Travel

A Few Bonus Tips

Be prepared for more than the usual slowdowns at security. Even though the TSA's liquid and gel rules have been around for many years now, folks who fly very rarely may not be familiar with all the ins and outs -- and the newer full body scanners could catch even frequent travelers off guard.

Gas up the night before you travel; no one leaves enough time for buying gas on the way to the airport.

Investigate your frequent flier options to get better (and better guaranteed) seats.

Have phone numbers for everything: your hotel, your car rental agency, your airline, friends at your destination.

Choose nonstop flights. The worst, most brutal delays occur in connecting airports, where you have no home, friends or family to retreat to.

Don't overpack even checked luggage; overstuffed bags that must be opened for a security check are much harder to repack.

Do not wrap gifts, especially if you intend to carry them on the plane. Even in checked baggage, there is a strong chance they will be unwrapped for inspection by security personnel. Consider gift bags instead of wrapping paper this holiday season -- you can easily remove the items from their bags if required, and you won't have to do a last-minute wrapping job at your destination.

Give your cell phone a full charge, and put your airline's phone number in your contacts so you can call easily as your flight time approaches.

If you're leaving pets at home and you haven't made kennel reservations, do so right away. If Fido is coming along, check out our article on Traveling with Pets .

Put It All Together

Travel during the holidays is the time to lay all your travel savvy on the line. For example, if you:

- purchase a package deal in one click of the mouse

- have your boarding pass sent to your phone

- leave early enough not to sweat the small stuff

- travel light enough not to have to check any bags