We have a tradition in our family – despite living thousands of miles apart.  About 25 of our extended family gets together every year for Thanksgiving. The destination changes depending on the year - this year’s destination is 3,000 miles away, so I’ll be flying.

Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday of the year, so air travel can be a bit of a challenge.  To make your trip go more smoothly, here are a few travel tips:

Avoid traveling on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving
Because this is the peak travel day of the year, airfares tend to be at their highest. You’ll save money on airfare and avoid the largest crowds by traveling a day or two before this or on Thanksgiving morning.

Check weather conditions for your destination and pack accordingly
Weather during this time of year can fluctuate almost as much as the stock market, so be prepared.

Check your current flight itinerary online the night before you leave
After you book a flight, airlines may adjust the departure and arrival times by a few minutes to optimize their schedules.  Make sure you’ve got the latest schedule by checking online the day before you travel.  Bring a print-out with you as well.

Print out your boarding pass before you get to the airport
Instead of waiting for an airport kiosk, skip the lines and print out your boarding pass BEFORE you get to the airport. 

Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your departure flight time
If you are flying on one of the peak days (the Wednesday before and the Saturday/Sunday after Thanksgiving), parking may be scarce and security lines may be very long.  Build in plenty of time for both.

Don’t check any luggage
Most airlines are providing plenty of incentive not to check luggage with their new fees.  Considering that checking also means your belongings may be lost or stolen, it’s even more reason to carry-on instead (see packing tips). 

Make sure your carry-on items are allowed
On a recent flight I was sitting next to a woman who accidentally brought her $80 moisturizer in her carry-on and it ended up in the security reject pile. 

Check your local forecast
If you live in a part of the country where it freezes, be sure to check your local forecast before you go and protect your plants and water pipes if needed.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family & friends and may you have many reasons to give thanks! 

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 7:52 pm and is filed under Transportation, Travel Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.