Friday, December 17

Christmas Travel Tips

Before you get leave for a new city, it is always wise to print off MapQuest directions that will guide you to the destinations that are important to you. Directions from your hotel to a specific theater, museum, or popular shopping district will allow you to leave the hotel and navigate the city with confidence. The directions are also your route back home should you become lost.


Booking your plane tickets online is a great way to score discounted airfare. However, you should always call the airline directly to verify that the seats you requested are actually the seats that are reserved. It has happened on more than one occasion that a travel party has been split up due to conflicting reservations between the airline and a 3rd party travel site.

You heard me, don’t pre-wrap your Christmas gifts before getting on a plane. As you can imagine, airport security agents become very nervous when passengers try and bring wrapped boxes onto their planes. Save yourself the frustration (and money) of having to wrap your gifts a second time by either shipping the gifts directly to the final destination, or bring only unwrapped gifts to the airport.

If you are traveling in the winter months, there is a high likelihood that a portion of your journey will be delayed due to icy or snowy conditions. If your cell phone is stuck in checked luggage, you may be forced to either buy a new charger, or go without. By packing your cell phone charger in your carry-on luggage, you can assure that you will be able to use your phone whenever you need it.

You can save some serious coin by booking your flight on the actual holiday. Many travelers report that traveling on the holiday is much less-stressful due to minimal lines, empty flights, and vacant airports. Travelers also suggest booking your return flight on an off-peak day, such as Tuesday to avoid the hassles of a busy.

What? You’ve never heard of “the good flyer discount”? The good flyer discount is an industry term for polite passengers that receive “extras” from airline representatives for remaining calm and accommodating during difficult situations.

Personally, I’ve been privileged to upgraded seating, free in-flight beverages, free lodging, and even a free limo ride to another airport. Remain calm and polite and the airline representatives will do their very best to take care.

At least work-out heavily the day before you get on a flight of 4 hours or more. Many fitness-trainers will agree that heavy workouts the day before you get on a long flight may help you relax, deal better with jet lag, and help your body remain less-stiff during the flight.

If you happen to be in at the Los Angeles LAX airport, Chicago (O’Hare International) airport, or the Port Columbus International airport, you might be able to squeeze in a workout pre-flight. Check out http://www.airportgyms.com to find out if your airport has a gym.


If you are traveling out of the country, and you happen to be a senior citizen (especially over the age of 70) you should investigate the policies for renting a rental car in the country you are traveling. Some countries have restrictions on the age of travelers that can rent a car in their country. Failure to check the age limit may leave you scrambling for a taxi, or forced to navigate a foreign public transit system.

People that suffer from diabetes or allergies should take special care to receive a note from their physician prior to travel. Without a doctor’s note, people who need to travel with needles and other medications may have to do without until they reach their final destination. Should something go awry during the flight, the end result could be fatal. Everyone wants to get to their final destination safely. Do yourself a favor by bringing a doctor’s note with you if you are going to be traveling with needles.

Have you ever been on a discount airfare website and found the perfect flight, only to discover that when you came back the price had gone up? If this has happened to you, try deleting the cookies on your web-browser and then visiting the site again. This will clear you history with the site so that when you return, you’ll get the introductory price.
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