The Best Tips For Minimizing Travel Disruptions This Holiday Season, According To Experts

If you're a frequent flier, you probably already know to try and avoid flying on the busiest days of the year, if only for your own sanity. The days around Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the busiest travel days of the year. In 2024, over three million people flew on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and nearly the same number flew on the Sunday before and the Friday after Christmas. With that kind of volume, even if you know all the airport hacks to zip through TSA, things are still likely to get stressful when you're flying during the holidays.

Not only that, but in early November, popular airports faced big flight cuts amidst the government shutdown, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asking 40 airports across the country to cut their service by 10%. And even though the shutdown has ended, there is still expected to be a reduction in flights. Given these factors, anyone flying for the holidays this year could be facing the perfect storm of travel nightmares, but there are ways to minimize potential disruptions.

The internet has countless recommendations and tips from experts about how to make holiday traveling as easy as possible. The main consensus is to be as proactive as you can be in communicating with the airlines, arriving at the airport early and prepared, or even considering driving instead.

Forbes travel journalist Suzanne Rowan Kelleher spoke to NPR about her best tips to help avoid delays at the airport during the holidays. And one big tip is essentially, maybe skip the airport entirely. "I've talked to aviation experts who have just said, look, if you can drive in eight hours or less, drive," Kelleher said. "And I just saw a notification from Hertz. Hertz's CEO just said that they are seeing a huge uptick in people wanting to rent cars in a one-way direction, so that tells you that a lot of people are making that choice."

If you're looking for one-way car rental deals, Hertz is one of the most affordable options. Depending on where you're going, you could also look into Amtrak, which hasn't and won't be affected by the shutdown. Driving not only avoids airport chaos, but also gives you more flexibility in case of weather delays or cancellations that ground flights across the country.

And if you do have to fly, Kelleher's advice is to book the first flight of the day if you can. No one likes waking up super early to get to the airport, but this year, that wakeup call could save your holiday. Beyond the potential cancellations that started with the government shutdown, she notes that similar "disruptions tend to really amplify the longer the day goes on." Plus, even if you're not in an area that is currently being impacted by bad weather, the place where your plane is coming from could be. So, even if you have to get up much earlier than you like, it may be worth it for a smoother trip.

Over 9,000 flights have been canceled due to the FAA's reduction of flights in early November, and things aren't looking too good even with the shutdown now over. Katie Nastro of Going.com spoke with ABC7 News about these ongoing disruptions, and she had some tips for those who have been and may be impacted by cancellations. Her advice is to rebook as soon as you can if your flight gets cancelled, since the overall number of available flights is going down.

It's not just the government shutdown that's affecting flight schedules, as winter is also a big culprit for cancelled and delayed flights during the holidays. If you do experience a significant delay of more than three hours, Nastro noted that you are entitled to a full refund if you don't actually end up on that flight. Make sure to get what you're owed, whether that's a refund or a new flight, depending on how the delay affects your plans.

Nastro also suggested making sure to get to the airport extra early. Two hours ahead of your flight is the current recommendation for domestic flights, but Nastro thinks that an extra 30 minutes will help. So while there's a viral TikTok trend that says you can get to the airport just shortly before your flight, this might not be the best time to test that.

If you do have a canceled flight and you're looking to rebook on your own, consider flying with a carrier that has multiple flights a day to your destination. That's the recommendation from Marty Seslow, Vice President of Marketing with tour company Gate 1 Travel, according to CBS News. So even if you're delayed, you can still keep a same-day itinerary. "An airline that flies much less frequently — with the forced reduction in flights — there's a better chance that there's a disruption to your plans," Seslow said.

Seslow also suggested connecting with your airline ASAP when a flight has been changed. "Getting in line at the airport if your flight is not operating is not going to help you," he explained. He adds that "being proactive in advance is going to help you."

If the airline does rebook you on a new flight, the timing may not be ideal, but, as Seslow pointed out, "they're still going to get you to your final destination." If you choose to rebook or cancel the flight yourself, note that a number of major U.S. airlines are waiving the change and cancellation fees for flights with the government shutdown. That may or may not extend into the holiday season, given that the shutdown has ended, but be aware that you might have to be flexible with your plans.

Be prepared for the possibility of delays while you're in transit and focus on stress reduction before you leave. You want to arrive at the airport with a calm, relaxed mindset to set yourself up for success to tackle the stress of holiday travel. And that starts in the days before your trip. Autumn Enoch, founder of travel and hospitality PR firm Equinochs Consulting, told Southern Living about how she has a "pre-travel checklist" with tasks like cleaning her house on it. This checklist, as she put it, "makes coming home a treat and a breeze."

Aside from cleaning, you can also add tasks like cleaning out your fridge and watering your plants to this list. You don't want to be in the security line and be suddenly struck with the thought of something you've forgotten. Make the list, so if you end up being gone a few extra days with travel delays, you won't come home to spoiled food or dead plants. 

Enoch is also a fan of packing lists, going so far as to keep track of where everything is packed. That way, you know that you'll have everything that you need. And when it comes to packing for holiday travel, make sure that you've prepared your carry-on as though you might have to spend an extra time in an airport or a hotel. Don't forget to have charging cords, toiletries, medication, and an extra outfit in your carry-on. At the very least, bring a spare pair of underwear and a toothbrush with you.