Travel around national holidays can be tricky because everyone has the same idea to get-out-of-town.  In order to avoid disappointment because you were unable to secure an airline ticket for your preferred dates, pre-planning months in advance is required.  This becomes even more important if you expect to use any frequent flier miles allowed during the dates you wish to travel.  Because holiday travel is always busy, another suggestion is to know your second best flight option should yours be delayed or canceled at the last minute.

Travel outside of the U.S. requires a current passport and knowledge of required immunizations in order to enter the foreign country.  Check your passport renewal date to be sure that it does not expire while you are away.

If you plan your holiday travel around the busiest holidays of the year like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, unless you are planning to stay with family or friends, you better have your hotel reservations well in advance too.    Be prepared for sticker shock with jacked up holiday prices at the airlines and hotels.   You can try to keep up with on-line holiday deals by subscribing to travel services websites.  Be prepared to act quickly because bargains disappear in minutes.

Figuring out how to get your Christmas gifts to your destination also requires pre-planning.  Many people ship their gifts ahead of time which works well, but this method requires early shopping and mailing.  For smaller gifts, you can pack them in an extra piece of luggage.  Just be aware that your airline may be charging extra for all checked luggage and they do have limits.  This same bag can then be packed with the gifts you receive and plan to bring home.

By using the checklist below, you can become a savvy traveler who understands that pre-planning may guarantee headache free holiday travel.