By Stephanie DeRosa
With the millions of travelers who venture out onto the roads and into the air for Thanksgiving, eating too much pumpkin pie is the least of a girl's worries. Brutal traffic, never ending security lines and delayed flights? We understand if you'd rather stay home. Getting to your destination during the busiest weekend of travel of the year without an ounce of stress? Now that's something to be thankful for. And Travelle's Thanksgiving travel tips can make it happen.
If You're Flying...
Choose Your Travel Days Wisely
The day before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after are without a doubt the worst travel days. Avoid them if you can by booking flights that leave Monday, Tuesday or the day of and return Friday. It may mean cutting family time short, but keep in mind that while travelers fight their way through the weekend rush, you'll already be home, happily recovering from yesterday's feast.
Check In ASAP
And by ASAP we mean 24 hours in advance. There are no perks to getting bumped when you're traveling on the busiest days of the year, when flights are often overbooked and bad weather leads to countless delays. And if you're not a member of the TSA PreCheck program, now is the time to become one. Even if you arrive at the airport behind schedule, you'll get through security a lot faster so you can run right to your terminal (without hopping to get those boots back on).
Tech Savvy Traveler
Keep tabs on your flight itinerary and wait times with an airport app. They'll give you to the minute status updates so you can quickly plan around any unfortunate surprises. You'll also want to follow your airline and airport on Twitter for announcements that could affect your flight. And don't be shy about sending tweets their way--you'll have a better chance of getting answers to simple questions if you ask on social media.
Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but flight delays happen. Bring a supply of healthy snacks so you're not forced to munch on junk that'll only make you feel worse about being stuck in an airport. Have your portable chargers ready to go so you can stay up to date on flight info (and entertained). And don't forget to stay hydrated. If you're faced with a significant delay or cancellation, have a couple of backup options ready in case a flight change is necessary.
If You're Driving...
Time It Right
If there's any time to stay off the road, it's on Wednesday between 3 and 5pm. Begin your journey in the morning or during the evening hours to beat those traffic blues. And for the ride home, try leaving Sunday when, according to google, the traffic is actually a little less horrendous than Saturday.
Map It Out
Be sure to make note of any road closures or construction happening when planning your trip and take a look at your GPS route before you hit the road. If very heavy traffic's at hand, look for alternative ways to reach your destination before committing to an eternity of sitting bumper to bumper.
Be Wary Of Weather
It's very possible you'll end up driving through some not nice conditions; it is November, after all. You may leave in sunshine, but find yourself in heavy downpours or a snowstorm only a few hours later. Keep an eye on the weather forecast for all of the areas you'll be driving through so you'll know what to expect and what to prepare for on your trip.
Now that you made it, get your gobble gobble on!
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