For some wintertime travellers, the airport is the place where the Christmas spirit goes to die.
Experiencing flight delays while carting massive suitcases full of meticulously wrapped presents through security as the snow from a thousand boots melts and rolls across the airport floor is enough to make anyone wish they'd stayed home. However, there are many ways to make travelling a little easier and a little nicer, according to Capilano University tourism instructor Jen Reilly.
While some presents, such as gift cards or small trinkets can fit comfortably in carry-on luggage, Reilly recommends shipping bigger presents ahead of time. If you are bringing gifts on the plane, don't waste time wrapping them, says Reilly.
"You may end up having your gifts unwrapped by security," she says.
When flying with a toddler or young child, Reilly advises bringing lots of snacks to stem those blood-sugar crashes as well as activities to alleviate the child's boredom.
After flying to Asia, Europe and South America with her own toddler, Reilly has developed another useful tip.
"When he was quite small we would actually pack 20 sets of earplugs, and then if he was having a meltdown we would actually hand out earplugs to people on the plane, which lightens the mood and makes people less irritated to be sitting beside your small child," she says. "It makes you less stressed out so you can parent your child better because you're not feeling anxious about the people who are throwing dirty looks your way."
When making long car trips the same basic rules apply, says Reilly. Packing a few sleeping bags can also be a good idea if you end up facing a highway closure.
"Those can all be things that make those delays more bearable," she says.
Picking a good time to leave can also help avoid a headache, according to Reilly.
"For people from the North Shore, if they're going up to Whistler for example, try to avoid driving during the busiest times. Right after work on Friday or really early Saturday morning the highway is packed," she says. "By leaving during the middle of the day and missing that ski traffic right away in the morning you can have a much shorter drive."
For those travellers dreading the airport, Reilly recommends leaving plenty of time to account for those long security and check-in lineups during the Christmas rush.
"I think you definitely want to get to the airport early to avoid some of that holiday madness," she says.
When travelling with some airlines, passengers can save time by checking in online and printing their boarding passes at home.
For tourists looking for a deal, Reilly recommends looking for websites that filter through all the flight options within a set period and pull out the least expensive trips.
For travellers who are just looking to get out of town, other websites send alerts of cheap flights out of Vancouver to a wide variety of destinations For people hoping to travel with the furry and four-legged members of the family, Reilly advises making sure it won't be a problem before showing up at the airport.
"A lot of carriers don't fly pets during the busiest portion of the holiday season," she says. While there are many helpful phone apps, Reilly recommends turning off your phone at a certain point.
"Once you're there, have your cellphone as a backup but turn it off. Turn off your email alerts, turn off your social media alerts and actually relax because we don't unplug very often."
While there can be delays and mix-ups at the airport, Reilly advises maintaining a positive attitude.
"I like to suggest that people share their holiday cheer with the front-line staff. It's not their fault if something is delayed."
