Wherever you’re headed this season, remember that millions of other people are also traveling for the holidays. The best thing to do is to stay calm and accept that a little bit of craziness will be a part of the experience. But there are plenty of ways to minimize the stress and maximize the holiday cheer!

The key is to be prepared. The earlier you book your flights and accommodation and gather your travel essentials, the more you can work out the finer, fun details of your trip.

You’re not alone if you’re nervous about holiday travel—anyone taking a flight during the holiday season is in the same boat. Jetting off to explore the magical Christmas markets in Europe or opting for a beach vacation? Whatever your destination, here’s an in-depth list of the best holiday travel advice to get into the holiday spirit and set aside your worries.

Top 10 Holiday Travel Tips to Keep You Sane

We’ll skip the obvious tips for holiday travel. Here are the holiday travel tips that savvy travelers swear by:

10. Avoid Connecting Flights

Flying direct is one of the best pieces of holiday travel advice for this time of year. Consider the flight options when choosing your holiday destination, and try to avoid vacations that require you to take connecting flights. 

Airports are inherently chaotic, and even more so during the holiday season. You could save yourself unnecessary stress when you fly direct. By avoiding airports, there’ll be no mad rush for connections or nail biting moments when flights are delayed. You want to dodge kicking off your holiday stuck in a terminal.

9. Make Travel Apps Your Friend

Several awesome travel planner apps are available to download to make planning your holiday travel easy and efficient. At the very least, you need an app to keep track of your flight details. You want to make it to your flight without having to do the 100-yard dash! It may be exciting but also unnecessary and stressful.

There are basic categories to choose from when it comes to travel apps. 

Hotel Apps

Hotel apps help to manage your accommodation and ensure that you can have a seamless check-in experience. Here are a few helpful reviews on some of the many hotel apps that are out there.

• AwardMapper
• HotelTonight
• Expedia

Ridesharing Apps 

Find a ridesharing app that suits your needs and makes it easy to book ridesharing services to and from your desired destination.

Remember to research what ridesharing apps are available in your desired destination! This is important as the most popular apps in your home country may not be available in international locations.

Aside from the most well-known apps like Uber or Lyft, there are many other options to consider!

• If you’re traveling to Canada, check out this Poparide review
• BlaBlaCar is another great option, especially for European travel

Restaurant Apps

These apps can help secure a seat at specific restaurants in your destination. This is especially useful in the busy holiday season! 

Here are a couple of restaurant apps to choose from. Read the reviews to see which one is best for your festive vacation:

• TheFork is especially popular among travelers exploring Europe
• HappyCow is the ultimate restaurant app for vegans
• EatWith is worth a try if you’re looking for unique dining experiences!

Booking Apps

These apps make booking attractions and other holiday tourist activities a breeze. You can also refer to the apps for operating hours and essential information on the attractions you plan to visit. Some apps to look into are:

• Tripadvisor 
• Viator

Make planning your holiday travel more manageable with one or two travel apps. Travel apps could be your winning holiday travel tip!

Trip Planning Apps

Whether you’re planning a solo trip, a getaway with your significant other, or even a Christmas vacay with all of your closest friends, detailed planning will make your life significantly easier during the holidays. Many trip planning apps or websites are available online, depending on what you’re looking for. Find the best one suitable for your specific situation, and remember to let everyone in on the plans ahead of time!

• Pilot: Social trip planner that allows you to build custom itineraries, organize everything in one place, and collaborate with your travel companions.
• Inspirock: Recommendations on new places and experiences for your next trip, pulling from its database of over 80,000 travel destinations.
• TripIt: An itinerary-based trip planning app, it allows you to manage and track itineraries hassle-free!

8. Be Flexible With Your Plans 

You might have plans to visit a specific destination during the holiday season. But the flights could be too expensive, or the accommodation could be full during your desired dates. 

It’s best to stay flexible when planning your holiday travel to avoid disappointment. Instead of being fixed on a destination or date, choose the next best available option and work from there.

The more flexible you are with your travel plans, the less stress you have to deal with. The same goes for your itinerary during your holiday travel! You can also expect some attractions to be closed during the winter months. You should be ready with another plan if the original one falls through. 

7. Book a Holiday Travel Package

Booking a travel package is one of the holiday travel tips that can take your vacation to the next level! 

Many travel booking sites allow you to book holiday packages for a lower price. It’s a good idea because of the savings you can get and also excellent if you want to spare yourself the stress of holiday travel planning.

Holiday travel packages are bundled bookings, which often include your flight and accommodation, and some packages include tours and other activities as part of your itinerary as well. Choose the best travel package that matches your needs and interest to score significant discounts. Make your holiday travel planning as seamless as possible!

6. Book Accommodations in Advance

If you’re planning to travel during the holiday season, make sure you’ve booked your accommodation months prior. The earlier you book, the better deals you can get. 

Booking your accommodation last minute means you’ll probably spend significantly more on accommodation. Most hotels are fully booked or have few remaining rooms available the closer you get to the holidays, leaving you with limited options.

5. Try to Avoid Public Transit or Car Rentals

Car rental and ridesharing services are widely available wherever you go. However, these services hike their rates during the holiday season due to high demand.

Aside from the rising cost of car rentals and ridesharing services, you don’t want to waste your time stuck in traffic due to the holiday rush. Your best bet is to find accommodation within walking distance of the attractions you want to see. Walking to these attractions can save you time, money, and stress! 

4. Ship Your Gifts & Souvenirs

Like most travelers, you probably love to buy gifts and souvenirs to bring home with you and hand them out to your friends and family. These treasures could mean paying for an extra checked bag if you’re flying.

How about having the gifts and souvenirs shipped to your friends or your home address? The gifts will be ready and waiting for you when you get back home, and you also won’t be dealing with the hassle of squeezing extra items into your luggage. 

3. Make Reservations at Attractions & Restaurants.

It’s a recurring theme when it comes to holiday travel tips: plan beforehand.

Make sure you’ve booked in advance for the attractions you want to visit and the restaurants you want to try. Never underestimate the rush of the holiday season. The sooner you can book, the more you can guarantee you’ll get the chance to enjoy all the fun! 

2. Consider a Local Road Trip

Holiday travel can mean something other than flying somewhere. Consider going on a road trip or exploring local destinations instead. 

Airports are chaotic and stressful, especially over the holidays. You can eliminate that when you drive to a holiday destination instead. The best part is that you can travel at your own pace, take as many stops as you like, and check out various attractions on your way to your destination. 

1. Think About a Beach Vacation

Many people prefer to travel to Europe or somewhere there’s snow during Christmas. However, these destinations are extremely popular and crowded, especially during peak holiday travel season. If you don’t like to deal with crowds or you want to travel on a budget, choose a beach destination for your holiday travel. 

Get started with this handy, ready-to-go beach vacation packing list! Life’s a breeze at the beach!

A beach destination also lets you enjoy a more laid-back travel experience during the holiday season. Why not change things up this year and go to a warm, sunny destination instead? The bonus: you’ll come home with a great tan!