5 Tips for Flying over the Holidays

Are you planning to visit family or vacation abroad over the holidays? The holiday season, which spans from Thanksgiving through New Year's, is notorious for being the busiest time of year for traveling. Though airports can be busier and more crowded, with the right preparation and planning, you can ensure a stress-free and enjoyable holiday travel experience. Consider our helpful tips for flying over the holidays:

1.       Book your flight early. The earlier you book your flight, the better. Ticket prices tend to rise the closer we get to the holidays, so book your flight as soon as you know your plans. Booking your flight early will be better for your wallet and give you peace of mind knowing your holiday plans are already taken care of. If you have specific dates or times you need to travel, you'll have more options the earlier you book.

2.       Travel on off-peak travel days. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year. Instead of traveling on Wednesday, leave the night before or early in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. Also avoid traveling on Christmas Eve if you can.

3.       Pick a morning flight. As evidenced by flight statistics, planes traveling earlier in the day are more likely to arrive on time. And, if your flight gets cancelled, you have a better chance of getting on another flight that same day. There also tends to be less people traveling in the early morning, which means you probably won't experience long security lines or crowded airport terminals.

4.       Ship your gifts. The TSA recommends shipping wrapped presents or waiting to wrap them until you reach your destination because they may have to unwrap a gift to examine it.

5.       Make a guaranteed parking reservation. If you'll be driving yourself to the airport, make a guaranteed parking reservation with an off-site Oakland Airport parking service.  On-site airport parking lots don't offer guaranteed reservations, and on busy days it's almost impossible to find a spot. Save yourself the time and headache by choosing Expresso Airport Parking. We provide guaranteed parking reservations on indoor and outdoor self-parking and premium valet parking, as well as the most affordable rates. And, through our Oakland Park and Fly program and Oak parking coupons, you can save even more on airport parking.