The holidays are upon us, and so is one of the busiest travel months of the year. As families pack up and load into cars, trains, buses and airplanes to head off to see family and friends, there is always some concern in the back of your mind of how to keep everyone safe and sound. Traveling during the winter holiday means traffic snarls and security lines, stormy weather and unsafe drivers. So what can you do to keep your family happy and healthy while traveling? Here are a few tips that will help you out whether you’re going by plane, train or automobile.
Leave Early and Give Yourself Extra Time
Nothing is more dangerous than stressed driving or a stressed-out attitude. When you’re running late, it’s easy to get combative, aggressive and distracted. All of those things are a recipe for disaster. By leaving early, you can stay focused and keep an eye on the kids, politely ignore the rudeness of others and enjoy the holiday sights as you make your way at a reasonable pace to your destination.
Leave as much extra time between connecting flights. If you have only a half-hour to get from Gate A to Gate B, it’s easy to miss it, or end up behind schedule and struggling to find new flights. The key to holiday travel is time, and giving yourself plenty of extra to deal with anything unexpected that may come up.
Plan Ahead
There are all sorts of tips and tricks that are considered “planning ahead”, and you should use as many of them as you can to make your travel days go smoother.
- If you’re flying, book an early or late flight: Flights earlier and later in the day tend to be on time—anything in-between, it’s fairly typical for airlines to fall behind schedule. It may be a pain to get up early or take a red-eye, but you’ll feel very grateful when you don’t have to sit for three extra hours in an airport full of overwhelmed travelers.
- Fly off-peak days and times: If possible, adjust your travel schedule to travel on a day that won’t be as busy. For example, if most kids aren’t out of school until the Friday before the holiday, try to travel before that—the day after school lets out is almost certain to be crazy. The same can be said for weekends, the days when weekday workers prefer or have to travel. Look at trends and flight bookings to find low-traffic times and days.
- Drive off-peak days and times: Just like flying, driving off hours is often easier. Read city alerts for when they’re expecting heavy traffic. Also, take notice of road closures and potential weather conditions.
- Take numbers: Have every available number at your fingertips. Before you leave the house load up airline numbers, emergency roadside assistance and anything that may come in handy should you run into issues.
- Make an itinerary: It can be a huge help to plan out your stops ahead of time. Look for rest stops, places for the kids to release some energy, food and even set a driving schedule so you can switch drivers throughout the day if possible.
Even the best laid plans will go awry at times. Plan to take deep breaths when necessary, and be prepared for the unexpected to happen. Positivity will be your best friend when you’re traveling during the holidays—don’t leave it at home. Have a survival pack ready with games, toys, food, electronic chargers, cash and any emergency supplies you may need.
Pack Light
Lugging stuff is a huge stressor on an already stressful day. Send gifts if you can and pack the bare minimum. Consider every item you’re thinking of bringing and ask yourself—is it worth it? Remember that you’ll most likely be coming back with additional items and that a washer and dryer will make it so you don’t need that second suitcase of clothes. Also, it’s not safe to have too many loose items floating around the car when you’re driving.
If You’re Driving
Driving helps you avoid security lines, but it comes with its own set of issues. Make sure to:
- Have you car serviced before you leave. You want a safe ride for your drive.
- Check the weather and closures before you go. Do you need chains or to avoid a route? Knowledge is power.
- Load a safety kit. Find a list of recommended items here.
- Map it out. Create an itinerary with alternative routes and necessary stops.
- Download helpful apps—technology is your friend.
Holiday travel doesn’t have to be negative or unsafe. The most essential tools are a good attitude and a big sense of adventure. Sometimes the best memories come from crazy days together as a family.
