Your Pre-Thanksgiving Airport Plan

Thanksgiving is only a week away. And if you plan on traveling next week, you can expect one helluvah experience at the airport (hey, we’re just being honest). Lines will be long, parking will be nearly impossible, and people are going to be cranky. Unfortunately, this is something you must get through in order to arrive at your turkey-filled destination. So rather than dreading it, we urge you to come up with a Pre-Thanksgiving Airport Plan. Start by asking yourself the following questions:

1. When do I need to leave my house in order to arrive at the airport on time? The general rule has always been to arrive at the airport two hours in advance. During this time of year, we’d suggest three (better safe than sorry!). Add on to that the travel time from your house, plus one more hour for mishaps like traffic or forgetting something and having to turn around.

2. Aside from my checked luggage, what will I need to bring with me and what will I carry it in? DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A PHOTO ID. WE REPEAT, DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A PHOTO ID. Make sure you have all the necessary travel documents with you, and make sure they are easily accessible. We’re not sure if we’d go as far as to recommend wearing a fanny pack, but a bag or purse of a similar fashion will make your life easier when it comes to presenting your travel documents. It will also make the lives of everyone around you easier, as fumbling for your ID when it’s finally your turn can significantly hold up the line. Did we mention people will be cranky?

3. What can I bring with me that will make the whole experience a bit more bearable? Snacks, iPod, laptop, etc. Anything to take your mind off of how long you’ve been waiting to get on that damn plane.

While this by no means represents a comprehensive strategy for arriving at the gate with 10 minutes to spare, it’s a great start.