Does travel during the holidays stress you out like no other? The holidays can definitely either be a time of happiness, warmth, and good memories – or they can be a time of stress, anger, and pulling your hair out at the roots. One of the major stressors during the holidays is travel. Will I make it on time for my flight? Will I get snowed in? What if I am stuck at the airport for days due to a delayed flight? How much did those airline tickets cost again? If you want to see your family for the winter holidays, then traveling is a necessity. Luckily, we have seven stress-relieving holiday travel tips for 2016 to share with you. We hope they do you some good this season.

1.    Get the App

We live in a world of tablets, smartphones, and yes, apps. There’s an app for nearly everything (even this app for finding someone nearby to cuddle with). Every major airline has a smartphone app that you can download and use to check the status of your flight, show your boarding pass, check your miles, and more. You can also use apps like Skyscanner or FlightStats to look for cheaper tickets and to check the status of your (or a family member’s) flight regardless of what airline they chose.

Major Airline Apps:

• United
• Spirit
• American
• Delta
• Southwest
• Frontier

2.    Have a Plan

It’s important that you think ahead when it comes to holiday travel. You might have bought the tickets and arranged for transportation to the airport, but you also need to consider increased holiday traffic, what hour you’ll be arriving at your destination, what public transportation options are available, the check in time of your destination hotel, whether or not your phone is charged enough to make an emergency call, and so much more. Think smart – plan ahead, and make sure you’re prepared for any of the stresses that holiday travel throws at you.

3.    Pack Smart

Make sure to pack only what you definitely need. Traveling during the holidays means lots of presents – and lots of money-spending. You can save money by forgoing checking bags, and instead opting for a small backpack as your personal item, and a duffel bag as your carry-on. You can even fit two weeks’ worth of clothes in a single small duffel. Just roll your clothes to save space and prevent wrinkles, and make a few other space-saving adjustments to your usual packing routine. Regarding those big bags of bulky presents, try mailing as many of them as possible to your destination address.

4.    Bring Snacks

We don’t know about you, but we’re very aware of this thing called being “hangry” (hungry + angry = hangry). Avoid the holiday rage by packing yourself some delicious snacks for the flight. This will save you money at the airport, too!

5.    Avoid High Traffic Days

It’s well-known among frequent travelers that Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel days of the year – you’d be wisest to avoid flying that day. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the only busy travel day. Many people are traveling to and from home during Christmas, and the airport can get quite congested during this time of year. This is especially true if you live in a college town where students often travel home for winter break. We also recommend trying to catch either an early morning or late evening flight if you’re worried about airport traffic and your flight being on-time.

6.    Leave Your Car at Home

Driving your own car to the airport means just one more thing to worry about. First, you have to find the parking lot. Then you have to find a place to park. Then you need to pay for parking up front or grab a parking pass. Then either take a shuttle or walk by foot to the airport. This can easily add an additional 45 minutes to your trip, which can be the difference between being on-time and missing your flight entirely. Instead, opt to take a cab to the airport, or have a friend/family member drop you off. This way you can also skip the parking fees and won’t have to stress about your car getting damaged or broken into.

7.    Practice Yoga

We posted a blog not too long ago about how yoga can be a remedy for jet lag, but it’s also a great way to alleviate stress during holiday travel. If you’re freaking out at the airport, try finding a spot to sit on the ground and focusing on taking deep breaths in and out. If you’re prone to travel anxiety, you should also meditate or perform a few yoga stretches and breathing exercises the night and morning before your trip. We love yoga because it doesn’t require any additional tools or accessories – just a quiet space, your mind, and your body.

What Are Your Favorite Stress-Relieving Holiday Travel Tips?

Do you have a favorite pre-holiday travel ritual that helps you to eliminate stress? God knows we’d like to hear it, and so would our readers. Do everyone a favor and leave a comment below sharing your favorite way to beat the stress this winter.

Are you amping up for a trip this holiday season? Whether you’re traveling just a few hours away to visit family on Thanksgiving, or flying to another country for a holiday getaway, it’s important to keep yourself organized and fully prepped for anything that might come your way. We get people from all walks of life going to all different destinations riding in our cabs, and often times they share their traveling tips and tricks with our drivers (I guess we’re just that easy to talk to). So what did we do? We made a list of seven things to do the night before you travel – brought to you by our expert customers.

1. Change your sheets.

What? You might be wondering why we suggest you change your sheets the night before you’re leaving home. But this is actually one of the more common tips we hear – it just requires a little bit of extra foresight. Not only should you be prepping for your trip away from home, but also for your return. There’s nothing quite as awesome as coming home to a bed with clean, crisp, comfortable sheets.

2. Change your cat litter.

This is another odd one – or, well, it might seem odd if you don’t have a cat. What we really mean to say is that you need to make sure your pets are getting taken care of while you’re away. It’s a great idea to change your cat’s litter, set out fresh water, and given them fresh food for at least a day or two just in case your pet sitters aren’t able to come over right away.

3. Freeze your leftovers.

One sure way to spoil your return home is to leave your leftovers out in your fridge to rot and stink up the whole house. Instead, freeze your leftovers so that you aren’t wasting any food. What if you have random scraps that you don’t have time to cook with before departure? The Everywhereist recommends creating a “freezer stock bag” for your leftover onions, carrots, and other veggies that are about to spoil. When you get home, use these leftovers to create a vegetable stock for cooking. She also recommends freezing a full meal for when you get home – because you know you’ll be exhausted.

4. Do your laundry.

When you get back from traveling, you’re going to have heaps of laundry to do. Cut down on the loads by doing all of your current laundry before you depart on your adventure. It will also make your room smell fresh and eliminate any musty odors when you get back.

5. Take out the garbage.

Speaking of smells, you HAVE to take out the garbage before you leave the house. This is a must, not only for smells, but to keep away pests like mice, ants, flies, and other insects and rodents. You do not want to come home to an infestation, and this will happen if you leave your garbage cans full in your home.

6. Charge your electronics.

With our lives surrounded by gadgets, it’s essential to bring them on the road. You might have big plans for your smartphone or portable DVD player, but they won’t do any good if they aren’t charged for the flight or drive. Charge up all your electronics the day before, and make sure to bring all the chargers with you.

7. Make a list, check it twice.

There’s one thing that helps ensure you get everything done before heading out on a holiday vacation – and that’s make a list. If you’re like most people, you might start making a mental checklist, thinking that you’ll definitely remember it all. But as the list gets longer and longer, we’re here to tell you that you’ll definitely forget something. Don’t risk it – just write it all down, tape it to your front door, and check it at least twice before heading out. Oh, and give yourself enough time to go through it in the morning, too.

Traveling can be stressful, but only if you let it. If you follow our 7 things to do the night before you travel, you’ll be on your way to a stress-free takeoff, and a warm return.  And if you are in need of airport transportation to SFO or a taxi in Pleasanton give a call!

What do you do the night before you travel? Share your comments below!