With the increasing number of budget airlines and cheap airfare, air travel has become a ubiquitous part of our lives. The construction and development of airports all over the world, as well as an increase in available routes and airlines, has made travel by air more popular than ever. Statista recorded growth in air travel in 2018 at 7.4% and projects 5% growth in 2019. If you’re heading home for the holidays, chances are you’ll be taking advantage of air travel as well. Unfortunately, popularity has its downside: during a busy holiday season, you may have to contend with increased numbers of passengers and other travelers. To keep your winter travels stress-free, here are a few tips that you can keep in mind as you fly your way home.
Pack Light
If you’re traveling during the winter holidays, chances are you’ll have to deal with crowded airports and harried airline staff. Traveling during peak season means that there’s a higher chance that things could go wrong, and that includes your airline losing your luggage. To avoid this, try to keep the number of check-in baggage to a minimum, and bring only the essentials. Smarter Travel has a packing list for winter travel that will help streamline your packing and keep you warm and protected at the same time.
Pick Your Dates Carefully
The winter holiday season is one of the busiest seasons for air travel. A higher volume of passengers also means that tickets will be more expensive, so to avoid the crowds and keep costs to a minimum, you may want to travel during less popular dates. Condé Nast Traveler has compiled a list of dates that people can be expected to fly out. For travelers who want to avoid the rush, December 20-21 are the dates you’ll want to stay clear of.
Choose the Right Airline
Traveling can be a bit of a stressful experience, more so during the holidays. A key part of making sure your holiday travels get off to a good start is the airline you choose to fly with. Sure, picking the cheapest ticket might be more advantageous in the short-term, but remember that you’ll also be paying for comfort and convenience. A slightly pricier ticket might be a better option if the trade-off is a hassle-free check-in and flight. To help you make your decision, Aviation JobNet’s post on ‘What Airlines Should You Fly This Holiday Season?’ has put together a list of factors you should consider before booking your ticket, including consumer ratings and luggage surcharges.
Map Out Your Movements
Traveling during the holidays can get confusing, and there’s nothing more stressful than having to wade through hundreds of people in a crowded airport without knowing where you’re going. To avoid this, make sure you know exactly where it is you’re headed and how long it’ll take you to get there. Doing things as simple as picking up an airport map and allotting more than enough time for your check-in and pre-flight procedures will help you keep stress down to a minimum, and allow for more time to sit back and look forward to your winter vacation.