Holiday Travel Tips

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Christmas is around the corner and for many this means traveling to either be with loved ones, or take that well deserved break from the chaos of life. Holiday travel can be exciting yet also a bit stressful, so here are some friendly travel tips from The Travel Desk to make your journey smoother.

  • If possible check in on line 24 hours prior to your flight, including pre-booking seats and paying for luggage (when needed) to avoid excessive line ups.
  • Check wrapped gifts vs. carry-on, or if in carry on, use gift bags or easily accessible wrapping should CATSA need to inspect further
  • Give yourself extra time to drive and park your car, nothing worse then waking up to a storm and thinking oh-oh....
  • If taking a taxi, pre-order it the night before, many companies allow this for airport trips
  • Check airline and CATSA restrictions on luggage (size/contents)  including liquids and gels (max 3.5oz per item) for carry on purposes. Most carriers allow one carry-on plus a personal item (purse/laptop) but confirm with each airline.
  • Pack a snack/lunch if you are on a longer journey, helps to avoid over priced airport food and has healthier options for those with food restrictions.
  • Pre-load your mobile device (lap top, ipad, smart phone) with a book, movies or games for you and/or the kids. Many airlines no longer offer in-flight entertainment (free or charged)
  • Always bring medications and valuables with you in carry-on
  • Double check photo ID that you are traveling with ASAP to make sure it is not expiring.
  • Don't forget your travel insurance info, keep your policy number and toll free number handy.
  • Save space in your luggage for gifts/shopping you may bring home, most airlines only allow one piece of luggage (charged or free) however a second piece is extremely costly.
  • Board the aircraft prepared with what you want for the flight accessible so you can put your bag in the overhead and sit down right away speed up the boarding process. This time of year the cabins will be full; please do use the space under your seat for coats/small handbags, otherwise the overhead fills up and then it takes longer to board which can delay boarding.

Finally; remember, airport staff are human, and they are working on the holidays to help you get where you need to be. Delayed flights, bad weather, lost bags are ultimately not their fault, so please travel with a bit of extra patience, and a smile will go a very long way. (I personally travel with single wrapped chocolates in my pocket and give them to airport/airline staff).

Be safe, have fun, should you have any last minute travel requests we are here. Our holidays hours are as follows:

Dec 24th through Dec 28th - CLOSED

Dec 29 - 31st - OPEN

Jan 1-3rd - CLOSED

Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy Healthy and fun 2016!

Contact us at: info@thetraveldesk.ca