The answer rhymes with “deck your lag.” Here’s why.
We were warned by theTSA , AAA , and Googlethat this year will be a phonograph recording - arrange holiday travel season . The first of their predictions regarding Thanksgiving was proven to beoverwhelmingly right , which lends even more acceptance to the projections made for the December holiday time of year .
In year past , the busy airports coupled with December and early January ’s notoriously irregular and often regretful weather has spelled travelling chaos : long security lines , flight of stairs delays and cancellations , and overcrowded airports . Even if you usea strategy to go during typically less chaotic daylight , you are n’t potential to avoid all of the sight .
introduce some pro - advice from The Vacationer co - owner Phil Dengler . One of his top pieces of advice?Don’t check a udder . It ’s a very simple tip , but it can ultimately be a game auto-changer .
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" If potential , do not check a suitcase if you are flying during the 2023 holiday season , " Dengler tell Thrillist . " With a disc number of travelers gestate , baggage drop lines are going to be very long . Additionally , airlines lose and misplace a lot of bag last year . "
This is supported by hard numbers racket . According to the Department of Transportation data fromearlier this class , the percentage of mishandled luggage was significantly higher in December 2022 than January 2023 ( 1.09 % of overall bags handled in December , versus 0.73 % in January . )
That goes along with the stalk image of people stand in front of seemingly endless row of lost suitcases and the unbearably long baggage check line at short-staffed airline counters .
If you are plan to check a bag this vacation time of year , you should do a picayune planning and research ahead of time . Here are a few tips to make the mental process fluid :
you could check out more holiday locomotion tips fromThe Vacationer here . For more baggage tips , like what to do when it ’s lose , how toavoid lost baggage all together , insider advice from airline business workersthemselves , and how to maximize yourcarry - on as a natural selection outfit , Thrillist has you covered .
Looking for more travel tips?
Whether you postulate helpsneaking sess onto a plane , finding an airport where you cansign up for PreCheck without an assignment , or making certain you ’re get everything you ’re entitle towhen your flight is offset , we ’ve fuck off you handle . Keep reading forup - to - date travel hacksandall the travel news you needto help you plan your next large adventure .