| Face it: air travel can be stressful at any time, but it's | | | | checkpoint, get your boarding pass and picture ID |
| particularly so during the holidays. Airports are | | | | ready. Once past the initial checkpoint, stow your cell |
| crammed, the pressure to get to your destination on | | | | phone, watch, and any other heavy metallic objects |
| time is intense, and weather can be iffy during the | | | | in a zippered compartment on your bag. Put all of |
| Christmas season. There's no way to eliminate the | | | | them into the same compartment. |
| chance of weather related delays, but there are | | | | Wear slip-on shoes in order to speed things along. If |
| several things you can do to minimize your stress | | | | at all possible, wear a belt with a non-metallic buckle |
| level and handle holiday travel like a seasoned pro. | | | | (check websites that sell travel gear, like Magellan's or |
| 1. Leave home on time. | | | | TravelSmith). Pack your 3-1-1 liquids bag so that it's |
| This most basic requirement is all the more important | | | | readily available. Once I'm past the initial TSA ID |
| during the holidays: airports are busy, often with | | | | Boarding Pass check, I unzip the pocket on my bag |
| travelers who don't travel by air frequently. As a | | | | containing my liquids bag, so I won't forget to get it |
| result, everything slows down. Make sure you leave | | | | out when I'm at the magnetometer. When you pack, |
| home early enough to allow plenty of time to check | | | | pack your bag in an organized manner; if everything's |
| in and clear security; for safety's sake, allow 30-50% | | | | crammed into your bag haphazardly, it may slow |
| more time than you normally would allow -- for | | | | down the screening process. Finally, if you're bringing |
| instance, if you normally get to the airport 60 | | | | along a laptop or netbook, have it readily available so |
| minutes before flight time, give yourself 80-90 | | | | you can remove it for its trip through the x-ray |
| minutes during the holidays. Note: if you're unsure | | | | machine. |
| how early to get to the airport, check your airline's | | | | 6. Be informed |
| website for its recommendations with regard to | | | | Want to check on your flight status before leaving |
| check-in times. | | | | for the airport, or while en route? Have a member of |
| 2. Leave the gravy at home! | | | | your party send a text message to Google, (466453) |
| If you're bound and determined to bring your | | | | with the message contents being the 2 letter code |
| blue-ribbon-winning-gravy to Aunt Lulu's for the big | | | | for your airline and the flight number. For example, if |
| holiday cholesterol-fest, you're going to have to | | | | you're traveling on Delta flight 803, you'd send DL803 |
| transport it in luggage you're going to check. Giblets | | | | to 466453. You'll get up to date flight status |
| or no giblets, it's a liquid and as such is subject to the | | | | information in 15 seconds or so. Note that you must |
| TSA's 3 oz. limit. The same rule applies to salad | | | | capitalize both letters of the airline's IATA airline |
| dressings, cranberry sauce, wine, and so forth: check | | | | code, and that standard text message fees apply. |
| it, or better yet, leave it at home and make it fresh | | | | You can also send an SMS message to Google to |
| at your destination. Side note: if you are checking | | | | check on weather, movie times, and even currency |
| luggage, make it stand out on the carousel by tying | | | | conversions. Want to learn more? Just Google: |
| some brightly colored ribbon or yarn on each bag's | | | | Google SMS. |
| handle. | | | | 7. Be flexible |
| 3. Travel light | | | | Before leaving home, make certain you have a copy |
| Schlepping a heavy wheelie or other type of bag | | | | of your itinerary in your carry-on bag and checked |
| through a congested airport will only add to your | | | | luggage. Store your airline's Toll Free phone number in |
| distress when you're nervous about getting to your | | | | your cell phone; if you used a travel agency, store its |
| destination and worried about the weather. Give | | | | number as well as its after-hours emergency number |
| yourself a break: travel light, with a minimum of | | | | (if they have one) in your cell phone. If you have an |
| clothing. You'll be more comfortable and confident, | | | | iPhone or iPod Touch, download the "Next Flight" app |
| and may even feel a bit liberated. Not sure how to | | | | - it enables you to search for every direct flight |
| do it? There are many websites with articles on this | | | | between two cities on any given day, in an instant. If |
| subject; is a great place to start. | | | | worse comes to worst and your flight is canceled, |
| 4. Don't wrap presents! | | | | these steps will help greatly. |
| If you're bringing gifts with you, don't wrap them until | | | | There's another way in which we all need to be |
| you reach your destination. The TSA may develop a | | | | flexible when we travel at hectic times like the |
| keen interest in one or more of them, and if so, | | | | holidays. There are far worse things in life than being |
| they'll be tearing off the wrapping paper, and not the | | | | stuck in an airport for a few hours or even overnight |
| intended recipients. Wrap 'em when you get there! Or | | | | - just check the national news if you need reminding. |
| better yet, wrap them and ship them ahead of time | | | | Being flexible from an emotional standpoint will help as |
| via UPS or a similar service. | | | | well. You're lucky enough to travel by air to see |
| 5. Zip through the security checkpoint | | | | loved ones! You'll get there on time, or you'll get |
| Getting through the TSA security checkpoint without | | | | there eventually, but you will get there - be calm, be |
| hassle is not complicated. As you approach the | | | | cool, and enjoy! |