What are my's top tips to ensure a smooth journey when flying this festive season?
5 Book flights as early as possible
If you see a good price, book it!
Demand for air travel over the Christmas period is high, and as a result, ticket prices are notoriously high.
This is particularly the case around key travel dates, which tend to center around the weekend before Christmas and the days before Christmas Eve.
We all know that ticket prices are generally higher than normal over the Christmas period, so it pays to plan in advance and book flights as early as possible.
And remember, if you see a good deal, pounce on it before it's too late, as it may not last long!
4 Allow plenty of time for your journey
Roads and trains are busier, too
Even before you get to the airport, the Christmas travel nightmares can begin. Roads are often busier than normal as people head out on pre-Christmas errands and to visit loved ones, so be sure to allow plenty of time to get to the airport. Adverse weather conditions, such as snow and ice, can also make some routes treacherous.
Ideally, it pays to arrive a couple of hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight, which should allow for a stress-free journey through the airport.
If you're planning a journey with a connection, allowing enough time to connect from one flight to another is also important, taking potential delays into account.
Depending on the airport layout and whether you're connecting internationally, this process may involve some or all of the below:
- Changing terminals
- Passing through immigration
- Collecting your bags and re-checking them
- Going through security screening again.
All of this takes time, so build this into your plans for a stress-free connecting trip.
3 Consider alternative airports
Shop around for the best deals
The price of flights can vary greatly when departing from one airport to another, and it definitely pays to shop around - those in large urban areas with the luxury of more than one airport to choose from can save significant amounts of money by doing so.
Taking New York City as an example, the price of a one-way flight to Miami International Airport (MIA) on Saturday, December 21st, 2024, varies by up to $60 per passenger, depending on the airport and airline.
The cheapest flights currently available from each of the city's three major airports are as follows:
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - $289 (Spirit Airlines)
- New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) - $329 (Delta Air Lines)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) - $269 (Spirit Airlines).
That said, it is important to also factor in what is included with those fares (such as cabin baggage), as well as the cost of traveling to the airport, which, depending on location, could vary significantly by airport.
2 Travel earlier in the day
Avoid the build-up of delays
Whenever possible, travel earlier in the day. Early flights are often cheaper, and by traveling first thing, you can also avoid the sometimes lengthy delays that can build up throughout the day in a snowball effect.
The downside, of course, is the sometimes unsociable early start, but this is often worth it to get on your way and enjoy the rest of the day already at your destination, knowing that the worst of the Christmas traveling is now out of the way.
1 Be careful with gift wrapping
Don't get caught out at security
One important point to consider, that is often overlooked involves traveling with gifts and presents for others.
Those of us who are super organized might be tempted to get all our gift wrapping done before we head off on our travels, but that could actually create a problem when it comes to going through airport security.
Security staff may need to inspect your luggage, which will mean unwrapping all those carefully-wrapped gifts! It is therefore best to wrap your gifts once you have arrived at your destination.
