Holiday Travel Survival Guide

Nov. 13, 2007— -- Airplane cabins are expected to be more packed than ever over the year-end holidays as travelers cope with crowded skies, unpredictable weather and higher prices.

While you can't control the weather or the airlines, there are simple things you can do to help smooth the way. ABC News consulted travel experts to compile tips for making every aspect of your trip -- from booking tickets to arriving at the airport -- easier.

The first bit of advice is that if you haven't booked airline tickets by now, get moving. For Thanksgiving, the most popular flights are already booked, and others are going to cost you a lot.

Traveling during the Christmas season should be a bit easier this year because of an extended peak season, thanks to when the holidays fall on the calendar. Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on a Tuesday. So most holiday travelers will make their trips during the extended period between Thursday, Dec. 20, and Sunday, Jan. 6, according to Chris McGinnis, editor of Expedia Travel Trendwatch.

"It is always more expensive to fly during Thanksgiving and Christmas than the rest of the year," McGinnis warns. "It's always difficult to find seats on the flights that depart at the most-desirable times."

Best Times to Fly

The Air Transport Association expects Thanksgiving traffic to rise 4 percent this year, with about 27 million passengers flying during a 12-day period starting Friday.

Planes will be a staggering 90 percent full, thanks to industry consolidation and a big effort by the airlines to pack more people onto flights while cutting less popular routes.

As always, flying at off-peak times can lead to cheaper tickets and less hassle at the airport. But that doesn't mean cheap. Note that the holiday period will always be priced higher relative to almost any other time of the year.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is a very heavy travel day. So is the Sunday after the holiday, and Monday, where leisure and business travelers mix. But if you are willing to celebrate on an alternative day or are generally flexible, Thursday afternoon and all day Friday are better days to travel.

Jeanenne Diefendorf, a spokeswoman for Orbitz, said that travelers should aim for morning flights to avoid delays, or not getting to their destination at all.

"If your flight does get canceled, a lot of those flights in the late evening, afternoon are packed," she said. That means you are less likely to find a replacement flight.

FareCompare.com noted that several major airlines have increased fares in recent weeks, citing rising oil prices. Most have increased fares $10 to $20, and a few even more.

For Christmas travel, Friday Dec. 21, and Saturday Dec. 22, will be some of the busiest days. Another day to avoid is Dec. 31.

There are still some deals to be found. Consider traveling on the night of Dec. 24 or the morning of Dec. 25. Most people are with their families those days and aren't out traveling. But, surprisingly, traffic picks up on Christmas afternoon as a lot of families start heading out for vacations together.

Another good time to fly is the morning of Jan. 1. Diefendorf said few people want to wake up early after their New Year's Eve celebrations, so some deals can be found then.

Hotel Rooms

The bad news for travelers this year is that the average hotel room now costs more than $100 a night, McGinnis said.

But savvy travelers can take advantage of a lull in business travel and snag some deals on hotels. They just need to know where to look.

The key is to think like a business traveler. Hotels in financial districts, near convention centers and in suburban office parks cut their rates 30 to 60 percent during the holidays.

"Hotel rates, especially in central business districts and satellite city office parks, their rates plummet around the holidays because they are typically full of business travelers," McGinnis said.

Think a hotel room is too impersonal for the holidays? Well don't. According to a Harris Interactive poll done for Expedia, 40 percent of those questioned said they would rather stay at a hotel than with relatives.

"They enjoy their own space," McGinnis said. "They feel that staying with family can be stressful."

The feeling goes both ways. Twenty-three percent of hosts said they wanted family members other than parents to stay at a hotel, and 15 percent said they wanted their parents to stay at a hotel.

Making Your Flight

We all know about long lines for checking baggage and security. But during the holidays, parking at many airports can pose an even bigger challenge.

Airport parking lots tend to fill up during the holidays, forcing travelers to find alternative parking and possibly causing them to miss their flights.

"If you miss your flight for any reason, it's very unlikely during peak winter travel season that you'll be accommodated on another flight in a reasonable period of time," McGinnis said. "So you cannot miss your flight. It's very important to give yourself a huge time cushion."

Do some research by calling the airport or checking its Web site. Consider making a reservation at an off-site lot, and look into limo and public transportation options.

As for those nasty check in and security lines, always check with your airline, the TSA and the airport.

Other Web sites offer new tools to help travelers this year. Orbitz just launched a new service for fellow travelers to post firsthand reports of their experiences at various airports with security, check-in and other hassles of travel.

Also consider flying into smaller regional airports. Fares there can be cheaper, and they tend to avoid the nightmarish delays that major hubs such as O'Hare, JFK and Philadelphia often have.

Travelocity's editor-at-large Amy Ziff suggests allotting more time between connecting flights and to stay with the same airline for both legs of your journey.

Be sure to pick a seat during the booking process or check in early from home. Ziff suggests carrying snacks and some beverages -- purchased after you've gone through security -- before boarding your plane.

And bring extra medication with you -- in your carry-on -- because you never know how long you might be stranded somewhere or when you will see your bags next.

Finally, if you are looking for a vacation and don't need to travel during the holidays, consider traveling between Nov. 28 and Dec. 15, a quiet travel time when prices are dramatically lower in many tourist destinations.