Pssst… want to know a secret? There are lots of ways to minimize stress before your holiday journey. If you’re traveling by plane, some of them can even be taken care of before you leave home. Here are 25 Tips to Make 2021 Thanksgiving Air Travel Easier.
When you get your suitcase out, here’s the first thing to pack – your patience. You can expect longer lines, because more people will be traveling this year. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), “4.2 million travelers will take to the skies this Thanksgiving holiday. This volume represents an 80% increase over 2020.”
The night before your trip (or sooner):
1. Download and update your airline and airport flight apps. This will make checking status updates easier.
2. Consider using a credit card that earns travel points and miles for all trip expenses. It’s amazing how easy it is to spend more when you are out of town, so why not have those expenses pay you back later?
3. Notify your bank that you will be out of state so they don’t freeze your credit card when you need it the most. Some banks will let you enter this information in their app.
4. Use your airline online check in and pay any baggage fees early. You’ll avoid long check-in lines and be assigned to a better seating group the earlier you do this.
5. If your checked bag is going to be heavy or oversized, check into the cost of upgrading your ticket and getting your baggage for free. It may be cheaper than paying the baggage fee on your current seat option.
6. Consider buying low cost trip insurance before you fly. With staffing shortages, airline maintenance issues, and increased holiday traffic, it’s possible your trip could get cancelled or delayed.
7. Check with your airline and arrival and departure airports to see what their requirements are for vaccine credentials. You may not need to bring the paper copy if your airline allows you to show a digital record of your COVID vaccination information in software like the VeriFLY app.
8. Sign up for and include your frequent flyer member number in your airline reservation data. Why? A few years ago, I got bumped up to a nicer seating class with more leg room because I had registered as a loyalty club member (even though I had never flown their airline before). It was a true gift on a 9-hour very crowded flight from Paris to Washington, DC.
9. Remember, safeguarding your privacy for your mobile devices in a crowded airport is important. Public WiFi’s leave you vulnerable to hackers. If you want extra protection, sign up for a Very Private Network (VPN) and feel more secure. The costs are fairly low.
10. Pack your own headphones and tuck them in an easy to reach spot in your carry-on. Don’t forget to download any podcasts and audio books now. You’ll be glad to have something interesting to listen to while you wait in the airport or on the tarmac.
11. Include an extra light sweater or stylish wrap in your carry-on just in case the airplane or airport is colder than you expected. Weather varies widely both indoors and out at this time of year.
Before You Leave Home
12. Apply moisturizer to your face. Between daily face mask use and whatever climate change you encounter, you’ll want to be kinder to your skin.
13. Drink a big glass of water and pack a water bottle for your trip. Airports and airlines have very dry air and your throat will thank you later.
14. Check to see if your flight is still leaving on time. You can do this through your airline app or on their website. Some delays are posted hours ahead of time and you don’t want to spend extra time in the airport if you don’t have to during COVID.
15. If you’ve signed up for these services in advance, visit your airport website and see where the CLEAR or TSA PreCheck security checkpoint entrances are and skip the long security lines.
16. Plan on getting to the airport early. Between heavier crowds and unfamiliar drivers, just getting dropped off may be a challenge. Plan on arriving at the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight. It’s very likely there will be extra COVID protocols for international flights.
At the Airport:
17. Check the airline departure boards first – last minute gate changes or flight changes may show up here before they show up in your digital apps.
18. Look for the airport lounges. If you’re nervous about being around others in a crowded airport during layovers, airport lounges are a nice escape. Some lounges are now pay-per-use so even if you aren’t a loyalty club member, you can pay a fee at the door and go inside. Prices vary so find out ahead of time. Most lounges have nicer food and beverage options and allow you to relax in a more peaceful environment.
19. Drink whatever is left in your water bottle, and empty out any liquids that won’t be allowed through security. You can always buy more water in the concourse on the other side and refill it.
20. Stop and arrange your carry-on so you can get through the security line faster. Unzip the laptop or any other electronic you may need to put in a bin, and have it near the top where you can pull it out easily.
21. Pull out your driver’s license or other ID and your ticket (if you have a paper one) and put them in a pocket so you can get to them quickly before you head to the security line.
22. Visit the restroom one last time before you head to the gate. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
23. Get to your gate at least 30 minutes in advance; look and listen for any last minute announcements. I’ve arrived at the gate a few times only to find out it’s been switched and I had to run to the other gate to make my flight.
24. Check the power levels on your electronics. This is a good time to find an outlet and recharge them before you get on your plane.
25. If you’re flight is cancelled, sit down quick and open up your airline app. You can look for another flight faster yourself than waiting in long lines at the counter for an airline agent to help you.
Happy Travels!
Reducing stress so you can enjoy your trip is the goal of this post. Hopefully you’ll be able to use some or all of the 25 Tips to Make 2021 Thanksgiving Airline Travel Easier. Oh, and one last idea – take a few deep breaths and remember, you’re on your way. Safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
What’s your favorite travel tip? Please share what you’ve learned in the comments below.
