searching early and book sooner than the usual best time to do so. This year, for instance, travel pros advised to start booking beginning September.
2. Book directly with airlines
Search airfare search engines to have a sense of rates to your destination. Second, call the airline do try to get a special discount below the baseline you’ve found.
Check out our best booking tips for landing awesome airfare deals.
3. Favor festive lodgings
Some lodging options will be more into special holiday travel accommodations than others, for the same price. Many hostels, in Mexico for instance, hold Christmas dinners. Some hotels in North America have outstanding Thanksgiving menus to make guests feel at home.
4. Prepare a travel plan book
Extra time through security, higher risk of canceled flights, traffic jams, etc. Holiday travel is often more complicated than it needs to be. It is a good idea to avoid peak travel time. That means leaving home early or traveling late night or early morning.
To navigate airports with ease, check out our selection of the best apps every globetrotter should have.
5. Seek cheaper in-demand destinations
If you are traveling to be with your family, then you can’t change or pick destinations. In this case, refer to n. 1: book early.
Otherwise, start looking into popular destinations; you might land some amazing deals. Have a look at this Peter Greenberg’s blog post. It seems that despite the general high hotel fares in hot spots like New York, others places like Napa offer low rates. His report was for last year. Do the research for this year’s holiday travel fares. who know? You might also find a 4-star hotel for only $68/night.
What are your best holiday tips and tricks? How do you survive holiday travel peak season? We are all eager to know.