Travel

Traveling over the holidays? Here are a few tips to keep you sane.

It's 10:30 p.m. on the night before our flight and everyone is racing around trying to get ready. Although the airline tickets were purchased weeks ago, it seems like the rest of the details are demanding our attention at the very last minute. Laundry. Suitcases. Car rental. Shoes. Rain gear.

I've set the alarm for 3 a.m. in order to check in for the early-morning flight. So, nobody's going to get a whole lot of sleep. And the chatter in our bedroom goes something like this:

"Where exactly is my power cord?" I ask.

"I don't know. Where are my glasses?" queries my wife, Christy. She continues, "Did you feed the dog?"

"Where is the dog?" I reply, noticing the front door is wide open.

And so it goes. It's not unusual for travelers to get wrapped up tight before a trip. There are lots of details. It helps to make a list. I've written out countless lists for both long and short trips. Just the act of writing out a detailed plan seems to help, especially as the holidays approach.

So ask yourself: are you ready to go? Here are some important things to remember, particularly if you're flying during Thanksgiving or Christmas:

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1. You are traveling during the holidays. That means you will be sharing the airport and the plane with lots of people who only travel once or twice a year. That includes families with the very young and the very old. They will move slower and it's likely that at some point, you will be behind them in line. Play nice and give them a hand if they need it. Everyone will be able to move quicker as a result.

[Related: Fork your dressing, plastic underwear and other pro tips for travel]

2. If you have not yet purchased your tickets for holiday travel, you'd better be sitting down when you find out how much it costs. I just spent $2,000 and a truckload of miles to arrange some holiday travel. After all, you must compete with all of the schoolkids, their parents, their teachers and their families for a limited number of seats. A ticket from Anchorage to Honolulu over Thanksgiving weekend (departing Thanksgiving Day and returning on Monday, Nov. 28) costs $1,298 on Alaska Airlines. If you want to fly on Dec. 22, returning on Jan. 2, 2017, the cost is $1,633 round trip.

3. As you get closer to your departure date, take a look at your itinerary. Even smart people get mixed up with midnight flights. If you booked your flights online, go to the airline's website and make sure you have the same schedule you started with. Sometimes airlines change the times, and you may have missed being notified about a schedule or equipment change. It's happened to me and to most people I know. Trust me, you want to know in advance so that, if necessary, you can call the airline and confirm the changes. Sometimes, an airline will re-accommodate you on a new flight but will fail to assign seats. That's one reason why it's important to review your itinerary in advance.

4. Are you checking a bag? Make sure you have a tag on it, such as the ones available at the check-in counter. Also, I tape a business card on the inside of the bag, since exterior tags get torn off. Don't put anything in the bag that you cannot live without: cash, camera gear, medicine, car keys or important documents. You have to check any wine or liquor bottles, of course, as well as tubes of toothpaste, sunscreen or lotion.

If you are traveling with Christmas presents, you should wait until you get to your destination to wrap them, since the Transportation Security Administration may want to inspect them in advance.

5. Are you traveling with a firearm? It's legal to do so, but you must declare it and present it in a locked, hard-sided case. With Alaska Airlines, ammunition may be checked with or separately from the firearm (rifle, handgun, starter pistol, flare gun, etc.).

Special authorization is required to check firearms to Canada and Mexico. Handguns are not permitted. It is up to you to understand the local regulations regarding handguns and rifles where you're traveling. For example, you can check your handgun to New York and retrieve it from the baggage claim. But when you check in for your return flight and declare your firearm, you will be arrested on the spot, charged with a felony and jailed.

6. Allow extra time to check in and clear security. Again, many infrequent travelers will be joining you on your holiday journey. Do your best to stay out of their way. That means checking in online in advance and printing out your boarding passes. If possible, have someone drop you off at the airport. If you are driving yourself, understand that parking lots may be full and you may have to spend extra time finding a spot. That's another advantage to a drop-off or a cab ride to the airport.

My family hates it that I'm a "two hours prior" type of traveler. But there's nothing worse than being stuck in a long security line as they're making the final boarding announcement for your flight. It's better to get through security with time to spare.

7. Do you plan to take a laptop and a phone with you on your trip? Many planes now have power outlets, but not all of them. Be sure and charge your batteries the night before your flight. On Alaska and Delta, you now can stream movies and shows from the onboard entertainment system, but you have to download the Gogo app before you get on board.

8. Take your time going through security. The best way to go through the TSA checkpoint is to have "Precheck." Whether you get that access by getting Global Entry or through TSA's PreCheck program, the lines move much more quickly. Of course, you must apply and pay extra to get your card. It's especially important in the winter to pay attention to your jackets, coats and backpacks as you pass through the crowded security checkpoints.

9. Everyone should have their own "comfort kit" for the flight. For me, it's my noise-canceling headphones, a book and my iPhone, which has my music. The kids like their laptops or iPads for movies and e-books. I don't bother with pillows, since the seat's back only comes up to my shoulders. But many folks have them. Others bring their own blankets, since it can get chilly on the plane. I just wear my jacket.

If you're traveling with kids, there is an entire subset of goodies to carry, including emergency snacks, chewing gum, favorite toys and stuffed animals and such. I think the emergency snacks are key, since food and beverage options are spotty. Also, be sure and fill up your water bottles once you're on the "air side" of the airport. You've got to stay hydrated!

It may sound silly, but do your best to be kind and gracious. If you're flying, you're taking advantage of one of the most advanced aviation systems in the world. Airports, airlines, air traffic controllers all work together to make sure your journey is a safe one. Take a moment to thank your pilots and the cabin crew. Think about it: every seat probably will be filled on your flight, so these folks will be working hard. We're coming up on Thanksgiving, and I'm thankful that we have a safe and reliable air travel system so I can travel around the world!

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

Scott McMurren

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. Subscribe to his e-newsletter at alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

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