Christmas Travel Tips: How to Enjoy (...and Survive!) the Busiest Travel Season of the Year

‘Tis the Season to Travel (Wisely)

We’ve all seen movies like “Home Alone” or “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” that highlight the insanity of holiday travel. Packed airports, frantic races to the plane, canceled flights, snowstorms, indifferent airport personnel – it really makes Christmas travel tough.

Well, if you’ve gone through this ridiculous chaos, take heart in the fact that you’re not alone. In 2024, the TSA projected 40 million people trying to travel for the holidays. These numbers are likely to increase in 2025, creating mass confusion and difficulties for thousands.

However, your Christmas doesn’t have to be difficult! In fact, we have many Christmas travel tips that will make this process much easier. Being able to travel calmly requires pre-planning, organization, and a merry spirit that helps you stay positive in the face of difficulties.

Our holiday travel tips in this article will make you feel less like the Cranks and more like Jimmy Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Even better, The Parking Spot can offer great parking solutions for travelers like you to eliminate the stress of leaving your car for days at a time.

The best thing about these tips is their easy adaptability to just about any flying situation. No matter where you’re traveling or what you’re doing, you can easily tweak these suggestions. Share them with your loved ones to provide a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.

Book Everything Early

Christmas travel can become stressful very quickly for people who don’t plan ahead. In fact, the most significant reason travel for the holidays becomes so frustrating is a lack of pre-planning.

Beyond booking your tickets in advance, you can also download deal apps to search for unexpected discounts on hotels, plane tickets, and events. Set up alerts that let you know when great discounts are available for you. Scoop these up before they get taken, and you’ll find yourself not only saving money but having a relatively stress-free vacation experience.

Pack with Precision

One of the toughest things about Christmas travel is packing properly. You’ll probably overdo it and have too many bags, or try to pack light and forget something. Here are a few simple Christmas travel tips that ensure you travel for the holidays in style and have all that you need:

• Bring just enough clothes for the trip (with one extra change just in case)
• Pack essentials (travel-size toiletries, chargers, medications, snacks) in carry-on luggage
• Use TSA-friendly wrapping for your presents to avoid baggage delays
• Know how much carry-on space you have before you travel (call your airport)
• Don’t bring things you can easily buy once you land
• Leave extra space for return-trip gifts and souvenirs from your trip
• Roll your clothes carefully or use a vacuum-sealed system to keep your clothes small

These holiday travel tips are simple and should make your vacation go a lot smoother! The point about extra space is particularly important. You should honestly probably have the equivalent of a full empty bag just in case you get a ton of gifts from your family this year.

Plan for Airport Crowds

No matter what Christmas travel tips you follow, you’re going to run into airport crowds. It’s inescapable, but you can at least mitigate it with some simple holiday travel tips. These simple Christmas travel tips make it easier to travel for the holidays through wildly busy airports:

• Always arrive early (2-3 hours), particularly for morning flights or busy family trips
• Use time-saving tools like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR to streamline everything
• Download the airport apps for gate updates, baggage information, and live flight updates
• Keep electronics and liquids easily accessible for security to avoid problems
• Open an airport map to make it easier to track where you’re going at all times
• Have all your documents ready, including digital options, if available
• Use priority or family lanes (Global Entry, if possible) to keep yourself moving
• Practice calmness, patience, and understanding when dealing with rude travelers
• Book our efficient shuttle service at The Parking Spot to travel quickly and efficiently

Prepare for Weather and Delays

Regardless of where you live, Christmas travel is often plagued by weather-related issues. Winter storms, cancellations, and rebookings make travel for the holidays difficult and frustrating. While issues aren’t guaranteed, knowing these holiday travel tips can mitigate your danger:

• Anticipate Delays and Pack Accordingly: No Christmas travel tips article is complete without a section about your “emergency” bag. It should include a change of clothes, snacks, toiletries, medications, and other items to hold you over for a day or two due to cancellations.
• Layer Up Your Clothes: When traveling in cold-weather areas during Christmas, layer up! A few layers of clothes, including a sweater, sweatshirt, and coat, make it easier to manage your comfort if airports and planes fluctuate between hot and cold temperatures unexpectedly.
• Use Technology: When traveling during Christmas, tech is your best friend! Your phones and tablets will keep you entertained when you’re delayed or canceled, make it easier to track your flight, and even offer amazing deals on tickets with money-saving apps.
• Protect Yourself Financially: If you’re going on a big holiday trip, consider buying travel insurance! This simple investment pays back big when cancellations occur. Even better, a credit card with travel protection offers reimbursement options for meals and hotel stays during delays.

We also strongly suggest booking our covered parking options at The Parking Spot! Many of our facilities include sheltered areas that will keep snow, ice, and salt off your vehicle when it gets nasty out. This simple step provides amazing peace of mind.

