Thanksgiving Travel Tips

Every American knows that the Thanksgiving holiday is the busiest travel period of the year. Most of us rush home to stuff ourselves full of turkey and fixins, fall into a food coma, and recover just in time to fly back to where we came from. That’s why the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving are the busiest travel days of every year. Here are a few travel tips if you’re one of the millions of people who will be flying to the place you call home this Thanksgiving.

1. Don’t do it.

Are you sure you want to deal with all of the crowds and lines at the airport? Wouldn’t it be nice to just cook yourself a turkey and dig into it like nobody is watching (because nobody is)? Plus, you would help reduce the crowds at the airports, making it easier for people, like me, who will be traveling. I think this is a great idea.

2. Go to Canada!

Guess what? Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, which means our Thanksgiving is just a regular weekend across the border. Actually, traveling to any other country will work. I did it twice during Thanksgiving breaks in college, and I didn’t have to deal with big crowds at the airports (in the other countries).

3. Don’t check any bags.

Just wear the same clothes for the entire trip. If you’re somewhere cold, you’ll be wearing layers anyway. Simply switch up the order every day, and it’ll look like you’re changing.

4. Get to the airport early.

We all know that it’s going to be busy at the airport, but it’s impossible to know exactly how busy it’ll be. To be on the safe side, you should go to the airport the day before the flight and spend the night at your departure gate. To be on the really safe side, leave right now.

5. Bring headphones.

If you want music, then you should also bring an iPod. Otherwise, they’re just earplugs. Either way, they’ll come in handy because there’s a 99% chance you’ll get stuck in the general vicinity of one or more of the following:

• a crying baby
• an annoying little kid who won’t shut up
• a snoring grandparent

6. Mark your luggage.

If you didn’t follow my advice on not checking bags, then be sure to mark your luggage. The stranger, the better. I mean, who would steal a suitcase covered in duct tape? Still not weird enough? Try some different colors.

7. Drink before flying.

Don’t waste your money on a tiny alcoholic beverage while you’re in flight. Drink some equally expensive, yet stronger, drinks at the airport before boarding to get the same effect.

8. Look but don’t touch.

Touch but don’t buy. Assuming you followed my advice and showed up to the airport at least a day early, you’ll have some extra time to peruse the shops at the airport. As tempting as it may be to start/finish your Christmas shopping while you’re waiting, it’s a horrible idea because 1) you have no room left in your carry on bag and 2) the recipients of the gifts will probably be picking you up for the airport.

9. Claim an armrest.

And don’t let go. This tip is for people stuck in the infamous middle seat — the only seat not guaranteed at least one armrest. First things first, you should have booked your flight earlier. Now that you’re stuck in the middle, the trick is to grab an armrest early on and never let go of it. It only takes a second for your neighbor to take it from you, so you can forget about making a trip to the bathroom. Also, you should never, under any circumstances, ever go for a handshake if they introduce themselves to you.

10. Bring your own reading.

Do people seriously buy things out of SkyMall magazine? Seriously? Combine that with the fact that the most exciting thing in each airline’s in flight magazine is the map of all of the places they fly, and it’s safe to say that your best bet is to pack your own reading materials. My suggestion — print out your favorite Broke Grad Student articles and read them again for the very first time.

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