Airline Fanatic

I can’t believe it but it’s already that time of year again: Thanksgiving. Time for us to joyously stuff ourselves with turkey and then promptly drift off to sleep from the tryptophan. Unfortunately for 20 million Americans, including myself, we have to fly to our final destination this year in order to get our fill of poultry, which means having to brave the mess that is our airport system. While traveling around the busiest travel days is always a challenge, I’ve compiled a list of the 5 tips you can follow to make your trip a little less painful, and that will hopefully get you to your destination in one piece and stress free.

1) Check-in Online -

I don’t know why everyone doesn’t use this service, available from every airline these days. There are so many advantages and so may disadvantages to not doing it. By checking in online you can make sure you have a seat assignment, very important for very full Thanksgiving flights. If you only have carry on luggage, you can skip the first step at the airport completely, meaning you only have to deal with security wait times. Many airlines will even give you extra bonus miles for checking in before you get to the airport.

2) Check Security Wait Times -

You should always be at the airport at least two hours in advance for Thanksgiving travel, but let’s be honest, sometimes that just doesn’t happen. The FAA has a neat little feature that lets you check security line wait times online, before you walk into a three hour trap. You can check by day of the week and time, but remember this is Thanksgiving, which means airports will certainly be busier than most wait times indicate. To get the best approximation, check the wait time on Friday evenings, when airports are the most crowded during the regular week.

3) Take Public Transportation -

This may be the last thing you want to do when heading out for Thanksgiving, but it might just be worth it. Airport parking lots frequently fill up this time of year, and the later you get to the airport, the less parking spots you will find. The last thing you want to happen is to be at the airport and miss your flight because you couldn’t get a spot. If you have to drive, reserve a spot in advance at one of the many lots near the airport; they can then shuttle you to the right terminal (Try carparknet.com, airportparkingreservations.com, airportdiscountparking.com, parkingaccess.com, or theparkingspot.com.) If you have a long way to go to the airport and are staying at a hotel the night before, check with the staff as they may let you park your car for the duration of your trip.

4) Confirm Your Rental Car Reservation -

The worst way to start your vacation is to get your destination only to be left without a set of wheels. Rental car companies always count on no-shows and so overbook their inventory even worse than airlines. Call ahead to confirm your reservation so they know you will actually be there. You may also want to ask about express check-in options, because the lines of people who don’t have cars waiting for them can slow you down very quick.

5) Bribery -

Probably the most unconventional tip on this list, but also the most effective. Try kindness first. If you are late for your flight try asking an airline representative to cut to the front of the line and pray they take pity on you. If you find yourself bumped from a flight with no volunteers forthcoming (a definite possibility on Thanksgiving), kindness probably won’t cut it. Instead sweeten the airline’s deal a little by adding your own incentives to the offer. Maybe $400 won’t do it for that one last volunteer needed, but will $450, will $500? How much do you want that seat on that plane? Also see tip #1, you could have avoided this whole mess if you just checked in earlier and gotten yourself a seat assignment.

The moral of all these tips are plan ahead, and get there early. Every part of the travel process will take longer this Thanksgiving, thanks to record numbers of people traveling, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few good ways to better prepare yourself and your family. The more time you give yourself, the better chance you have to correct anything that does go wrong, so don’t wait until the last minute! With any luck and these tips, you will indeed arrive on time for that big fat Turkey, stuffing and oh so delicious gravy.