Tips that will make your holiday travel easier

It’s beginning to look like busy airports, festive travelers all around and that familiar holiday travel season.

The most wonderful time of the year can very quickly become the most stressful time of the year at the airport, and many travelers will have little ones along for the journey.

A logjam of holiday flyers can result in crowding, lines and some tense moments, especially if winter weather doesn’t cooperate and delays or cancellations become an issue.

But your family doesn’t have to succumb to stress at the check-in counter with an overweight bag, deal with banned items in the Transportation Security Administration line or race through the terminal frantically trying to catch a flight.

Instead, you and your loved ones can be the travelers who are relaxing in an airport lounge and expertly avoiding bag fees — with a solid backup plan in the event of an issue with flight operations.

Pack the right credit card

It might be too late to add a new credit card to your wallet to help make your holiday travel easier, but the season isn’t over yet. Here are some of our favorite cards with holiday travel perks and related benefits.

You can also check to see if you already have the right credit card in your wallet. Some credit cards protect you from incurring bag fees, while others help you earn elite status (think: a priority line for airline customer service and the hope of a holiday upgrade). You could have a credit card that lets you board early or one that gives you a statement credit for your inflight purchases.

For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card gives you and your traveling companions a free checked bag on Delta flights. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card reimburses you for Wi-Fi purchases on Southwest Airlines (up to 365 credits per year) and includes four upgraded boarding positions per year, just in case that perfect Southwest seat is your goal.

There are also credit cards that get you access to airport lounges or cover the cost of a meal at the airport — both of which are much better ways to spend time before or between flights than sitting at the gate.

If you get a last-minute credit card with a Priority Pass membership, you can still use a digital membership card at most eligible lounges.

Should you decide to sign up for The Platinum Card® from American Express at the last minute, you’ll likely receive an instant card number; this should also do the trick for getting you into an American Express Centurion Lounge or other partner lounges, including Priority Pass Select, Delta Sky Clubs (on same-day Delta flights) and Aspire and Escape lounges. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Just remember that Amex tightened its guest access policy this year. Be sure to read up on the rules before heading to the airport so that you’re not surprised by any guest fees.

Related: How to avoid checked baggage fees on major domestic airlines

Book your airport parking in advance

Airport parking lots — especially the ones that are either the cheapest or the closest to the terminal — fill up on holiday weekends, and your best bet is to book a spot in advance. In fact, if you’re planning to travel for Christmas or New Year’s, do it now. Not only does that guarantee you a spot, but sometimes it is cheaper, too.

At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), you can save 33% to 50% by booking your spot online in advance. Even more importantly, that advance reservation can save you when the garage is otherwise sold out.

Related: Expensive airfare and increasing gas prices: Here’s how you can save on holiday travel

Get to the airport early

I know this sounds like your parents talking, but nothing induces intense and immediate stress faster than running late for your flight, especially in today’s world. So, even if you normally cut things close, don’t do it during the holidays when that next flight may be too full to switch onto if you miss your original flight.

Planes are full, and if you miss a flight, the airline might not have many places to put you.

Taking the first flight of the morning is a good idea, too. Early morning flights are the most likely to have been cleaned overnight and to depart on time, so get a jump on the day and book the early bird. If you notice bad weather forecasts for your travel date, getting out in the morning can be even more important.

And while you are there nice and early, remember that you can often mobile order Starbucks for pickup, so that’s one less line to worry about.

Related: How to avoid airline change and cancellation fees

Be strategic about checking bags

During the holidays, some travelers swear by the mantra of “stay calm by not carrying on.”

While I vastly prefer to carry my bags on 95% of the time, there is some logic to checking everything you can — especially if you have kids to chase after in the airport. If you check your bags, your hands are free and you don’t need to worry about early boarding as overhead bin space isn’t a problem. You also don’t have to stress as much over the security screening process and whether you need to pull out half your items to place them in bins.

Checking bags can slow you down a little, but it can also result in some bonus free miles if the bags are slow to come down the baggage claim. If you really want to push the easy button, you can even skip the baggage claim completely and have your checked bags delivered to your final destination.

We’d also be remiss not to add that checked bags during the holidays are where the right credit card can really pay for itself.

And, of course, remember to toss an AirTag in your checked bag so you can keep a virtual eye on its journey.

