No matter what holiday you celebrate, this season is the time to spend quality time with friends, family, and loved ones, and that means getting everybody in the same place at the same time. With so many people catching flights to see family, it’s no surprise that traveling over the holidays can get a bit stressful. But it doesn’t have to be!
This holiday, make going to the airport a breeze with your Valley International Airport’s guide to holiday travel. Check out our holiday travel tips and get ready for a wonderful winter!
1. Buy Tickets Early
This first tip should be a bit of a no-brainer. Around any holiday, the demand for air travel goes up, and that’s especially true at Christmas time. During Christmas, the number of people trying to travel is often higher than the number of available seats on planes, and that can drive up prices as the holiday approaches. Ensure you get a seat and save yourself some cash by buying your tickets sooner rather than later.
The best time to buy your Christmas tickets might actually have been all the way back in October, but since many of us don’t know our plans so far in advance, that’s not always feasible. Instead, buy your tickets as soon as you can.
2. Plan Ahead
There are lots of choices and planning that should be made long before you get to the airport but, unfortunately, many travelers leave these decisions until the last minute. Save yourself from a headache by making your plans early. You should know whether or not you need to check a bag, where you need to go in the airport, and a timetable for when to arrive.
During the holidays, you should arrive at the airport three hours before your flight is set to begin boarding. Get ready for long lines, and consider buying priority boarding to save time.
3. Watch the Weather
One of the biggest wild cards in holiday travel is the weather. While Texas might not usually have to deal with severe winter weather, other locations do, and there’s always a chance that an unusual winter storm could hit Texas.
As your flight approaches, keep an eye on weather reports from both your destination and starting point. This can help you anticipate delays and changes and help you be prepared to adapt.
4. Practice Patience
Patience is really the key to stress-free holiday travel. By planning ahead and arriving early, you can avoid many of the issues that arise during winter travel, and you can save yourself the stress of rushing to get things finished.
Getting to the airport three hours early might sound like a boring time, but remember your patience. You can bring a book, buy a coffee, and generally unwind while you wait.
Get Home for the Holidays With Your Harlingen International Airport
Holiday travel isn’t just more difficult, it’s also more meaningful. Getting home to your loved ones during the holidays is indispensable, and at VIA, we’re dedicated to safely getting travelers where they need to go.
This holiday season, take the difficulty out of holiday travel by booking your flight through your Harlingen international airport, airport code HRL. We might not be pulled by magical reindeer, but we can get you through the storm of holiday travel.