How to avoid crowded airports this holiday season

Regardless of your departure site and/or destination, here are some friendly and useful tips that just may make your holiday travel a little bit easier.

We have all seen the lines – wrapping around the dividers at the check-in counters, jam-packing the security queues. And the worst part? That is just on a regular day. So what happens on, say, Thanksgiving – the busiest travel day of the year?

A new post by the Orbitz Insider Index has just announced the busiest airports for Thanksgiving, with Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver taking the top three spots. Interestingly enough, New York-area airports ranked 7-9, narrowly beating Seattle which squeezed itself into the number 10 spot.

Where to expect the smallest crowds? Check out San Jose, CA, followed by Nashville and then Richmond, VA.

But, regardless of your departure site and/or destination, there are some friendly and useful tips that just may make your holiday travel a little bit easier.

Go small and flexible

You will find that planning in advance can make all the difference. One thing to think about before buying those tickets is whether or not you can fly out of smaller, alternative airports. Typically, these usually commuter-based hubs are much easier to navigate and less crowded. For example, if you are traveling in or out of New York, consider White Plains Westchester County Airport (HPN). Heading into or out of Los Angeles? Check out the scene in Burbank (BUR) or Orange County (SNA). Sure, tickets in or out of these airports tend to be in a higher price range, but you never know. Besides, sometimes time and aggravation outweigh all costs.

Save time

If at all possible, use online check-in. You will instantly bypass half the line-time. Print your boarding pass at home, and have them (and your ID) ready as you approach the security line. Most major airports now offer easy-to-use baggage check kiosks if you are traveling with luggage.

Stay informed

Check the status of your flight before you leave for the airport, as well as traffic conditions en route. There are a multitude of online and mobile tools that offer free flight status updates for your PDA or mobile phone. Also, most airlines offer real-time flight stats on their websites.

Also, staying informed means staying safe. Airport security can be a daunting endeavor -  Keep anything and everything you need to show airport security such as ID, boarding passes, liquids in a zip-top bag, or medication, in a separate compartment of your carry-on bag. Digging for these items once you get to the front of the security line will cause delays and certainly not make you any friends.

Get going

So, what are you waiting for? Lock-in early-bird rates before they hit the roof. Now that you got these key points in mind, nothing can stop you. Travel speedy, and have a great holiday season!

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