Thanksgiving Air Travel Survival Guide

Nov. 18, 2009 — -- Here are the three most important "Holiday Facts of Life": you must buy flowers on Valentine's Day; you are obligated to call on Mother's Day; and every Thanksgiving, if at all possible, you have to go home.

Now that we've got that squared away, let's focus on Thanksgiving. Got your tickets? Good. But that's only half the battle, particularly if you haven't flown lately.

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Surviving Thanksgiving air travel can be like -- well have you seen the new movie "2012"? As film critic Stephen Whitty put it, "All you can do is grit your teeth and wait for the next wave of destruction" -- he was talking about the disaster flick of course, but he could have been describing what the airports will be like next week.

But, the more you know, the better you'll survive any holiday snafus: the cliché that "information is power" is particularly true for travelers. What you need is a plan, and it just so happens that I have one. The following is a step-by-step survival guide, on what to do -- and when to do it -- for a smooth and soothing Thanksgiving air travel experience, for novices and veterans alike.

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Round-up the Usual Necessities

The night before your flight is not the time to wonder if you need to get your prescription refilled, or if that broken zipper on your suitcase will mean an explosion of underwear on the baggage carousel. Take care of these travel essentials now.

Phone FundamentalsNo traveler should be without a cell phone at this time; be sure you or Grandma -- and those on pickup duty -- have a cell and know how to use it. Plug in essential numbers including the host of the Thanksgiving feast and the airline. Also, set up "flight status" text/e-mail alerts with FlightStats and your airline, so you and anyone heading to the airport gets the latest updates.