Holiday travel is one of my least favorite things in the world if I let it be. Yes, it can be overwhelming, slow, stressful and all the things, but what I’ve found is that it just takes a little extra effort – in terms of planning, releasing control, and the like.

Since for many of us, holiday travel is inevitable, I wanted to share some of my favorite tips. I swear that once you get these tips down, the pressure of the travel lessens up!

Give yourself extra time

The airport and roads are going to be busy, we know this. It’s simply not worth it to stress yourself out and skimp on time!

I allow double the time to get to the airport if I’m flying. Plus, if you have extra minutes at the gate, it’s the perfect chance to browse for a new book, do a face mask before taking off, or do a breathing technique if travel makes you nervous. If I’m driving, I give myself an extra hour for every 5 hours.

Give others the benefit of the doubt

Not sure if it’s the stress or what, but people act crazy at airports or while driving during the holidays. While you can’t control others, you can control how you react.

I like to give others the benefit of the doubt for acting like a**holes during holiday travel. Sure, cut me off. Grab your bag before me even though I’m ahead of you on the plane. You never know what that person is going through, and honestly, it’s incredibly relaxing letting go of trying to beat others or what’s fair for this one day of travel.

Travel with cash

I rarely carry cash, but always do if I’m traveling. If the lines are long inside, you’ll want to board curbside and have a $5 for the guys helping you out or for the driver of the rent-a-car shuttle. If you’re driving, you never know what can happen, and having some cash makes me feel better.

Invest in luggage

I’m a pretty frugal person, so this took me about 30 years, but I finally invested in legit luggage. It is amazinggg what stackable, rollable luggage can do for your sanity – especially during the holidays.

Plan for the worst

I’m all about positive thinking, but when it comes to holiday travel, I like to be realistic. I find that packing an “emergency” bag gives me peace of mind.

This includes an extra pair of clothes in case my bag gets lost, a book, an extra phone charger, a snack in case I’m stuck on the runway for an hour, and my skincare/makeup essentials. For driving, this means having a blanket, extra water, Triple A card, and downloading the route and music in advance in case WiFi sucks.

Simply being prepared like this will make any setbacks a lot more doable – promise!

P.S. If you’ve missed these posts, read more ways to simplify travel and how to stay healthy during holiday travel (so important!).

Photo via Sincerely Jules