The holiday season is a busy time for all Canadians, and not just with shopping and get-togethers. Many people from coast-to-coast are planning to use their holiday break to visit family and friends or take a year-end vacation. In fact, according to our recent Expedia.ca Holi-data survey, six out of 10 Canadians have travel on their mind as 30 percent are planning to travel and another 30 percent wish they were traveling this holiday season.
To help make the holiday travel easier for those heading out of town, here are some travel tips to navigate through this busy time of year.
ARRIVE EARLY: With so many people traveling, build in some extra time to get to the airport and line up for check-in, security - even the duty free shops. Airlines provide recommendations on when to arrive before a flight and it's always important to double check a flight's status before leaving home.
BRING ACTIVITIES: When traveling with kids, parents know that waiting in line can make the calmest of kids get a little stir-crazy. To avoid this, make sure to carry a few boredom busters in carry-on luggage. Magazines, books, puzzles, word games, video games and/or a deck of cards don't take up a lot of space and are great at keeping everyone occupied. Also, bring some snacks (no liquids) like granola bars and treats.
PLAN AHEAD: To make things efficient on travel day, there are several things that can be done before leaving for the airport to make the experience more seamless:
•Stay up to speed with the status of your flight at all times. Apps, such as our Expedia Travel App, allow users to check travel details -- from flight schedules and hotel options to their complete itinerary. In fact, itinerary changes will even be pushed directly through the app, making the process that much easier.
•Have tickets, confirmation numbers and all other relevant travel information handy before leaving home. Print them off ahead of time, or keep them close by on your mobile device to make them easier to access.
PREPARE YOUR LUGGAGE: Expedia.ca has developed a list of packing and luggage tips to take the guess-work out of getting ready to leave:
•DON'T WRAP IT: When bringing holiday gifts, be sure not to wrap them ahead of time. When checked luggage goes through security, there is a chance they will have to unwrap the gifts to clear the item.
•WEIGH IT: Be realistic about what is absolutely necessary. Many airlines are restructuring their policies around baggage fees. Airlines list their extra baggage fees on their websites so be sure to check maximum allowances and associated costs for additional baggage.
•FOLLOW THE RULES: Pack any liquids according to the security regulations. Liquids in carry-on luggage should be packed in bottles no more than 100ml each and contained in clear, re-sealable plastic bags.
Happy travels!