If you plan to bring a carry-on, be sure to read the fine print of your ticket. If you’re flying basic economy or with a budget airline, your fare may not include a free full-size carry-on. In that case, being strategic means condensing. How many family members can get by with just a backpack? The fewer bags — whether checked on carry-on —you have to pay for, the better.

Consider shipping your stockings

While strategically checking or carrying on a bag will work in most cases, there are circumstances where shipping packages to your final destination can be even easier — and sometimes, cheaper.

If checking your bags would subject you to oversized baggage fees, shipping can be a smart decision. Try the site LugLess to price and purchase shipping for your belongings (or presents), whether you want DIY drop-off or doorstep pickup and delivery. Just remember that recent years brought holiday season shipping delays, so you may want to allow some extra time.

Related: These are the checked bags carried by TPG’s staff

Know the TSA rules for flying with holiday items

Can you bring wrapped presents through security? Technically, you can, but it’s a bad idea in the event TSA agents need to inspect what’s inside.

Traveling with a snow globe? Make sure that the liquid is 3.4 ounces or less and that the item can fit in a quart-size, resealable plastic bag. (So, really, don’t carry on that snow globe.)

The holiday season gives us ample reason to study the TSA’s 3-1-1 rules for liquids. As hinted above, you’re limited to liquids of no more than 3.4 ounces in volume inside a quart-size resealable plastic bag … and you get one such bag.

You can bring a fruitcake, sufganiyot or cookies through security, too, but you may want to put food in its own tray for inspection.

Related: Here’s what Thanksgiving foods you can bring in your carry-on and what has to be checked

Clear security in a flash

On peak travel days, TSA PreCheck isn’t always enough to get you through security as fast as you’d like (looking at you, Denver and Newark). If you want the one-two punch of having all available expedited security options, consider getting Clear. You can sometimes even apply for Clear at the airport if you see the regular security line crawling along slower than you like, so you don’t have to commit in advance.

The Amex Platinum now comes with up to $189 in Clear statement credits each calendar year, meaning you can receive Clear for free (membership costs $189). If you have the American Express® Green Card, it also comes with a $189 annual statement credit for the program. Also, remember that kids can use Clear for free when traveling with you, and additional adults can be added to your main plan for just $60 per year.

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you don’t have Clear, some airports allow you to reserve a time to go through security, which is much better than nothing.

Lounge around

The airport lounges of today aren’t just for the elite — they’re for the savvy. So, don’t find yourself stuck out at the gate if you don’t want to be. Instead, get yourself into a lounge on your holiday trip, and enjoy some complimentary food and beverages.

If the whole family is flying for the holidays, you might want to specifically seek lounges that have family rooms, such as select Amex Centurion lounges. Just keep in mind that entrance for adult guests costs $50 each (including the cardholder’s spouse). For children ages 2 to 17, expect to pay $30 each (unless you’ve met Amex’s spending requirements to waive the guest fees).

If you’re just looking for the best places to lounge, there are several top Priority Pass lounges in the U.S. A card you might already have in your wallet, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Amex Platinum, could help you gain access to them.

Many fancy new lounges have opened this year as well. Chase’s Sapphire Lounge opened at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), while Capital One just opened a lounge at Dulles International Airport (IAD) outside Washington, D.C.

Related: 11 credit cards that offer Priority Pass airport lounge access

Bring your own onboard essentials

Whether you’re flying solo or with a basketball team’s worth of kiddos, there are several essentials you’ll want to make sure you have on board with you.

To start, consider bringing your own food, comfort items and entertainment. Some airlines are better than others at providing some (or all) of these amenities, so it’s best to be self-reliant — especially if you’re traveling in economy — just in case you find yourself without them.

Although airlines have resumed their inflight food and beverage service, you’ll want to be 110% prepared since many routes only offer cold snack boxes.

Grab headphones, a neck pillow, snacks and something to keep you occupied, and you’ll be all set — even if the airline doesn’t have anything to offer you beyond a small seat.

Know where you can actually have fun at the airport

If you have a delay or long layover at an airport, you may be in luck if it is one of the airports that go all-in on winter holiday fun. For example, at Denver International Airport (DEN), there’s an ice skating rink that usually opens in mid-November.

Other airports have game lounges, nap lounges and more; you might even be able to access some of these for free with your credit card.

Bottom line

The holidays are an exciting time to go home or get away, but a crowded airport or plane isn’t always the most magical part of the experience. We promise you’ll survive your holiday travels by making a few strategic choices, packing your wallet appropriately and being prepared.

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