Holiday Travel
Tips & Statistics
If you’re going away for the holidays this year, you’re
probably unhappily anticipating a hike in gas prices, long lines
at airport security and delays all-around. According to the
Bureau of Transportation, Thanksgiving and the winter holiday
season are the busiest long-distance travel times in a given
year. While travelers cannot avoid hefty waits at check-in and
traffic on the highway, there are plenty of measures to take
in order to alleviate any holiday season travel stress.
• Know when to travel: For local excursions,
people tend to leave on Thursdays. If traveling over 100 miles
away, Wednesday through Sunday are the most popular days.
• About 90% of Thanksgiving travel
is through one’s vehicle.
• The Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving
are the busiest days to travel back home. If you book a flight
or drive on Tuesday, you’ll avoid a lot of traffic.
• Weather delays don’t always
depend on where you’re flying out of. If you live in
Florida but are flying to New York, you may experience delays
due to a snowstorm, for example.
• Allow ample time to check in at the
airport and make it through security. More travelers means
more time to wait as each individual is screened.
• Travel on Saturday as opposed to
Sunday. Most people want to make it back for work without
sacrificing any weekend time.
• The average age of Thanksgiving travelers
is just under 34, as opposed to right above 36 for the Christmas
and New Year’s holidays, according to the BTS.
• Preview airport restrictions and
laws implemented for safe air travel…you cannot avoid
them and will save a world of time if you plan ahead.
• Book a trip off-season. For example,
go to New England when the leaves aren’t changing…you’ll
save on local bed and breakfasts, whose popularity heightens
during the fall.
• Consider booking through an online
travel agency. You can find new discounts and sales each day,
as well as vacation packages unavailable elsewhere.
The best discount travel online can be found
through sites such as Orbitz and Expedia, according to StarReviews.com.
If you’re an avid planner, you’ll be able to customize
your own trip homepage, complete with photos, video and comments
through Orbitz’s TripHub.
If you’re like most travelers, saving
money is important when going away during the holidays. When
booking through Travelocity, you can save just by using a
particular credit card. Before the cold weather arrives, consider
booking travel online and taking advantages of discount flights
and destination-stays.
Resource: http://www.articlecircle.com/recreation-and-leisure/travel/holiday-travel-tips-and-statistics.html |