10 real-world tips you need for flying this holiday season

The most wonderful time of the year can very quickly become the most stressful time of the year at the airport, especially if winter weather doesn’t cooperate and
delays or cancellations
creep into the storyline.
But your trip home (or away) doesn’t have to be the one spent juggling overweight bags at the check-in counter or sprinting through the airport a la the McCallisters in “Home Alone.”
Instead, you and your loved ones can be the travelers who are relaxing in an airport lounge and expertly avoiding bag fees — with a solid backup plan in the event of a flight operation issue.
LORI ZAINO/THE POINTS GUY
Pack the right credit card
It might be too late to add a new credit card to your wallet to help make some holiday travel easier, but the season isn’t over yet. Some of our favorite cards offer
holiday travel perks and related benefits
.
You can also check to see if you already have the right credit card in your wallet. Some credit cards protect you from
incurring bag fees
, while others can help you
board early
or get a statement credit for inflight purchases. For example, the
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
gives you and your traveling companions a free checked bag on Delta flights.
There are also credit cards that
give you access to airport lounges
, which can be a much better place to spend time before or between flights than a crowded gate. Some lounges now even let you
check capacity
or add yourself to an in-app waitlist.
If you get a last-minute credit card with a
Priority Pass membership
, you can potentially still use a digital membership card at most eligible lounges.
Related:
How to avoid checked baggage fees on major domestic airlines
Book your airport parking in advance
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Airport parking lots — especially the ones that are either cheapest or closest to the terminal — fill up on holidays.
Your best bet is to
book a spot in advance
. In fact, if you’re planning to travel for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s, book it now. Not only does that guarantee you a spot, but sometimes it’s cheaper, too. For example, at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), only people with pre-booked reservations will be permitted to park once garage parking capacity reaches 85%.
Have the right apps before you fly
Of course, you should download and set up your airline’s app before you fly, so you can easily access your boarding pass and make changes in the event of delays or cancellations. There are two other apps that make sense to get, too:
Flighty
: Get updates about your flight, track your inbound plane and see the likelihood of an on-time flight.
TSA app
: View security wait times.
Get to the airport early
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
I know this sounds like your parents talking, but nothing induces intense and immediate stress faster than running late for your flight. Even if you normally cut things close, don’t do it during the holidays. If you miss your original flight, that next flight to your destination may be too full to switch onto.
Taking the
first flight of the morning
is a good idea, too. Planes operating early morning flights are likely to have stayed in place the night prior and therefor are likely to depart on time. So, get a jump on the day and book the early bird express. If you notice bad weather forecasts for your travel date, getting out in the morning can be even more important.
And while you’re there nice and early, remember that you can often
mobile order Starbucks for pickup in many airports
, so that’s one less line to worry about.
Related:
How to avoid airline change and cancellation fees
Be strategic about checking bags
ISABELLE RAPHAEL/THE POINTS GUY
During the holidays, some travelers swear by this mantra: “Stay calm by not carrying on.”
While I vastly prefer to carry my bags onto the flight 95% of the time, there is some logic to checking everything you can — especially if you have kids to chase after in the airport. Checking bags can slow you down a little, but it can also result in some
bonus free miles
if the bags are slow to come down the baggage claim.
We’d also be remiss not to add that checked bags during the holidays are where the
right credit card
can really pay for itself.
Of course, remember to
toss an AirTag in your checked bag
so you can keep a virtual eye on its journey. Many airlines now allow you to
share your bag’s AirTag location with them
, too, which can help in the event your bag ends up somewhere it shouldn’t.
If you plan to bring a carry-on, be sure to read the fine print of your ticket. If you’re flying basic economy or
with a budget airline
, your fare may not include a free full-size carry-on. In that case, being strategic means condensing.
Consider shipping your stockings
While strategically checking or carrying on a bag will work in most cases, there are circumstances where shipping packages to your final destination can be even easier (and sometimes cheaper) especially if oversized baggage fees are involved. You can try the site
LugLess
to price and purchase shipping for your belongings or presents, whether you want DIY drop-off or doorstep pickup and delivery.
Know the current TSA rules
JON BAILEY/THE POINTS GUY
Can you bring wrapped presents through security? Technically, you can, but it’s a bad idea to do so, in case TSA agents need to inspect what’s inside.
The holiday season provides ample reason to review some of the TSA rules — especially those that have changed since last year.
For example, you now
need a Real ID
to travel … but you
don’t typically have to take your shoes off
anymore, even if you don’t have TSA PreCheck.
Related:
Here’s what Thanksgiving foods you can bring in your carry-on and what has to be checked
Clear security in a flash
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
On peak travel days,
TSA PreCheck alone isn’t always enough
to get you through security as fast as you’d like.
If you want the one-two punch of having all available expedited security options, consider getting
Clear
. You can sometimes even apply for Clear at the airport if you see the regular security line crawling along slower than you like, so you don’t have to commit in advance.
A one-year Clear Plus membership typically costs $209. Conveniently, several credit cards now offer $209 in
Clear Plus statement credits
each calendar year, subject to auto-renewal. Your kids can also
use Clear for free
when traveling with you, and you can add up to three additional adults to your main plan for $125 per year.
Lounge around
If the whole family is flying for the holidays, you might want to specifically seek lounges with family rooms or more relaxed guest policies.
Here’s a quick reminder of how access to some of the top lounge networks operates:
With the
American Express Platinum Card®
, adult guests to the lounge cost $50 each, unless you’ve met the $75,000 per year spending requirement to unlock complimentary guests. For children ages 2 to 17, expect to pay $30 each. Speaking from first-hand experience, the guest fees
can actually be worth it in the right situation
.
Capital One’s new guest fees when using the
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
don’t hit until Feb. 1, 2026, so for this holiday season, eligible cardholders can still bring in two complimentary guests.
Those with the
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
(see
rates and fees
) can get two complimentary guests into their great network of lounges.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
There are also several
top Priority Pass lounges in the U.S.
to consider; you might already have a card in your wallet that can help you gain access to them.
Related:
11 credit cards that offer Priority Pass airport lounge access
Check the cost of an upgrade — it might be less than you think
Last but not least, while the holidays are a very busy time for leisure travel, business travel grinds to a halt during those weeks.
That means while economy may be full and cost more than normal, first class can actually cost less than you think. In fact, I’ve seen first-class mileage awards for domestic flights around the holidays cost less than economy awards.
At a minimum, check the price for a first-class upgrade. You might be pleasantly surprised, since those business travelers who usually buy premium tickets using their expense accounts aren’t in the air as frequently during holiday weeks.
Bottom line
The holidays are an exciting time to go home or get away, but a crowded airport or plane isn’t always the most magical part of the experience.
We promise you’ll survive your holiday travels by making a few strategic choices, packing your wallet appropriately and being prepared with the right apps and info in your phone.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.