With the excitement of turkey and presents comes the dread of knowing you have to brave the airport once again during the busiest months of the year. Don’t worry, though. We’ve collected 12 tips to make flying this holiday season as stress-free as possible!

1. Take Advantage of Flash Sales

Stores aren’t the only ones that give good deals around the holidays, airlines commonly have flash sales as well, and it’s a great way to book cheap flights. Look into when your airline had its last flash sale and watch around that time to book.

2. Book Airport Parking

Did you know you can book airport parking in advance as well? With an increase in holiday travelers comes an increase in the cars you have to fight for a spot. Booking ahead guarantees a space and is even sometimes cheaper!

3. Don’t Wrap Gifts

TSA says it’s best to travel with unwrapped gifts to avoid any kind of holdup. You can either wrap when you get to your destination or ship your gifts ahead of time to avoid any unfortunate Grinch situation.

4. Pick Less Common Dates

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days to fly. You can avoid all that by simply booking your return flight a few days before or after. If you’re able to swing it, this is the best way to save money and sanity.

5. TSA PreCheck

Many seasoned flyers already know about this, but if you only really fly for the holidays you might not. TSA PreCheck allows you to skip the long lines and avoid taking off your shoes along with other stuff to pass through. Make sure to register ahead of time.

6. To Carry-on or Check In

Your bags are a huge hassle during this stressful time, but there are pros and cons to both. Carry-on bags only help you avoid expensive luggage fees. Whereas having only checked bags makes you hands-free for your wait and not stressed about overhead bin space.

7. Red-Eye Flights

Just like traveling on off days can help, traveling during off hours of the day can too. Early morning flights or late evening flights work best too. How many people want to get up early to catch their plane? Money savers, that’s who.

8. Direct Flights

Okay, this tip might not help the pocketbook, but it does help lower stress. Holiday traveling could mean inclement weather and missed connections. Booking a direct flight is the best way to guarantee you get where you’re going and not stranded at a connecting airport along the way.

9. Be Prepared

We need to all channel our inner soccer mom here and make sure everything you can possibly need is packed and easy to access. Your boarding pass, IDs, and money are near the top. Snacks, chargers, and backup chargers for the airport. And all the info you need to get through TSA quickly.

10. Airport Lounges

While we usually think of these as for the rich, they are actually very affordable and a good way to avoid the crowds. Book your airport lounge in advance and enjoy some food and drinks and quiet before gathering with the whole family at grandma’s house.

11. Travel Insurance

Often overlooked, but definitely needed during the stress of the holidays. Canceled flights are the worst, and stress only increases when you realize you aren’t seeing that money back any time soon. Travel insurance protects your pocketbook so you can focus on plan B.

12. Ear Plugs and Attitude

Ultimately, holiday traveling is stressful. Hopefully, some of our tips help, but if all else fails, pop in some earplugs at the airport and take a deep breath. All the craziness will be worth it for the homecooked food and family connection.

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