Keep the Holiday Spirit Alive

Here’s a fun way to make your Christmas travel less stressful: embrace the holiday spirit! Let your heart grow three sizes bigger when traveling and bring joy not only to your life but also to those travelers on the plane with you. Try these Christmas travel tips to have fun this year:

• Create a festive playlist of great Christmas music while you travel
• Bring along fun travel games or download holiday game apps for your phones and tablets
• Wrap small, fun gifts to give to your kids, others on the plane, or even flight attendants
• Wear a Santa hat or other holiday-appropriate gear to have a lot of fun
• Share Christmas travel tips with people who seem to be struggling
• Book at airports, hotels, and parking spots known for friendly staff

Thankfully, The Parking Spot’s staff not only know amazing holiday travel tips but truly love what they do! Our cheerful and friendly staff is legendary in the business and can help make your holiday travel feel a little brighter and more cheerful this year.

Bonus: Great Destinations for Christmas Travel

Not sure where you want to travel for the holidays or need extra Christmas travel tips to have fun this year? We created a comprehensive article about the most fun Christmas towns in America that you just have to read. This site not only includes a list of cool and unique places to visit, but holiday travel tips that make your vacation easier. Just a few places to visit include:

• Santa Claus, Indiana: Worth visiting for the name alone, this town understandably goes all-out on Christmas every year! There’s a Candy Castle, a Land of Lights, and a Holiday World theme park that make this town a fun and quirky place to take your kids this year.
• North Pole, Alaska: If you have very young kids who still passionately defend their Santa worship, you need to check out North Pole! There’s a cute recreation of Santa’s village and toy workshop, including his houses, a post office, and a fun winter festival experience.
• Branson, Missouri: Missouri might not be everybody’s first idea of holiday fun, but this city hosts a variety of events every year that make it worth checking out. It’s Ozark Mountains Christmas celebration includes light displays, music, and even Broadway shows!
• New York City: If you don’t mind spending a little money or being around a lot of people, NYC is arguably the best place to visit during the holidays. There are so many amazing festivities, concerts, and events that you, your partner, and your kids will have non-stop fun for days!

 

Travel Smart, Park Smarter

By using our holiday great tips, you can keep your Christmas travel fun, light, and stress-free. Yes, leaving home, flying, and driving for hours can be upsetting or difficult. But proactively prepping can mitigate that anxiety and even save you money when you travel for the holidays.

The biggest takeaway from this article can be distilled down to two words: plan ahead. Know exactly what you’re doing, where you’re going, and what you’re paying. A day-by-day (or even hour-by-hour) itinerary cuts back on the confusion and keeps you moving smoothly.

However, you should also practice regular meditation and relaxation for those inevitable times when stress does pop up. Our Christmas travel tips can take care of most problems, but emergencies can occur. Keeping a calm head with meditation can mitigate these dangers.

Don’t forget to book with The Parking Spot to handle your parking logistics! Rather than paying too much for a security-free lot at the airport, set up a safer and less expensive visit with us. Remember that we reward frequent visitors with amazing discounts on their parking.

With that in mind, reserve your spot early to unwrap a smoother Christmas trip. It’s the kind of gift that you can only give to yourself. And who better to reward than yourself after a long and challenging year? Let us take care of your parking to keep you and your family safe.

FAQ and Christmas Travel Tips

What are the best days to travel for Christmas?

Typically, the days just before Christmas are always the worst. December 21, 22, and 23 have packed airports and busy roads. However, December 19, 26, 28, and 28 are often better days for holiday travel. You might need to take more time off if you travel on these days.

How early should I arrive at the airport during the holidays?

Typically, you want to get to the airport anywhere between two and three hours before your flight when planning Christmas travel. Getting there an hour early cuts it way too close! Four hours might seem a bit safer, but honestly, it’s overkill even at the busiest airports.

What’s the best way to save money on Christmas flights?

Try to book your plane tickets between 32 and 73 days in advance to save money on your flight. You can also try flying on less popular days (December 18, 19, 20, etc.) or even download ticket cancellation apps to pick up discounted deals when traveling.

Which cities are the busiest during Christmas?

Large population centers, like New York City, Boston, and Washington, D.C., typically see a huge amount of traffic and flights during Christmas. Airport hubs, like Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas, are also packed with people trying to get home for the holidays.

How can I avoid long airport lines?

Make sure to avoid peak times (early morning and late afternoon) to reduce crowd issues at the airport. You can also download your boarding pass in advance or even check in online before you get to the airport. Avoid wrapping presents because TSA often gets suspicious.

What should I bring in my carry-on bag?

Since winter weather disruptions can make holiday travel a bit hairy, try to bring your medications, toothbrushes, a change of clothes, travel insurance, and money in your carry-on bags. You’ll want them close at hand if anything goes haywire during your trip.

How can The Parking Spot help make Christmas travel easier?

The Parking Spot helps make your Christmas travel smoother by letting you book ahead of time, park in a secure and safe lot, transport you to and from the airport in our safe shuttles, and offer amazing discounts on our parking that will keep your holiday spending in line.