Hallgirl1 and I are flying out on Christmas Eve to spend a week with Hallgirl2 and her family. We will return on New Year’s Day. Our flight leaves pretty early on Christmas Eve (9 am, I think) and we’re flying from a major east coast airport to Texas (direct flight!). Home is the same.
I’ve flown before, but never so close to major holidays and it’s starting to freak me out. I will be taking a carry-on (not checking any luggage) and won’t be wrapping presents (they’re being sent directly to Hallgirl2’s house), and I plan to dress comfortably. I don’t even want to think about the weather–Texas should be fine, but coming back to the east coast in January? Gah.
What tips do you have for flying so close to a major holiday? Should I expect the travel to be heavy (since it is Christmas Eve), or will everyone fly out the weekend before? How about New Year’s Day? Anything I should do or don’t do?
Pack tight, and never assemble anything beforehand because it’s just a waste of space no matter how cute it looks in the pile.
Dress warmly and leave the top down. It’s a bit of an inconvenience but it cuts down on wind resistance.
I don’t care how cute it looks in the pictures, put Blitzen in lead and save Rudy for the really foggy nights. He might have a bright nose, but that’s about as far as it goes.
In my experience flying on the holiday is always less hassle.
Maybe fewer services/shops available, but you don’t need that. No checked bags, on or nearly on the holiday, I think you’re golden.
Happy Holidays!
Christmas Eve and New Years Day might be pretty crowded (Christmas Day can be fairly empty). Go way early. It’s much better to sit around an airport and read for 2 hours then to miss your flight (there’s also the airport bar option). The direct flight makes things so much easier considering that no matter how delayed it is, you still make it to your destination.
As much as people hate the TSA, I’m sure those people would much rather be home than at an airport, so smile, and maybe hide some gifts for them in your luggage like some 4 oz. bottles of water.
I was at Gulfstream’s depot at Luton Airport for a couple of Christmases, so I saw things from a safe distance.
If it’s anything like the UK, expect the airports and flights to be packed and both passengers and staff to be totally stressed. Do yourselves a favour and see if you can change your booking to go early and come back late. Try going out on the 23rd (which will be slightly less frantic) or even the 19th and coming back on the 6th. This will also give you leeway for bad weather.
If TV has taught me nothing else, it’s taught me that you’ll end up spending the night at the airport but you’ll learn the true meaning of Christmas. So there’s that.
Take a big dose of zen before you go.
Show up fairly early, bring something to entertain yourself and relax.
People are going to be stressed and cranky and crazy but you don’t have to add to it.
Program your airlines customer service number into your phone. If for any reason your flight is delayed you can be waiting on hold on the phone while you’re physically waiting in line.
Best advice of all - spend $20-30 each on a day pass to the executive waiting lounge. More comfortable place to wait, less stressed people and if something goes wrong with your flight the agents there are more likely to be able to get you on a flight more quickly. On your flight days these are likely to be very lightly used as business travel will be lower.
Check in for your flight online the day before as soon as you can. Flights might be oversold and if the airline has to bump people, it could come down to who checked in last.
