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Holiday Air Travel

© Lain Ehmann

When it comes to the holiday season, I want nothing more than to curl up in a big chair by the fireplace, watching the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree and enjoying the company of my husband and kids. Unfortunately, I don't get to do much of that.

We live 3,000 miles from our families - we're in Boston, they're in the San Francisco Bay Area. So, when it comes to Christmas, that means one thing and one thing only: TRAVEL.

Getting on a plane in the heat of the holiday travel season is something I can definitely do without - especially with a 3-year-old and an infant in tow. But with my extended family spread around the country, there's just no way to avoid it. There are, however, some ways to make it a little bit easier:

1. Book early. Don't leave your reservations to the last minute. Not only will you pay premium prices, you'll also have limited selection when it comes to flight dates and times. You might find yourself going through all the hassle of air travel for only a few days, simply because you couldn't get the flights you wanted.

2. Fly early in the day. Just like at the doctor's office, things tend to get backed up as the day goes by. The first flight of the day is less apt to be delayed.

3. Fly non-stop. If you've read my previous columns, you'll know there's a big difference between direct flights (flights that don't take you out of your way, but may require a connection and/or a plane change) and non-stop flights (flights that - you got it! - don't stop). In order to minimize travel time and lessen the chances of delays, we booked a flight from Boston to San Jose - though we could have flown through Chicago or Denver and paid a bit less. It was worth the extra cost not to have to switch planes and deal with the possibility of getting stuck in an airport overnight (Chicago and Denver are both notorious for bad weather).

4. Pack light. If you're traveling for the holidays, you likely have a ton of presents to take with you - and to bring home. We didn't want to have to deal with boxes of presents at the airport on either end, so I did most of my shopping online and had the presents sent directly to my parents' house in California - our "home base" for the holidays. And on the return, we packed up a couple of boxes of toys and such, and sent them to ourselves via UPS. Yes, it was a little pricey -- $85, my husband reports - but the alternative was trying to lug two huge boxes to the airport and into the taxi and home again. I'd rather have them delivered door-to-door.