With the holiday season quickly approaching, many travelers rely on air transportation whether it be executive aircraft charter or commercial to visit their relatives at home and aboard. Congested security lines and overcrowded airport terminals are just some of the reasons travel during this time of the year can become a major headache. Holiday travel can seem like an overwhelming endeavor for those passengers who do not fly often, but with a few simple tricks, anyone can master the skies. The most important thing to keep in mind when traveling during the holidays is planning. Concerning checked and carry-on luggage, be sure to check your provider’s website for the exact size of both types. Occasionally, airline providers charge a fee for each checked bag, so if you’re going on a short holiday, it might be beneficial to pack light and stick to a carry-on to avoid the additional fee. Regarding carry-on bags, it is essential to know what you can and cannot bring aboard your flight. No one wants to sit through a two-hour security checkpoint only to find out that they cannot bring Grandma’s famous split-pea soup on board with them. With all the regulations in place by the TSA, it’s essential to ensure everything you plan to carry on checks out with the guidelines in place. So, save the soup for Christmas dinner and not 30,000 feet in the air. For more information, be sure to check out the TSA’s website for a full list of permitted items https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring.
Now that you’re packaged, make sure that you and all your travelers are checked-in for your upcoming flight. Not all airline providers feature this option, but if they do, take advantage of it. It will save you time and frustration on the long lines before security. Not only is this a time saver, but sometimes the early check-in feature permits travelers to choose their preferred seating options along with various other in-flight amenities such as food and beverage packages. Prepayment for these plans can help ease a “Holiday Headache” once you’re at cruising altitude by covering your drink tab for the flight.
Finally, make sure all your travel documents are organized and accessible. For domestic travel, a state-issued form of documentation is perfectly acceptable, but if you are planning to travel internationally, be sure to have that passport on hand. Otherwise, the Christmas trip to Fiji might end up instead being in a two-star holiday inn near the local airport. I cannot stress organization enough. You do not want to be “that guy” pulling out the entire contents of their carry on looking for their ID. Not only does this make you look like you’re setting up an impromptu garage sale, but it makes the already long security checkpoint lines even longer if every passenger had to do the same. Plus, someone might grab your favorite wool socks thinking they’re going to score a bargain. An incredibly useful tool to help ease this worry would be to purchase a travel wallet https://www.amazon.com. They’re cheap and help to keep all your important travel documents in one convenient place, making rummaging through your overstuffed wallet or purse a thing of the past.
If waiting in the security line just isn’t for you, then fear no more! The TSA now offers a program called TSA Pre-Check. Online registration is simple and allows trusted flyers to beat those grueling security lines with minimal wait times in security and get this, you don’t even have to take off your shoes! For more information, check out the TSA Pre-Check website https://www.tsa.gov/precheck. Now you’re checked-in, organized, packed, somehow make it through the hours of traffic to finally arrive at the airport, and endured the wait at the security checkpoint with minimal numbing in your legs, so what’s next? Congratulations! You’ve made it through the war-zone that is holiday travel. So, kick back, find yourself an outlet, and relax at your terminal knowing that those Bloody Mary’s (or four) are waiting for you aboard. Safe travels and Happy Holidays to you and your family from our family at Avstar Executive Air & Ground Transportation
