Holiday Travel

Christmas is upon us and many of you are preparing to travel. With Christmas being on a weekend this year, both the highways and the airports are expected to be as busy, if not busier, for Christmas weekend as they were this past Thanksgiving. So as you head out to travel this holiday weekend, keeping a few simple things in mind might help to make your travel go a little smoother.

BY AIR

First, Dress for success. As always, you’ll want to pick clothing that is “security friendly”. So leave the heavy metal at home.

Then, plan to arrive early. Very early. At least two hours early for domestic flights, and three hours for International flights.

If you’ll be carrying Christmas presents, leave them unwrapped. Security will almost certainly unwrap them if you try to carry them on. And if your checked bags are opened for inspection, they’ll get unwrapped there as well. So don’t waste any effort on wrapping until you get to your destination. Better yet, give FedEx a call and have them transport your presents for you.

Oh, and don't forget the luggage tags!

BY LAND

First, check the weather. Then check it again. Make certain that no storms stand in your way. It’s much better to delay your trip by 24 hours than it is to get trapped by a winter storm.

Winter travel means packing a few extra things in the name of safety that you might not need to consider when traveling in warmer temperatures. Winter tires and a few extra items in the trunk can make all the difference.

Then leave early and be patient. Avoiding rush hour and taking a break during those congested times will make your trip much more enjoyable. Not to mention, safer.