Take some of the hassle out of holiday travel

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to get those suitcases dusted off and packed for Grandma’s.

AAA recently released a report estimating that approximately one-third of people living in the West will travel at least 50 miles to visit family and friends this holiday season. Around 75 percent of those interviewed will be covering at least 400 miles before returning home.

Due to the recession, the number of flights available to air passengers is down across the country. This doesn’t seem to be affecting the Flathead Valley too much yet.

“We have the same number of flights this year,” Glacier Park International Airport Director Cindi Martin said, acknowledging that larger airports may be reduced from perhaps 10 flights to one or two a day to certain locations. That means Flathead Valley travelers could have trouble finding timely connecting flights and may have to endure long layovers between flights.

It’s not all gloom and doom for holiday travelers, though. After all, there is holiday ham and cookies to look forward to.

With the help of Martin and Amtrak Media Relations Manager Marc Magliari, we’ve assembled a list of tips for safe and pleasurable travel that won’t spoil the holiday spirit.

1. Shop around. Kayak.com will conduct a search with Orbitz and CheapTickets and compare its results to Priceline, Hotwire and Expedia. Amtrak posts its lowest prices on its Web site, Amtrak.com, under the “Deals” tab.

2. Ship those Christmas gifts. It provides job security to FedEx and UPS and can save you the surcharge to check an extra bag.

3. If you absolutely have to schlep your gifts with you, make sure to leave them unwrapped. The Transportation Security Administration has every right to open packages even if they are stamped “Don’t open until Christmas”. Plus, wrapping them at Mom’s house affords a luxurious bit of privacy as you can lock yourself in the guest room for an unsuspicious period of time.

4. Pack lightly. Anything more than 50 pounds is going to cause unnecessary back strain and an additional charge for being overweight. Put your wardrobe on a diet and contain your belongings to a carry-on bag. It will save you the hassle of waiting at the baggage drop as well as the $20 or so in extra fees.

5. Take advantage of online check-in. Do it before you leave home. Many airlines allow check-in up to 24 hours before a flight. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t still arrive at least an hour and a half early. Online check-in won’t cut down on time spent in the security line.

6. If traveling by air, consider wearing slip-on shoes through security. No one wants to wait behind you for eight minutes as you unlace those knee-high snowboots, even if they are super cute.

7. Don’t be “that guy” who needs six bins to get through security. Stow your belt, keys, jewelry and other items that may set off the metal detector in your carry-on. You can always take them out and put them on past security when there aren’t 80 people sighing impatiently behind you.

8. Consider bringing along a small blanket if you have a long trip ahead of you. Amtrak and many airlines allow you to purchase these en route, but bringing your own may help you feel more comfortable.

9. When traveling with the kids, bring a few toys along. If it makes noise or comes apart, leave it at home. A portable DVD player with headphones is an excellent source of diversion that can last the entire ride and/or flight.

10. Program the phone number of your airline, bus or train company  into your cell phone, as well as the contact for a nearby hotel in case of inclement weather. If your flight is canceled, the Apple Apps Store offers Next Flight for $2.99. The program for iPhones and iPods tracks scheduled departures for thousands of flights and can be filtered by carrier. That could come in handy when the bookings agent becomes frazzled.

11. Consider joining hotel, airline, travel, etc. loyalty programs. AAA membership can qualify travelers for discounts with Amtrak, motels and even some restaurants. Amtrak offers one point toward the next trip for every dollar spent.