The holidays are quickly approaching, which means it’s time to start making travel plans. People come from near and far to spend holidays with their friends and families. This year’s travel plans are a little unique, seeing as the world is in the middle of a global pandemic, so don’t forget to take COVID-19 health guidelines into consideration while making travel plans this year. Holidays are the perfect opportunities to escape the stress and tension of everyday life and reconnect with loved ones. Holiday travel is usually known to be difficult, but this year it doesn’t have to be with these top ten travel tips for the holidays.
1. Look For Good Deals
The holidays can be a great time to find good deals on hotels and transportation, just make sure to be looking in the right spots. Sites like Expedia, Kayak, and many others are great for finding good travel deals. Over the past year, there have been multiple travel bans between states and countries. This has resulted in travel rates being much lower than usual, making this a good time to book trips. Many travel websites also have great holiday packages and deals for flights, lodging, and activities.
2. Avoid Popular Travel Days
As a general rule, all days surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas tend to be extremely popular travel days. A good tip for traveling during the holidays is to avoid these particular days. While planning your holiday adventures, consider extending your stay or arriving early to avoid the crowded roads and airports. Christmas Day is a particularly good day to travel because most people are already at their destinations. Scheduling an early morning flight on Christmas helps ensure that the airport will be considerably less crowded as well as leaves the rest of Christmas Day open for any and all activities of your choosing.
3. Plan For Extra Travel Time
Holiday travel can be wildly unpredictable. Remember to budget extra time for delays, road closures, bad weather, and anything else that could go wrong. A good tip is to arrive at the airport a couple of hours early just in case there are any problems or miscommunications. Security lines can be quite long, and it’s always better to be waiting around the airport for a few minutes instead of missing your flight altogether. For road trips, make sure to check the weather reports and road conditions before setting out on your adventure.
4. Pack Wisely
Packing is something that many (if not all) travelers struggle with. Look at the weather reports for your destination and make sure to pack appropriate clothing for the climate. Many travelers fall into the trap of overpacking. While it’s always good to be prepared, packing lightly is what will help you in the long run. When flying, fitting all items in a carry-on bag is preferred to avoid the long lines at the luggage check and keep all your possessions with you at all times during your journey.
5. Have a Backup Plan
As mentioned before, the holidays can be a crazy time for travel, which means that there’s a lot of things that could go wrong. Planning for problems before they happen is a good habit to get into while traveling but is particularly helpful when traveling during the holidays because it will ensure that you don’t miss any parties or events. Coming up with a backup plan, even if it goes unused, is always a good idea because it will keep traveling anxiety and mishaps to a minimum.
6. Travel Early or Late
Scheduling flights that depart early in the morning or late at night is recommended when traveling during the holidays because the flights and airports are usually less crowded during those times. Although it may be slightly inconvenient, flights are usually cheaper during these times as well.
7. Don’t Let Travel Ruin Your Holiday
Traveling can be a source of anger and frustration for many people. Utilizing the tips found in this article can be helpful in ensuring that your holiday travel is stress-free. Remember that while traveling is what gets you to your destination, it doesn’t define the entire trip. Don’t let a bad traveling experience ruin your holiday!
8. Don’t Bring Gifts on Flights
Bringing gifts on fights will only increase your luggage and luggage costs and take up more time at the airport. Instead, consider buying gift cards or ship things ahead of time to your destination. If you have to bring gifts on flights, don’t wrap them, as some presents have to be unwrapped in security.
9. Follow COVID-19 Health Guidelines
There are many ways that travel has had to adapt during a global pandemic. Many airlines require face coverings to be worn at all times during the flight, so don’t forget yours! Add hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to your packing list while traveling during this holiday season to keep any diseases from spreading. If traveling internationally, make sure to check government regulations to see if you need a negative COVID test before entering the country.
10. Don’t Wait to Book
Don’t wait to book your holiday trips! There are flexible change policies on most airlines right now, meaning that changing or canceling trips is easier than ever before. Planes also have limited seating right now, which means that they will fill up much faster than usual. Don’t leave the planning until the last minute and book all flights, lodging, and activities now to avoid any stress on travel days.
Following the tips above will help all travelers to have safe and relaxing holiday trips! This year, holiday travel doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Safe travels and happy holidays!
Don’t have holiday plans yet? Acanela Expeditions is offering a variety of trips this holiday season! Trips to Turkey, Galapagos Islands, and African safaris are all available from now throughout the rest of the year. Acanela is constantly updating tours and creating new adventures as countries open back up for international travel. Book your holiday adventure today!
Post written by Abby Kimball