If you’re planning to travel during the holidays, some questions may come to your mind: When is the best time to buy cheap airfare? Are there any gifts that won’t get through the TSA? What should you do if your flight is delayed or canceled?
There are plenty of steps travelers can take to improve their travel experience and ensure travel goes as smoothly as possible this holiday season (at least in terms of what’s within their control).
Here, on issues of wallet, time and anxiety, NBC senior consumer and investigative reporter Vicki Nguyen offers some ways to make your travels better.
Apps and websites for vacation travel deals
There are many tools available to travelers when booking travel, especially those with flexible travel dates.
Hopper, an app that offers discounts on airlines, hotels, homes and car rentals, says prices will increase by 5 to 10 percent each day from mid-October through Christmas, so it’s best to book your vacation early.
Kayak has a “Best Time to Travel” tool that helps users determine the best time to travel based on their origin and destination locations and duration (a four-day trip, a seven-day trip, or a 14-day trip). From there, Kayak will share the best months to fly and provide a breakdown of costs.
Waiting in line at the airport is a scene travelers are all too familiar with. Mario Tama/Getty Images
“Our recommendations for which months to travel are based on four factors: average airfare, popularity, average temperature, and average precipitation,” Kayak writes on its website.
Google’s Explore tool is a similar alternative, allowing you to find the cheapest flights by inputting your departure city and the time of year you want to travel. You can have a destination in mind, or select “Anywhere” to decide where you want to go.
Point.me is an online travel tool that allows users to input all their credit card and airline miles to get the best flight options using their points. There is a fee to use Point.me, but you can try it for free before you buy.
Best day to fly over Christmas
Hopper says the best time to leave for holiday travel is Dec. 18 or Dec. 19. If you leave on Christmas Day, you can save about 25% off peak fares.
As for heading home, Hopper recommends traveling mid-week after the holidays — December 28 is a particularly cheap day to fly home — but it’s important not to book too close to the weekend, when prices will skyrocket as travelers return before New Year’s Eve.
Additional services available for elderly and disabled passengers
When booking a flight, check through the booking site, app, or the airline itself to see if extra assistance is available for seniors or people with disabilities. Travelers who can reserve a wheelchair free of charge through the airline should also inform the gate agent that they will need to board early.
Airlines typically allow assistive devices such as canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, and electric scooters in carry-on baggage at no extra charge. If you have battery-powered equipment that needs to be stored, remove any loose or removable parts and attach laminated paper explaining how to disassemble or fold it.
Get ready to go through the TSA security checkpoint during your flight. Aaron M. Sprecher/AP
You can also ask to have your luggage carried in the main cabin to ensure your assistive devices are protected. The Air Carrier Access Act stipulates that luggage such as manual or collapsible wheelchairs, canes, walkers, and medications must be prioritized in the main cabin instead of being placed in the cargo hold.
Major airlines offer concierge services to help you with your entire trip, from arriving at your destination to collecting your luggage and getting you a car, and there are also private companies that offer these services.
What you can bring through the TSA
According to the TSA, the most common reason for line delays is prohibited carry-on items: You can’t bring any items that could splash, spill, or splash, unless they’re under 3.4 ounces.
Items that are OK to bring through TSA include unwrapped gifts, baby items (including breast milk or formula in containers/bottles over 3.4 ounces), and food (including frozen foods), as long as any ice they are packaged with is completely frozen when you go through security.
What to do if your flight is cancelled
The thought of your flight being canceled is a scary one, but it does happen. So what should you do if your flight is grounded for good, and are there any precautions you can take to reduce the chances of it happening?
If possible, give yourself plenty of time and try to fly a day earlier than you need to. Make sure you download the MyTSA app and your airline’s apps so you have an alternative flight to book in case your flight is canceled. It also helps to be flexible and consider flying via a different airport or booking an alternative form of transportation, such as a train or car.
