- When purchasing airline tickets, avoiding peak travel dates and booking early can save travelers money. According to MSNBC, travelers should try to avoid the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and travel back home the day after Thanksgiving, which is usually a Friday. During Christmas, MSNBC recommends that people travel the week before Christmas, as early as possible, and that they don't wait until the last minute to book flights, since this can be extremely expensive.
- When trying to save money while traveling during the holidays, MSNBC also recommends that travelers check alternate airports for deals, and that they travel light to avoid hassles at the airport and costly baggage fees. When traveling with gifts, leave them unwrapped, because there's a good chance a Transportation Security Administration employee will want to inspect the gifts, according to MSNBC.
- Airports tend to be less congested during the holidays early in the day and late in the night, according to MSNBC. This is a good time to fly during the holidays to avoid overcrowded airports. In addition, MSNBC recommends that travelers who are flying during peak travel times and days leave for the airport earlier than usual, about three hours ahead of scheduled flight times. Because so many people travel during these times, giving yourself extra time to check-in and get through security checkpoints is a good idea.
- Although many holiday travelers take to the skies, there are others who hit the road to drive to visit loved ones during the holidays. USAtourist.com recommends that travelers upgrade their rental cars to those that have navigation systems to prevent them from getting lost. In addition, since traveling during the winter months can be dangerous because of snowstorms, hail and ice, usatourist.com also recommends that drivers take extra precautions. Keeping an ice scraper in the car and having access to AAA can be very beneficial during holiday travel on the road.
- When traveling with children on the road, keep kids buckled up in the back seat properly. According to askpatty.com, roads are crowded during the holidays and kids should be secured in seatbelts or car seats depending on their age. In addition, it is a good idea to bring toys, books and video games on the road trip to keep kids entertained, according to askpatty.com.
