Here are Steve’s 10 tips to make flying easier during the holidays –

This will be one of the busiest weekends of the year for flying. Here is my advice if you are brave enough to fly this weekend and during the coming Christmas and New Year holidays.

#1 – Download the airline APP on your mobile phone and check in online before you head to the airport – Print out a boarding pass before you leave home – This keeps you out of one more line at the check-in counter.

#2 – Make sure your TSA Pre-Check number is listed in your reservation – If you have downloaded the airline mobile app and checked-in on the app you will receive a boarding pass that will clearly show the TSA Pre-Check symbol on your boarding pass. Those smart travelers who use a travel advisor will probably have a profile with the Known Travelers number captured so it automatically shows up on your boarding pass. If your boarding pass does not show your TSA Pre-Check number you should ask the airline rep at the check-in counter to add it to your reservation so you can use the Pre-Check lane for speedy access to the security lane.

#3 – Take an Uber or have your friends or relatives take you to the airport – Airport parking is often full (and expensive) and you can avoid the hassle of driving around for an hour to find a parking spot.  #3A – If you do drive your car to the airport be sure to take a picture of your car where you parked in the parking lot so you know where to find your car when you return.

#4 – Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours early as lines will be long – I know this sounds excessive however, nothing is worse than missing your flight because of long lines. If you miss your flights you may miss out altogether on flying as all flights will be full and it will be hard, if not impossible, to find alternate flights.

#5 – Take only carry-on luggage – Avoid the check-in counter and go straight to the security checkpoint. This means you should take only carry-on luggage and avoid checking in any luggage (will save you 30 minutes of standing in line).

#6 – Take a picture of your checked luggage – Then if your luggage gets lost you can easily show the airline clerk what it looks like when filing a lost luggage claim.

#7 – Get on the plane early – Overhead bins will be full of Christmas gifts and overhead bin space is on a first come first served basis.

#8 – Scan or photograph your passport, driver’s license and credit cards – This can help you get replacements and contact your banks for new credit cards and credentials if needed. 

#9 – Charge your phone and all of your electronics plus bring a charging battery – When the airports are full so are all the airport charging stations. Nothing is worse than trying to use your phone when the battery is about to die.

#10 – Leave your laptop at home – It is time to sit back and enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

#11 Bonus – Please, please, please don’t wrap your Christmas presents if you are flying with them – Many people who are flying to Grandma’s house with Christmas presents as carry-ons are going to be very upset when they watch the security staff unwrap those presents to check what is inside. My advice, if you are taking presents be sure you wrap them when you arrive to prevent the painful experience of watching your beautifully wrapped presents being opened and that 15 minutes of making the wrappings look perfect be dismantled at the security checkpoint.

#12 Bonus – Finally, take a big dose of patience with you – Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s are three of the busiest weeks of the year for air travel. Airports will be full. Parking lots will be full. Security lines will be twice the normal size and every seat on every plane will be packed. The overhead bins on planes will be packed with holiday goodies. This is the time of the year when many families fly. So these travelers are often first time flyers that are not aware of how the “system works”. Despite all the “hassle factors” you can remove most of the stress simply by arriving early at the airport and knowing in advance what to expect. So take a deep breath, enjoy all those cute children running around your feet and be thankful for all the wonderful blessings that this season offers.

Procrastinator’s Alert – The best gift you can give for Christmas is the dream of travel – We can still save the day for guys who have procrastinated buying their wife (or significant other) a Christmas gift. If you want to really see someone’s eyes light up on Christmas morning, give them a travel gift certificate. It is the easiest gift to buy and the one that your friends and family will most cherish. Let’s face it. Who needs one more ugly tie or one more bottle of cheap perfume to store in the closet? The most valued gifts today are not possessions but experiences. Call our office today (402-435-8888) and ask one of our friendly travel advisors to issue a travel gift certificate in any denomination you like. Yours will be the most popular gift this Christmas.

End-of-Year Warning – Protect your airline and hotel elite status before the end of the year – One of the most valuable things a frequent traveler can do is to make sure you retain your current airline and hotel elite status for the New Year. A simple call to your preferred airline or hotel and they will tell you if you are on track to maintain your status and all the bennies that go with it like complimentary upgrades, etc.  If you are short, be sure to check to see if you have earned all your credits. If you still are just a few miles or stays short many people look at doing a quick mileage run (airline) or mattress run (hotel) to earn enough points to put you over the top. The airlines sometimes will allow you to buy additional qualifying miles before the end of the year to reach your elite status target.

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