Ahh, the holidays. Family, friends, sparkling lights, warm drinks—and long waits at the airport.
Added stress at the airport can seem like a given during the holidays, but here are some tips from Frommer's that we hope will make flying during the holidays easier, cheaper, more comfortable, and even (dare we say it?) pleasant.
Authorities at Chicago's O'Hare airport recommend that travelers avoid bringing gift-wrapped items on the airplane. Heightened security measures say that wrapped gifts may be opened and searched. Pack your gifts and some sheets of wrapping paper separately and wrap your gifts once you reach your destination.
Also on the gift front, packages count towards the new FAA-mandated carry-on policy, which allows just one carry-on item in addition to one personal item (like a purse, briefcase, or lap-top computer). So you may need to pack gifts in your checked baggage.
If you want to bring some bubbly to your New Year's celebration, either wrap it well and stow it in your checked baggage or even better, buy it once you get to your destination. Remember that checked luggage can be opened and searched, and no one likes flat champagne.
And while we're on the subject of champagne, don't forget that corkscrews are permitted in the cabin, but they will not be allowed if they also have a blade attached. Regulations change frequently, so check www.tsa.gov for a current list of what is and isn't allowed in the cabin. If you're going on a ski trip, remember that ski poles must be checked.
We know, we know—it's obvious: Leave yourself even more time to get to the airport during the holiday season. In addition to increased security and crowded airport parking lots, holiday traffic and winter driving conditions can make your journey to the airport a lot longer.
To save time at the airport, use curbside check-in or electronic check-in. These services will allow you to bypass the huge crowds at the ticket counters and proceed directly to the security screening areas.
Since cold and flu season coincides with the holiday season, here are a few tips: If your cold is severe, you should consider postponing your flight because takeoff and landing can damage your eardrums. If you must fly, however, Sascha Segan, author of Frommer's Fly Safe, Fly Smart (2002) recommends using a decongestant or nasal spray before takeoff and landing to minimize pressure buildup.
Want to save money? Flying on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving Day can save you a bundle since few people travel on these holidays. Call the airlines or check their websites for low holiday fares.
On the flip side, you can sometimes save a bunch of money if you book your flight for a peak time (the weekends before and after holidays are especially busy) and hope to be "bumped" off your flight. As you may know, being bumped means that you volunteer to give up your seat on your booked flight for a seat on a later flight in exchange for a free ticket or flight coupon that can be worth as much as $500 or more. Here's how bumping works: You book a ticket on a full flight and then tell the gate agent that you're willing to go "denied voluntary." If the flight is overbooked, you'll be put on a later flight and given a coupon redeemable for future ticket purchase, plus meals and hotel accommodations if you have to wait overnight. Be careful during the holidays, though. If you need to be at your destination by a certain time, get a confirmed seat on a later flight before you agree to be bumped.
If your flight is delayed overnight during a long, weather-related delay, it pays to ask about low "distressed passenger rates" at nearby hotels and inns. If surrounding accommodations are booked and you're forced to sleep in the airport, ask employees if you can get a cot or access to the first-class lounge.
If you are taking your kids along with you, try to reserve a seat in a bulkhead row. You'll have more legroom and kids will have more room to move around and play. Plus, you'll have sympathetic company since families with children tend to be seated in this area.
Another kid-friendly tip: Sascha Segan recommends bringing juice and cookies on the plane for kids to munch on and sip during takeoff and landing. Not only will snacks keep kids distracted during descent and ascent (often the scariest times of the flight for kids), but swallowing and chewing will help their ears to pop. If your child is not old enough to consume cookies and juice, a pacifier will serve the same purpose.
Holiday flights are almost always full. Here are some measures to help you relax on a packed flight: Wear layers of comfortable clothing (so that you can remove and add layers as cabin temperature dictates); choose comfy shoes (slip-ons are good so that you can take them off after takeoff); keep moisturizer, eyedrops, and a big bottle of water on hand to keep yourself hydrated and moisturized in the notoriously dry cabin air; and walk around or practice some in-seat leg exercises to keep from getting stiff.
Request an exit row seat before you fly if you want more room on a packed plane. Seating regulations vary, so call your airline to determine when you can reserve a seat. If you aren't lucky enough to get a exit row seat, you can request a seat away from the galley and the bathrooms, both of which tend to attract lots of traffic (and noise) on busy flights.