10 Biggest Holiday Travel Mistakes You’ll Want to Avoid
The holiday season is the time of year when families and friends come together to soak up the season with quality time, laughter, and joy.
The last thing anyone wants to feel during the holidays is stress, overwhelm, and worry. But the excitement leading up to the holidays can be anything but rewarding if you impulsively book the flight, pack the bags, and aren’t using a logical mind in preparation for upcoming holiday travel.
Here are 10 of the biggest holiday travel mistakes you’ll want to avoid this year.
1. Not Planning or Budgeting
People think they will have the time and money when the holidays get closer. Yet, they fail to plan and budget what holiday travel could cost them. Now they’re stuck paying for a plane ticket beyond their ideal budget.
Be mindful of the season and when to plan and budget. I recommend planning and budgeting at least 3-4 months before. This will save you money, and stress, and you will be prepared for what expenses you’ll need to cover during your holiday travel.
2. No Packing List
Many people like to book their trip and then wait to pack until the last minute. This leads to frustration, overwhelm, and possibly forgetting important things. I recommend making a list of items you must and would like to bring with you on your holiday travel.
You can make a list on your phone a month in advance. This will give you plenty of time to think of what you will need, what you would like to bring, and the must-haves (passport, ID, cash, etc.). Some people may only travel 3 hours for the holidays, while others will travel across the country or to another country.
Your packing list will help you determine all the necessities required. It will help alleviate the stress of last-minute packing and help you remember everything needed. Cross off the items as you pack them. This will make your preparation for holiday travel that much more peaceful!
3. Overpacking
I’m guilty of overpacking, just like the next person. But the reality is, overpacking does not serve you well during holiday travel and tons of travelers pay the price with extra baggage fees every year.
You’ll likely be bringing gifts with you during your holiday travel. Also, you may need room for extra items received during the holidays on your return trip. Overpacking limits your ability to have more space.
Avoid baggage fees, pack light, and buy any additional necessities you may need once you arrive at your destination. Your wallet will thank you later!
4. Inflexibility
All too often people are set on their holiday travel dates and have no flexibility with their airport or flight choices. When you’re more flexible with your travel dates, airport, and flight selections flight costs could drop by 30% or more.
Usually, there is one primary airport that most people will fly out from with a secondary optional airport at a further distance. Look at the flight costs for different travel dates and all airports within the vicinity.
With higher-than-normal flight prices during the holidays, it’s worth looking around and being flexible with your holiday travel plans.
5. Last Minute Flights
Another mistake people make is not being sure when they want to travel for the holidays and booking last-minute flights. The indecisiveness can cost you.
The idea that last-minute flights will save you money isn’t the case. The opposite is quite true. You’ll spend double on plane tickets by waiting to book until the last minute.
A few weeks prior doesn’t sound like last minute, but if you’re considering flying during Thanksgiving and Christmas, waiting a few weeks prior is too late.
You could dismiss this mistake of waiting until the last minute to book a flight and plan ahead of time. Review flight costs and set up airline price alerts for the holidays as early as possible. Discuss the leave options available with your work and decide the best times to take off for the holidays.
6. No Refunds or Changes Allowed
One mistake people make year after year is not considering booking flights that allow you the flexibility to change flight plans, authorize flight credits, or cancel and receive a full refund for flight costs.
You never know what could arise that will force you to change your flight plans or cancel them altogether. Many people will grab the cheapest flight, some from budget airlines thinking they are saving money. However, when things don’t go as planned, you are stuck with a flight you can’t financially recover from.
Allow yourself peace of mind and book a flight that offers changes to flight schedules, flight credits, and full refunds.
7. No Travel Insurance
Many people opt out of purchasing travel insurance for holiday travel. I’m not a big fan of travel insurance. But, during the holidays I fully advocate purchasing travel insurance.
With the winter months and colder weather, there is the potential for weather cancellations, delays, illness, or an emergency that could leave travelers with costs they can’t recover from because they chose to save a few dollars by not purchasing travel insurance. The prices of holiday flights alone warrant a reason to want travel insurance.
Do yourself a favor and pay for travel insurance during holiday travel. The best-case scenario is to enjoy your holidays with family and friends knowing you are covered. Peace of mind over worry, always!
8. Traveling on Peak Days
One major mistake people make during holiday travel is departing on peak days during the holiday season. Many people find themselves paying premium prices to fly on peak days.
This can create a large amount of travel stress, higher airport parking fees and difficulty finding parking, waiting in longer lines to check baggage, and overall surrounded by an overwhelming amount of people all anxious to get to their flights on time. This doesn’t appeal to me at all.
You can minimize your stress levels and costs by planning to leave on off-peak days ahead of the crowds. Consider departing on the day itself as those are typically found to be less crowded and cheaper flights.
Holidays are meant to be joyful. Let’s start right by not traveling on peak days this season!
9. Paying in Advance for Hotels and Rental Cars
Another mistake holiday travelers regret is paying in advance for hotel and rental car reservations. It sounds ideal, right? I get it.
But consider this, most hotels and rental car agencies allow you to make reservations with no deposit upfront until 1-2 days before travel. I’m a planner when it comes to my travels. While this could seem counterintuitive for someone like me, I never pay ahead for accommodations or rental cars.
If a deposit is required, I will pay the minimum. Who knows, you may find a better deal for where to stay or a cheaper rate at another rental car agency, or you may decide you do not want to stay in a hotel, but at a family member’s home.
These types of reservations are worth waiting to pay in full.
10. Forgetting to Plan Pet Care
Remember to plan who will care for your pets while you’re away for the holiday. This leaves many pet owners stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to find last-minute boarding solutions.
Many times the thought of bringing your pet with you on holiday travel seems ideal and fun. I love taking my German Shepherd, North, with me on all travel, as much as possible. But the reality is sometimes our pets shouldn’t travel with us.
Consider looking into places or homes where you can board your pet. With people traveling for the holidays, it can be difficult to find someone to care for your pet in your absence. Be mindful of this and look ahead of time to make boarding reservations for your pet and ensure they are up-to-date on all vaccinations for boarding purposes.
What Other Holiday Travel Mistakes Would You Add to This List?
If you have had a holiday travel mishap, we’d love to hear about it!
