#1 Avoid peak travel dates
At Christmas and New Year’s, the peak holiday travel dates change each year depending on which days the holidays fall. You can generally guess which dates will be the most expensive for travel (consider which travel days would allow you to maximize long weekends without taking too many days off work — and that’s probably when everyone will want to go). If you’re not sure, use a search engine that lets you put in flexible travel dates; these will show you which date combinations will give you the best deal.
In the U.S. Thanksgiving, Wednesday is the critical outbound “avoid” day as a rule. Traveling on Thanksgiving day proper is often a breeze and more affordable; there are often cut-rate airfare deals on Thanksgiving day. If you can fly home any day other than Sunday, you’ll likely pay less.
#2. Shop around
Whether you’re using booking sites like Expedia or metasearch sites such as Kayak, comparison shopping has never been easier than it is right now. During holiday travel season, casting the net as wide as possible will help you understand all of your options.
For many travelers, price isn’t the only or even the most important factor, especially during the holidays. Thoughtful, deliberate use of the “search adjacent days or airports” features found on many websites may also surrender greatly improved fares and travel times.
#3. Know your airports
Checking alternate airports is a pretty standard tactic, but during holiday travel it can really make a difference. At no time can the alternate airport gambit pay off better than during the holiday crush. You can score on almost every front — parking, rental cars, traffic to and from, nearby hotels — and save both time and money.
Keep in mind that smaller airports see fewer flights and, typically, fewer delays — not a minor consideration during the busy holiday travel season.
#4. Plot connections carefully
When booking flights, check your search results carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes. Particularly during the winter months, peak travel times often bring peak travel delays, and your connection is more likely to be jeopardised. Avoiding really tight connections might save you a sprint through the terminal or a missed flight.
Also, it is best if you can muscle your flight path into position so that connections are in places less likely to experience delays — specifically, airports in warmer climates.
#5. Leave for the airport early
During peak travel times, much of the trouble you’ll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Rather than striving to “arrive at the airport early,” you may want to try to “leave for the airport early” to anticipate all the peripheral delays you may encounter.
#6. Pack wisely
In the past, you may have been able to fit everything into your carry-on without having to check any baggage — a strategy we still recommend. However, new airport rules around the world about liquids and gels make this a trickier proposition.
For the record, you may bring liquids and gels in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers, packed within a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. You’re also allowed to bring any liquids (such as coffee or water) or gels purchased after you go through a security checkpoint onto your plane with you. If you want to bring more than the 3.4-ounce amount, you’ll have to pack the items in your checked luggage.
#7. Take advantage of shortcuts
The latest self-service developments in online travel can be tremendous time-savers during peak travel times. Whenever possible, print your boarding passes at home or pull up your boarding pass on your smartphone.
#8. Travel early or late in the day
As a rule, airports are least congested at times when normal human beings would rather be at home or even asleep. Delays are far less likely for morning flights, and airports usually unclog as the afternoon and evening peak passes.
Caveat: Staffing can be spotty for really early flights, so although your flight is highly likely to be ready to leave on time, check-in may take a while, along with other personnel-dependent steps like riding shuttle buses.
#9. Consider package deals
Peak travel periods can be the best time to buy package deals (such as air/hotel or air/hotel/car), even for folks who would normally never buy one, as the bundled pricing offered by packages can be very competitive.
#10. Keep your cool
Don’t lose your temper, even if things go wrong. Airline employees have considerable power over your well-being. Unfortunately, some enjoy wielding it against you, and few respond well to anger.
A Few Bonus Tips for Holiday Travel
Investigate your frequent flier options to get better (and better guaranteed) seats.
Have phone numbers for everything: your hotel, your car rental agency, your airline, friends at your destination.
Choose nonstop flights. The worst, most brutal delays occur in connecting airports, where you have no home, friends or family to retreat to.
Don’t overpack your checked luggage; overstuffed bags that must be opened for a security check are much harder to repack.
Do not wrap gifts, especially if you intend to carry them on the plane. Even in checked baggage, there is a strong chance they will be unwrapped for inspection by security personnel. Consider gift bags instead of wrapping paper — you can easily remove the items from their bags if required, and you won’t have to do a last-minute wrapping job at your destination.
Give your mobile phone a full charge, and download your airline’s app so you’ll get alerts if your flight is delayed or your gate changes.
Did we miss any?
Do you have a travel tip that I missed here? Let me know.