You want your holiday vacation to be full of happiness and relaxation, not stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, the end of the year is one of the most hectic times to travel. Airports, trains and bus stations are crowded, and there's tons of traffic on the roads. Use these tips to keep your holiday travel stress-free:
Call your bank before you leave
If you plan to pay with your credit or debit card, call your bank ahead of time and let them know your destination. Otherwise, they might flag any out-of-town activity as suspicious and temporarily freeze your account. Then comes the embarrassing moment of having your card declined when you pay for dinner, gas or holiday gifts.
Head to your destination on Christmas
As the New York Times reported, travellers who fly on Christmas day experience fewer crowds and lines than those who travel just a few days before. Not only does travelling the day-of spare you the crowds, but it also saves money. David Solomito, vice president of marketing for Kayak, told the newspaper that travellers who flew Dec. 25, 2015, saved 14 percent on airfare compared to those who flew Dec. 23.
Flying on Christmas day saves money and lets you avoid crowds.
Skip the layover
Breaking your flight into two or more stops provides an opportunity for things to go wrong. If your first flight is delayed or cancelled, chances are you'll miss your connection and have to squeeze on the next available plane. Because the holidays are peak travel time, it could be half a day before you get a new flight. Also, taking more than one flight increases the likelihood your luggage will be lost. If you checked a bag full of Christmas presents, you might show up to your destination without any gifts. Plus, if you took our advice and scheduled your travel for Dec. 25, a missed connection could mean you miss Christmas with your family altogether.
If you can, schedule a direct flight to your destination. It might be a little more expensive, but you'll gain peace of mind knowing your plans won't be likely be delayed.
Send gifts ahead of time
If a connecting flight is unavoidable, try shipping your gifts to your destination instead of bringing them with you. Not only does this ensure your presents arrive on time in case you're delayed by weather, but it also prevents any extra fees from baggage that exceeds weight limits set by your train or airline. Use this same approach at the end of your vacation and ship gifts you receive back to your home.
Keep a light schedule
Speaking with Canadian Living, travel agent Cher MacNeill cautioned against scheduling too many activities. Of course you want to see as much as you can during your vacation, but visiting family, taking a trip to the museum, catching a play and dining at the city's hottest restaurant all in one day leaves you exhausted rather than relaxed. Plus, travelling from place to place is a recipe for stress, especially when there's traffic. Come up with a list of the top five things you must do during your vacation and schedule them so you have plenty of downtime in between to rest.