For many of us, the holidays mean travelling to see our loved ones. Some of us prefer to take advantage of this time for a well-deserved vacation. Either way, if you plan to fly this season, here are 17 tips to keep you cool as a cucumber even in the midst of holiday chaos.

Between our extensive air travel experience here at Weddings By Oceans and our knowledgeable partner, Air Canada, we compiled a list of helpful tips to make flying this season a little less stressful:

1. Avoid holiday travel if at all possible. Let’s not kid ourselves. The holiday season is one of the peak travel times so lines will be long and flights cost more. If you can swing it, book your flights in the off-season. However, on a positive note, sometimes if you choose to fly on the holiday day itself, you’ll find the airport less crowded and a good deal on your ticket. Try to avoid Sunday travel at the end of a long weekend.
2. Arrive at the airport early. Leave panic at home and check your airline’s check-in and boarding times. Choose to leave even earlier; you know it’s going to be busy.
3. Check flight status online. You’ll be less stressed if you keep up-to-date with news on how your airline is dealing with weather issues.
4. Use web check-in. Most airlines, like Air Canada, offer the convenience of checking-in through internet service 24 hours prior to your departure from the comfort of your home or office.
5. Tag your luggage. If your airline has them, take advantage of their self-tagging kiosks and save time when checking your luggage. If you do not see kiosks, your airline may have them in baskets at the desk. Fill them out and tag your luggage while you wait in line.
6. If available, choose an electronic boarding pass. Air Canada offers this option for mobile or web check-in.
7. Request email notification. Check if your airline offers a service that will notify you of delays and cancellations via web or mobile.
8. Take a taxi, get a lift or plan to park. Especially for the holidays, the airport parking lots fill up quickly. If you cannot get a ride, call the parking service you plan to use and see if the lot is full. If it is, ask if they can recommend the next best lot.
9. Pack snacks. Save money and the hassle of another line up by packing some food. Only bring a few items and consume the fresh fruit, veggies and bottled water before you reach customs.
10. Be aware of what you pack in your carry-on bag. Speed up the airport security process by adhering to the carry-on guidelines issued by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
11. Check your airline’s luggage restrictions. Although it might be hard to weigh your luggage, you’ll be surprised how close your guess will be! Here is Air Canada’s carry-on (includes information on wedding dresses and pets) and checked baggage allowances.
12. Large, bulky items. Whether it’s a stroller, sports equipment or a guitar for little Gerry, register your over-sized baggage with your airline 24 hours before you check-in. Here are Air Canada’s guidelines on traveling with young children and additional checked baggage allowance.
13. Dress comfortably. Wear loose clothes and dress in layers. Temperatures are unpredictable, so you want to be able to add or subtract any time you want. A light cardigan is perfect for that purpose. Also wear clothes that breathe.
14. Wear comfortable shoes. To get through security faster, choose shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Also, on a long flight, you’ll probably want to take them off. To replace them, bring warm socks so you can walk around in the aisle in more comfort.
15. Pick your seat carefully. Depending on your personality, you should plan ahead where you want to sit. If you sit in an aisle seat, you’ll be able to get up anytime you like. If you sit in a window seat, you can sleep without being disturbed. Decide which one is more important to you and plan accordingly.
16. Carry bottled water. Schedule a short stop at a store after you have gone through security to get at least one bottle of water. This is important because you can close it between sips and not worry about spillage, which is likely with the water provided on the plane. You may also want to carry an empty bottle with you and fill it at a drinking fountain before you board the plane.
17. Plan to be entertained. Depending on how stressed you are by having to sit still for extended periods of time, make sure you come prepared with entertainment. IPods are perfect for air travel — you can bring your entire library of music and/or spoken word and pick anything you like, any time you like. And when you get stressed, you can even listen to relaxation tapes — or a book on tape that will take your mind off your worries. You may also want to bring your own portable DVD player and movies, and not rely on the entertainment provided on board.

If you must travel during the holidays, we hope you find these tips useful in creating a stress-free holiday travel experience.

Imagine the peace in the airport if everyone took even a few of these tips, not only for travel during the holiday season but all year ‘round? Please leave your holiday travel tips in the comments below.

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