As tens of millions of Americans travel during the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend, there is one definitive fact that we all can look forward to and that is those dreaded security lines and ever-so-pleasant TSA agents. Even though there are undoubtedly some myths surrounding air travel during this busy holiday weekend, you can avoid some of the travel headaches with a bit of foresight and planning. And if you haven't planned your weekend getaway yet, you are in luck because there still are some last-minute deals available.
Notable Myths
You've probably heard this and seen it it numerous times over the past few weeks (and you will hear it and see it many times this week): Don't try to get anywhere the Wednesday before Thanksgiving because it is the busiest travel day of the year. This is simply not true. According to all forecasts, the Wednesday before Turkey Day won't even be in the top 25 busiest travel days of this year and the Saturday after Thanksgiving is usually busier.
It's too late to redeem my frequent flier miles. Ahh... not so fast. According to analysts at the Online Travel Review, they say flights from the East Coast to Florida and the Caribbean still have business-class seat upgrades available. And "flights to Europe, especially on European carriers, look quite open over the Thanksgiving break."
There are more flight delays during the Thanksgiving holiday than any other time of year. Not true at all. NPR and USA Today recently asked the Department of Transportation to analyze the data on this, and historically, "on-time performance for flights since 2001 during a 12-day window with Thanksgiving in the middle" were the same as the average for the rest of the year.
Regardless of these myths, air travel has become more and more miserable over the past few decades and you'll be thankful if you consider these travel tips:
- Plan ahead: Signup for notifications and updates from your ground transportation providers, airlines and hotels. Checkin prior to arriving at the airport to avoid lines and save some money on baggage fees.
- Travel light: As most airlines charge for checking bags, it's a smart idea to pack light and carry on your bag but also note that others have the same idea which will make overhead space tight over the holidays.
- Choose the best days: Even though the Wednesday before Thanksgiving isn't as busy as it is proclaimed to be, I'd still avoid it altogether along with the weekend days following it.
- Use apps to troubleshoot: It's commonsense to arrive at the airport early -- you'll need the time for parking, security and to wait your turn for that necessary cup of coffee. But you can avoid some airport hassles by taking advantage of useful applications that can be used on your smart phone. Check out these top mobile apps for travel.
On a side note: According to the Orbitz Insider Index, LAX International Airport in Los Angeles will be the busiest airport over Thanksgiving, followed by Chicago O'Hare, Orlando International and San Francisco International.
Still, don't make broad assumptions that everyone is heading home or somewhere else for the holidays. A CBS report found that government data showed the busiest day for air travel in 2009 was Friday, July 18. There were 21,128 flights that day - 2,273 more than on the day before Thanksgiving.
Many others also back up that data. Orbitz found in 2010 summer weeks - First Week of August; Fourth Week of June; Third Week of June - dominated three of the top five travel weeks in their books.
Lesson(s) to be learned: Every day is a bad day for travel, and you have options-some of which you may not know about and will make life traveling a whole lot easier.
If you still haven't made any plans for the holiday weekend, check out these 12 Amazing Thanksgiving Weekend Deals.
This article was written by Timmy Wozniak, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Jets. Fresh Jets aggregates private jet schedule and pricing information and matches inventory to the travel needs of businesses and individuals instantly.