How to Travel During the Holidays Without the Stress

Holiday travel is basically a competitive sport. People sprinting through airports, suitcases exploding like confetti cannons, families debating whether they really locked the front door. But guess what? It doesn’t have to be chaos.

Here’s how to travel during the holidays without needing a full emotional support gingerbread house:

1. Book Early… Earlier Than That
If you think you’re early, you’re already late. Holiday flights disappear faster than cookies left out for Santa.

2. Build in Buffer Time (AKA “Sanity Hours”)
If your flight is at 3 PM, pretend it’s at 1 PM. Future-you will thank you. Future-you might even hug you.

3. Keep the Snacks Flowing
Holiday travel hunger hits harder than a toddler discovering sugar. Pack snacks. Then pack backup snacks. Then pack snacks for the people who “didn’t think they’d be hungry.”

4. Use Technology Like a Travel Wizard
Apps for check-ins, seat changes, airport maps, weather alerts — use them all. Pretend your phone is your personal holiday travel assistant.

5. Lower Your Expectations (But In a Happy Way)
Lines will be long. People will be confused. Someone will absolutely try to board a flight two hours early. When you expect the chaos, you can laugh at it instead of joining it.

Traveling during the holidays doesn’t have to drain your holiday spirit. With a plan, some patience, and enough snacks to survive a minor apocalypse, you can glide through it all with your sanity intact.