The Sunday after Thanksgiving. The day after New Year’s. The last weekday before any big holiday.

These are the busiest travel days of the year. You may find yourself waiting in traffic, bumped off of fights, and stuck in bad weather.

How does anyone survive these crazy travel days? Take a deep breath and try one of these ten tips for surviving the busiest travel days of the year.

1. Travel on Christmas or New Year’s

Most people want to get to their destinations before the holiday and spend the actual day with family and friends. You can save yourself some aggravation (and money too!)  by choosing to fly on the day of the holiday itself.

If you fly in on Christmas Day and leave on New Year’s Eve, you can be sure to avoid the crowds.

2. Drive Instead of Fly

If you really want to be sure to avoid the chaos of airports around the holidays,  why not skip the airplane ride altogether?

Driving to certain destinations may be a peaceful alternative to airline food, crowded seating, and canceled flights. You can even hire someone else to do the driving so you can snooze, chat, or watch movies.

Even highway traffic can be less stressful than sitting in an airport lounge with a bunch of other disgruntled passengers.

3. Try the Train

Trains are also a civilized way to travel. There are numerous places within a short distance of the D.C. area to spend a lovely weekend away from home. Try a train ride to a luxurious Airbnb instead of battling the crowds.

You can even travel in style cross country or down to Florida. One train down to the Sunshine state lets you bring your car!

4. Staycation!

Another way to avoid the madness is to simply stay home. Invite your family to your place, or book a restaurant so someone else will do the cooking and cleaning up.

You can enjoy your office parties and local festivities without worrying about long, stressful trips. Order in food, book a spa day, and revel in being at home with your loved ones.

You can save your days off for another time of year when the trouble getting there won’t ruin the whole vacation.

5. Leave Early in the Morning

Sometimes you just can’t get out of traveling on or near a holiday. Your aging relatives need to see you, or you may have promised your kids a visit to Disney with their cousins.

You may not avoid all the annoyances of air travel, but you can reduce them when you are the first airplane to leave in the morning. You don’t have to worry about the aircraft being delayed from its previous destination.

Book a limo to bring you to the airport at dawn. You can even load up the kids still dressed in their pajamas. Catch a snooze while a professional chauffeurs you to the early morning flight.

6. Travel Two Weeks Before Everyone Else

If you’re the boss, you can take a little extra time off. You work hard, and deserve the break!

Why not extend your holiday travels to avoid the rush completely? Combine Thanksgiving and Christmas so you are away for a nice, long sojourn.

7.  Make the Wait Fun

Sometimes you just cannot avoid the crowds and lines and traffic jams. When faced with that, you can simply choose to make the wait enjoyable.

If you are in a limo, you can put your feet up, crank up the music, and relish the ride. You may even have a cocktail or a glass of champagne! After all, you’re not behind the wheel.

If you are with family, engage in some old fashioned car games like “Geography” or counting license plates from other states. You’re stuck, so you might as well have a good time with each other and laugh!

That’s the meaning of holidays, anyway.

8. Travel with Friends

Part of the fun of being a grown-up is that you can create your own family. Maybe you want to avoid your grumpy relatives this year and really ring in the new year with people you like! Plan a vacation with friends, and you will have a blast, no matter what the travel challenges.

With a group, you can also avoid the craziness by chartering your own plane!

Even if you are stuck in the lounge for a few hours, or inching through traffic, when you are with your good friends you will lose track of time.

9. Go First Class

Another way to treat yourself and reduce the hassles of holiday travel is to go first class. You will get access to the beautiful airport lounges with free food and drinks, wifi access, TV, and even comfy couches to nap on.

You will have the ability to board early, and to stretch out in your roomy seat. You will have an array of entertainment, and delicious food plus complimentary cocktails.

You may never want to get off the plane!

10. Be Grateful

Finally, the annoyances of holiday travel will melt away so long as you maintain a good attitude. Remember that you have family, friends or loved ones with whom you get to spend time. Be glad that you do not have to work and can celebrate the holidays as you wish, instead of behind a toll booth or on the streets.

If you remember the true spirit of the holidays, you can enjoy your entire vacation, no matter where you go and how you get there.

Don’t Get Bogged Down by the Busiest Travel Days of the Year

If you are traveling one of the busiest travel days of the year like the week before Christmas or the week after New Year’s, why not make life more pleasant for yourself? Treat yourself to something that will give you more time with family and reduce holiday stress levels.

Indulge in a limo drive to the airport, or all the way to your destination. You’re worth it, and the elimination of aggravation is worth it too!

For more details on luxurious limo rides in the D.C. area, check us out.