Travelling for the Holidays

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, which means it is also the most horrific time for travel here in the great USA! The world around us is expanding, and people are moving out of their hometowns at an ever-increasing rate. However, everyone loves to be home for the holidays, and many of those folks will be making a pilgrimage in order to spend much needed time with their family.

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It is estimate that over 55 million people traveled more than 50 miles for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. The Christmas and New Year crowd should be on par with that number, and therefore, it will pay to be smart and savvy if you plan to be traveling via road, rail, or air. Here are a few travel tips from your favorite transportation provider!

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1. Be prepared for everything, and expect anything. Nothing beats a good plan when traveling, but this time of year is different. With everyone trying to get to their destination, tensions will be high. The people that can go with the flow are the ones that will keep their stress levels to a minimum.

2. Avoid peak travel days. December 21, 22, and 29th are expected to be the heaviest days of travel. If you can avoid being out during those days, you will thank yourself!

3. The early bird gets the worm. If you can, get on the road or in the air as early as possible to avoid the congestion of mid-day travel. It will take some dedication to get yourself out of bed before the birds start chirping, but it could mean the difference of breezing through your travel, and being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, or in a dreadful mile long security line at the airport.

4. Automation is your friend. Avoid the ticket counters, and use your phone or computer for the check in process. You will be able to completely skip the line, which is one less trigger point for any sort of stress induced complications.

5. Travel light. Pack versatile clothing that is easy to wash, and can be worn with multiple outfits. Also, everyone loves to spoil their friends and family with gifts, but save yourself the heartache, and don’t try to travel with said gifts. Online shopping has fully enabled the procrastinator in all of us. Have goods sent directly to where you will be staying, or one of the convenient lockers that are popping up all over the country.

6. Charge your electronics the day before. You cannot live without your phone these days. If at any point you have to improvise your itinerary, the last thing you want is a dead phone. Also, laptops and children’s toys are indispensable assets that need to be ready when you call

them to the plate.

7. Most of all, be nice and give grace. Everyone is stressed, and everyone is likely in a rush. No one wants to be stuck on a plane or a road, but it is a necessary evil when trying to connect with friends and family. Try to keep that in mind when someone cuts you off or skips you in line. Normally they might deserve a confrontation, but during this time of year, its best to let it pass. Be the bigger person, and do what you can to brighten someone else’s day. You never know the impact a little good might have.

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I hope everyone has a great Holiday Season, and enjoys themselves, no matter where they end up. If you find any of these tips helpful, please let us know how they impacted your travel experience!

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