How to Travel at Christmas Without Losing Your Mind

Holiday travel has a reputation, delighters, and it’s earned. Packed airports, long lines, weather delays, a carry-on full of gifts and a family group chat asking for your ETA every twenty minutes can turn the most wonderful time of the year into the most stressful. But I truly believe you can travel at Christmas and arrive as yourself, not as a frazzled shell of a woman clutching a squished pie. Here’s how I’d do it.

Book early, and book smart

The biggest favor you can do for your future self is to book your holiday flights early. Fares for the weeks around Christmas tend to rise as the dates get closer, and the best flight times are the first to go. If you can, set fare alerts in the fall and buy when you see a price you can live with, instead of waiting for a perfect deal that may never come.

When you choose flights, prioritize these things:

• Nonstop if at all possible. Every connection is another chance for a missed flight or a lost bag, and winter weather loves to mess with connections.
• Morning departures. Early flights tend to be less affected by the delays that pile up over the course of the day, and if something goes wrong, you have more options to rebook.
• Long layovers if you must connect. A ninety-minute buffer feels long in July, but in December it’s peace of mind.
• Flexible fares when it matters. If your plans could change, paying a little more for a fare you can change without a big fee may be worth it.

If you’re traveling with your husband or family, book everyone on the same reservation when you can, so that if something changes, the airline rebooks you together.

Consider flying on the day itself

This one surprises people, but flying on Christmas Day (or New Year’s Day) can be one of the calmest ways to travel. Airports are often quieter on the holiday itself, since most people want to be at their destination by then, and fares can be lower too, though that varies by route and year. There’s something kind of sweet about a mostly empty gate, a crew in Santa hats and everyone on board being extra kind to one another.

The trade-off, of course, is that you spend part of the holiday in transit. If your family celebrates on Christmas Eve, or if you don’t mind a later Christmas dinner, a morning flight on the day can be a gift in disguise. I've flown on Christmas Day myself, and it was surprisingly smooth, although that may be because I booked a 5 a.m. flight. My mom cherishes Christmas Eve, so I spent that night at her house in Georgia and then flew from Atlanta to Tampa first thing Christmas morning to be with my dad in Florida.

You can travel at Christmas and arrive as yourself, not as a frazzled shell of a woman clutching a squished pie.

How to pack gifts

Gifts are the trickiest part of holiday packing, so let’s talk strategy.

• Don’t wrap before you fly. TSA advises against traveling with wrapped gifts, because if an officer needs to inspect something, they may have to unwrap it. Pack gift bags and tissue instead, or bring a little wrapping kit and wrap when you arrive.
• Ship ahead. For bulky or heavy gifts, ordering online and shipping straight to your destination is often cheaper and easier than checking a bag. Just give it plenty of time, because shipping slows down in December.
• Mind the liquids. Perfume, lotion, snow globes, jams, sauces and that bottle of wine are all subject to the liquids rules in your carry-on. Anything over the limit needs to go in a checked bag (wrapped well in a sweater) or get shipped.
• Know the food rules. Solid foods like pies, cakes and cookies can generally go through security, but anything spreadable or pourable counts as a liquid. Check TSA’s “What Can I Bring?” tool if you’re not sure.
• Batteries go in your carry-on. Spare lithium batteries and power banks aren’t allowed in checked bags, and airlines have their own limits, so check yours before you go.

Carry-on tips

Even if you check a bag, your carry-on is your survival kit. Here’s what I’d keep in mine:

• One full change of clothes in case your checked bag takes a detour, plus anything you’d need for Christmas morning.
• All medications, in their original containers, and enough for a couple of extra days.
• Chargers and a power bank, since a dead phone during a delay is its own special kind of stress.
• Snacks and an empty water bottle to fill after security, because airport food lines in December are no joke.
• A good book (obviously), headphones and something cozy like a wrap or a scarf that doubles as a blanket.
• Moisturizer and lip balm in travel sizes, because airplane air will dry you out like a holiday ham.

The liquids rules have been in the news a lot lately, so check TSA’s current guidelines before you pack instead of relying on what you remember from last year.

Grace for delays

Here’s the truth, delighters: something will probably go a little sideways. A flight will be delayed, a line will be long or the weather will have its own plans. The best thing you can pack is grace, for yourself and for everyone around you.

When things go wrong, I’d keep these in mind:

• Use the app first. Airline apps often let you rebook faster than the line at the counter. Get in line and on the app at the same time.
• Know your rights. In the U.S., if your flight is canceled or significantly changed and you choose not to travel, you’re generally entitled to a refund of your fare. Check the Department of Transportation’s site for the current rules.
• Be kind to the gate agents. They didn’t cause the snowstorm, and kindness genuinely gets you further.
• Let the family know. A quick text with an honest ETA takes the pressure off everyone, including you.

And when you’re stuck at the gate, try to treat it as a little bit of found time. Read a chapter, call a friend, pray for the people around you who are probably stressed too or just people-watch with a coffee. You are going to get there, and the people waiting for you would rather have you late and peaceful than on time and miserable.

You’ll get there

Holiday travel will never be perfectly smooth, but it can be calm, and a lot of that calm comes from planning ahead and letting go of what you can’t control. The goal isn’t a flawless trip. The goal is to walk through the door, hug the people you love and sit down at a table where someone has saved you a plate (and maybe a seat at the spades table).

So tell me, delighters: what’s your best holiday travel tip, or your wildest holiday travel story?