It’s no news that most Americans travel for Thanksgiving. Almost everybody is on the move. This explains why there are always mishandled bags, missing pieces of luggage, sudden cancellations, and other travel headaches. With millions of people all over the airport, everyone wants to get in and out as fast as possible. Well, these five tips will make your journey less stressful.
You’ll need more than ‘wiggle time’
Your travel during the Thanksgiving period doesn’t start from the airport (well, except you live very close to the airport). This means that you’ll most likely spend significant time on the road.
Courtesy: Freepik
During the busy holiday travel period, the roads become parking lots. That’s why you should plan some extra time so you won’t feel stuck and frustrated on the road. You might want to add one or two hours (aside from flight time) to cover the road travel.
A few minutes can become so significant
While it’s true that delays are inevitable during the Thanksgiving period, you can avoid some of them. In the security line, you’d move faster if you’re behind someone with just one bag than a family with five bags and two pets.
Courtesy: Freepik
Also, asking the TSA agent about the fastest-moving lines can help you move faster. Since these agents communicate with one another, they always know how to get you through faster.
The best day to travel
Most people travel home for Thanksgiving a few days before D-Day, and the airports are always more packed on these days. That’s why it’s recommended to travel on Thanksgiving Day– it means lower flight prices and less crowd.
Courtesy: Forbes
However, if your destination is too far from the airport, you might be too tired after the travel to have fun with your family. So, the next best option is traveling on the Monday before Thanksgiving, as most people travel on Tuesday.
The earlier, the better
Regardless of the time of your flight, you can’t avoid the rush. However, the rush isn’t the same at all times- there are times when there isn’t much crowd. It’s a no-brainer that those are the best times to travel.
Courtesy: Travel+Leisure
Traveling very early in the morning is one sure way of avoiding unnecessary stress. Aside from the lower traffic, you can arrive earlier and help set up the table. The next best time is much later in the evening- the afternoon is the ultimate ‘rush hour.’
Smaller isn’t that bad
One might think bigger airports can accommodate more people so they offer a better chance of peaceful travel- well, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, we recommend avoiding bigger airports.
Courtesy: Freepik
Smaller local airports always have less traffic– and this applies to going and coming back. Most people prefer the bigger airports. So opting for the smaller airports is a sure way to avoid the crowd.
