Thanksgiving Travel Guide

Fall is in full swing and most of us are fantasizing about our next long break with dances of turkey legs and football in our minds. Yes, we're talking about Thanksgiving (you know, that holiday you celebrate before all the Christmas antics)! The time for gathering, for eating our favorite, traditional meals, and for recounting what we're thankful for this year is only a little over a month away. This also happens to be about the right time to start booking your flight home, preparing for your long weekend getaway, or solidifying plans. That's where we come in. Your Thanksgiving travel guide has arrived! 

1. Plane Travel 

If you're traveling by plane, now is the time to surf for deals before prices soar (no pun intended). Here's a trick--if you've been consistently searching for flights on the same device (be it your laptop, Iphone, tablet, etc.), your search history may be saving this, allowing the prices to show up higher because airlines know you're on the lookout. To potentially see lower prices, delete your search cookies so that you have a fresh history and you just might snag a deal. Not sure how to do that? Click here for the instructions and to learn more about cookies. If you're weary of deleting all of your cookies as it sometimes can be useful for shopping and tailored ads, try using an incognito (private) browser instead. Learn how to switch to incognito on Google Chrome here.   

If you are hoping to get a good deal on your plane ticket, we recommend browsing at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. Keep in mind that the less convenient of a flight, the cheaper it will most likely be. With that in mind, it's smart to find a flight time that most people wouldn't want. For example, choosing to fly on Thanksgiving early in the morning might be a lot less expensive since it's not as ideal of an option. Same goes with flights that have layovers and different connections. Also do your research and  search for flights with websites like Kayak and Expedia, which compare all prices and find you the cheapest one available.If you live close to the border, you can sometimes save a lot of money by flying from Canada as there's some wiggle room with the currency change--this is especially helpful when looking into international flights. 

It is also helpful to consider traveling light and simply bringing one carry on item for your flight. When you travel light, there's less to do at the airport (like checking a bag and taking a long time at security). When in line for security another tip is to pay attention to the people around you. Avoid families with small children who may take a while and people who have overflowing, unorganized suitcases and bags. Also opt for the left line as most people are right handed and will naturally choose to go to the right line. 

Feeling under-prepared for packing? Not to fear. We have anything you could need for an easier flight.

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2. Travel by Car 

If you're traveling by car for a few hours and want to avoid rush hour, try leaving at six or seven if you don't mind driving at night. A lot of people like to get to their destination before sunset so this means that if you drive in the dark there will be less people on the road and you might get there in better spirits, albeit a little late at night. The same goes for Sunday drives back home. Either plan to arrive home in the early afternoon or late evening to avoid the middle rush where everyone is making their trip back home to get back in time to prepare for a new week. 

Another perk of traveling by car is having ample room to pack everything. If you want to save time and stops, pack a cooler with bottled water, fruit, sandwiches, and snacks for the day's drive. This way you won't be stopping for lunch halfway through like everyone else. As an added bonus, you can also store your homemade treats for Thanksgiving in the cooler as well and make the day of less busy and stressful with all that cooking.  

3. Train Travel 

Train travel doesn't get enough credit. Sure, it generally takes longer than driving or flying, but if you have a sense of adventure and extra time to get there it can be fun. When you travel by train, you don't have to experience road rage or pre-flight jitters. Instead, you get to sit back and watch the scenery or read a book. One of the best perks of train travel is seeing landscapes that you normally wouldn't since you aren't taking the interstate. Depending on where you are, you might get incredible views of mountains or winding hills and lines of green trees. If you're traveling by train over Thanksgiving, you might just beat the crowds. 

We hope we've helped you get the ball rolling for transportation tips and tricks for this coming Thanksgiving and may your long weekend be as relaxing and comfortable as possible. To shop all things travel and comfort for your upcoming trip, visit us here.