by Abigail Knowles Wolfe (BPRW)

More people will be traveling by airplane over the next month and a half than at any other point during the year. High gas prices and delays don’t seem to be much of a deterrent this holiday season as around millions of passengers are expected to travel by plane for Thanksgiving, Chanukah and Christmas holidays in the coming weeks. Plan to get to the airport at least two hours ahead of time when making those hurried holiday flights home.

This holiday season make things easier on yourself and your fellow holiday travelers by preparing appropriately for your flight. Wear shoes that are easy to take off and put back on, do not wear a great deal of accessories that will require time to remove before passing through a metal detector, carry on as few items as possible or simply have all carry-on items stowed safely and ready to be scanned through metal detectors without needing to shift anything.

Have all tickets and photo IDs readily available for security and gate checks and if traveling with small children try to have their items strategically packed as well so as not to inconvenience other travelers trying to board, deplane or get through the metal detectors behind you. It’s good to have a one toy per child rule so that children are content yet easier to keep track of and move through busy security checkpoints safely without the hassle of keeping track of tons of stuff.

More African Americans are using air transportation than ever before making safety and convenience a priority. Planning and preparation are everything, especially the peace of mind that comes from stress-free travels.