Five Thanksgiving Travel Tips

With millions of American expected to fly this week during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (November 25-29), be prepared for long lines, tighter security and plenty of delays at your local airport. So to make sure you arrive at Grandma’s house with a smile on your face, I compiled a list of five essential “know before you go” Thanksgiving travel tips.

I.D. check: The TSA implemented a new rule this past August called “Secure Flight” which requires passengers to provide their airline with the following information: Name as it appears on government-issued I.D. when traveling, date of birth, and gender. So make sure your name is the same on both your identification and airline reservation.

Carry those bags: The airlines have added some hefty fees over the past year to checked bags. Some in the range of $50 per bag! If possible, try to pack lighter for the long weekend and carry your bag onto the plane to save some serious cash. Another bonus to traveling with just carry-on luggage is that you will not have to wait at the slow moving baggage carousel.

Check-in at home: When flying the friendly skies this week, save some time and frustration of being stuck in a long line by checking in for your flight online before leaving home. If you plan to check your bags in, doing it online can save you about $5 per bag with most airlines.

Free Wi-Fi: Stuck at the airport with nothing to do but stare at the arrival and departure screen? Turn on your laptop and check those emails for free! That is because 47 U.S. airports will be offering free Wi-Fi thanks to the good people at Google through January 15.

Be thankful or else: Although holiday air travel can be somewhat of an aggravating activity, remember that this is all being done in order to spend some time with friends and family. Relax and take a deep breath. Before you know it you will be loosening your belt buckle and asking for seconds of turkey and mashed potatoes. Also if airline security sees you getting a bit “carried away”, you could be subject to additional screening or not allowed to fly at all.

Picture courtesy of Flickr member Bryce Edwards