Holiday Travel Problems Solved!

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and if you read this email to the end, it can also be the season of enjoyable holiday travel! We’ve compiled our top travel hacks for staying sane during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. With tips for pre-planning, packing, and making your flight, we’re making sure this really is the most wonderful time of year for travel!

Download a Personal Assistant 
Before you even pack your bag, make sure to download the United Airlines app! Give yourself the (free) gift of real time flight status alerts, mobile check-in, baggage tracking, boarding notifications, and more through one convenient app. It’s your personal assistant on the go for holiday travel and beyond!

Other pre-planning tips include:

  • Take photos of all your travel documents (your passport & itineraries for example) and email them to yourself in case these items are lost or stolen.
  •  Invest in a power bank or two and make sure they are fully charged so you can quickly charge your devices.
  • Remember to turn your phone to airplane mode prior to takeoff so your battery doesn’t drain during flight.

Pack Like a Pro
Packing during the winter season comes with its own set of challenges. Here are some of our best seasonal travel hacks, along with tips  you can use any time of year! Don’t forget to check TSA.gov in advance for guidelines and resources about what you can pack.

Holiday Packing Hacks

  • If you’re traveling to a place with winter weather or rain, use a hard-sided suitcase that can repel outside moisture more effectively than soft-sided suitcases.
  • Plan to wear your heaviest clothing items like your winter coat and boots on the plane to make your checked bags lighter.
  • If you’re packing gifts, plan on wrapping them when you arrive at your destination. Wrapped presents could cause delays when you’re going through security. Better yet, give experiences instead and save yourself the hassle of pack bulky gifts!

Bonus Hacks

  • Keep your clothes smelling fresh longer, by packing a dryer sheet in your bag.
  • Try rolling your clothes instead of folding them to create more space.
  • Pack your shoes in shower caps to keep them from touching your clothing.
  • Put plastic wrap over the opening of bottles and screw the lid over top of the plastic wrap to prevent liquids from leaking.
  • String necklaces through straws to keep them untangled.

Time Is Your Friend
One of the biggest travel mistakes people make is not allowing themselves enough time catch their flight. Arrive at least one hour prior to your departure at SHD.This ensures that you have plenty of time to deal with any unexpected issues and still board your flight on time. Many airlines, including United at SHD, will not allow you to check-in for a flight inside a 30-minute window.

Give yourself the gift of time, by signing up with TSA Precheck! Keep your shoes on, your laptop in your bag, liquids packed away, and more. With average wait times of less than 5 minutes, TSA Precheck saves you time and stress. Click here to apply today! (Remember, even with TSA Precheck, you’ll need to arrive one hour before your flight.)

With these tips in mind, we hope you’ll have your best holiday travel experience yet! And remember, SHD is always here to answer any travel questions you may have.