Christmas Season Travel Tips

Christmas Travel Facts

• Christmas travel estimates by AAA: 63.9 million Americans traveling more than 50 miles from home
• Holiday observance: December 25th
• Flight availability: 3,000 fewer flights during the season.
• Best departure days: December 18, 20, 23, 25
• Best return days: December 25, 27, 31, January 1, 3, 6

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  Christmas travel takes place during the end of December and involves individuals and families traveling by various means. Many people travel during Christmas time for several reasons. Christmas is considered one of the most important seasons to spend with family.http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061219/christmas-most-important-holiday-most-americans-say/⁶ Keeping with Christian tradition, family members and friends alike travel by plane, train, car and boat in order to be in a specific place at a specific time in order to congregate with others, or to witness an event which only takes place during this distinct time of the year. Due to the volume of travel which takes place during this time, Christmas travel has a reputation for being complicated, expensive and problematic.http://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-travel-tips.html⁷ The days leading up to and after Christmas are considered peak travel times within the travel industry, and thus, Christmas travel must usually be planned ahead of time.http://www.soundmoneymatters.com/category/travel-tips/⁸ Christmas travel may also overlap with New Years Eve travel, another peak travel time.http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=185&category=13⁹

  
  In many countries, Christmas Day is a non-working legal holiday that comes one week before another non-working legal holiday, New Year's Day.http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/¹⁰ Also, Christmas Day typically falls within the winter or summer school holidays. Because snow falls in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere during Christmas time, Christmas is a suitable time to preform winter activities like skiing, ice skating, sledding and snowboarding. Down under, in Australia, Christmas time is summertime and a perfect time to head to the beach.http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/¹¹

• Important Information on Airport Travel at Christmas

  • When flying, travelers are often advices that gifts should remain unwrapped until they arrive at their destination as they may be screened and unwrapping will be required for the airport inspection.

  • Travelers wanting to use a cell phone abroad may be able to upgrade or gain access through their current cell phone provider for an additional charge

  • Being bumped due to overbooking may occur. To avoid this, travelers are advised to fly on Tuesdays or on the actual holiday itself.

• Christmas Travel Destinations

  According to the travel site Orbitz.com, some of the most popular Christmas travel destinations are:

  1. Las Vegas, Nevada
  2. Orlando, Florida
  3. New York, New York
  4. Honolulu, Hawaii
  5. Chicago, Illinois
  6. San Francisco, California
  7. San Diego, California
  8. Anaheim, California
  9. Lahaina, Hawaii
  10. Miami, Florida