If your holiday travel plans include an airline flight this year, you’ll be joining an estimated 25.3 million passengers flying on U.S. airlines over the 12-day Thanksgiving period, and up to 45 million fliers over the two and a half week Christmas period.* That means you should expect long ticket counter lines, very busy security check points and full planes. Those conditions can be stressful, especially when traveling with children, so use these tips to smooth out the wrinkles of holiday air travel.

Before You Go

Plan flights with weather and traffic in mind – When flying during the holidays, be sure to plan your flights carefully from the beginning. Avoid peak travel days: the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving; weekends before and after Christmas. If possible, take a direct flight. If you must make a connection, opt for a city with less harsh winter weather, i.e. Dallas over Chicago. You might also choose a slightly longer layover so that if there is a delay, you have more time to make your connection. Take the earliest flight in the day so that if you do miss a connection, you’ll have more options for reaccommodation without getting stuck overnight.

Download helpful travel apps – There are hundreds of travel apps out there, but these free apps are particularly useful for the airport:

• Tripit – Gathers travel confirmations from emails and organizes all itineraries in one place, which you can view offline and share with others. The Pro version ($39/year)  tracks, monitors, alerts, notifies, and shares as well.
• FlightStats – Provides real-time flight information, including flight status, tracking, delays weather and more.
• GateGuru – Offers basic flight tracking capabilities, gate changes and delay times, but also provides detailed airport information such as maps, amenities and weather.
• iFly Airport Guide – Gives comprehensive airport information including restaurants, restrooms, stores, distances to gates, Wi-Fi coverage, business services, parking rates, as well as flight tracking, gate and baggage information, and tons of traveler tips.

Reconfirm and check in – Always check in online up to 24 hours before your flight. Verify your seat assignments and print your boarding pass or send it to a mobile device. Be sure to reconfirm flight operations before leaving for the airport.

Register for TSA Precheck^® – Security is expected to be strengthened during the 2015 holiday travel period, plus infrequent travelers unfamiliar with security procedures can slow the process down. With TSA Precheck^® you can sail through security with your shoes on and laptop packed. If you travel by air even a couple times a year, TSA Precheck^® is well worth the $85 fee for the five year validity.

Don’t wrap gifts – Security may need to open packages, so don’t wrap gifts that you carry on. Better yet, ship them before you travel so you don’t have to jockey for overhead bin space.

Strategic Planning for Holiday Air Travel

Arrive early – With thousands more people traveling during holidays than an average day, the sheer volume will slow everyone down. Lines will be longer, families with young children or seniors will move slower and security will be tighter, so getting to your flight will take more time than usual. Just accept the fact and go to the airport an hour earlier than normal.

Be prepared for security – Know the drill and do your part to keep the line moving. Wear slip on shoes so you don’t hold up the line doing the one-foot hop while trying to unlace boots. Keep electronics easily accessible so you can remove them to be scanned separately. Remember the 3-1-1 rule for liquids: 3.4 ounce bottles in one quart-sized clear Ziploc bag per person.

Entertain yourself – Since you will be there early, pack some entertainment to bide your time: a book, music, electronic games, deck of cards. One mobile device will provide all this and more! Don’t forget snacks for the kids to avoid hunger meltdowns. Stretch or walk while you wait to stay limber and keep good circulation. And of course, people watching is at its best in airports!

Keep calm and have a plan – Should your flight get canceled, have a plan and enact it quickly. Quick action can make the difference of getting to your destination on the same day or getting stuck overnight.

• At the first hint of a problem, make a beeline for the airline’s customer service while you are dialing your travel advisor on the phone. Chances are your advisor on the phone will have you rebooked by the time you get to the head of the physical line.
• Look at nearby cities to see if other flight options make sense. In an overbooked or cancelled flight situation, the airline agent may be open to an alternate suggestion.
• Keep a positive and respectful attitude. Remember that when a flight disruption occurs, tempers and disappointments flair and airline agents have a stressful job to manage the fallout. Plus, they are working during the holiday so you can get to your family and friends. There’s a reason for the old adage, “You catch more flies with honey.”

Wishing you happy, safe and on time travels this holiday! For more holiday travel advice, talk to a Covington Travel Advisor today.

* Holiday travel statistics source: AirlinesforAmerica^®