Planning on escaping Sydney this Christmas? If you are but you’re kind of dreading the actual travelling part, then you’re not alone. In fact, travelling at this time of year can be a bit chaotic. It’s school holidays, lots of people are heading to see family and loved ones or simply escaping Sydney, so the airports and roads can be really really really busy.
Even without the Christmas rush, travelling can be tricky. And especially this year, now that everyone is taking full advantage of the return to normal life. So, to help you prepare, we thought we’d put together a list of top tips for Christmas travel.
Take the earliest flight of the day
To try and avoid cancelled or delayed flights, it’s a good idea to try and book the earliest flight of the day. This avoids you being affected if a flight is delayed out of another airport, and that delay then has a knock effect throughout the day. So, even if an early morning wake up seems unpleasant, it may mean the difference between flying out on time or sitting in the airport for the day.
Have a back up plan
Even if you have spent months planning what you’re doing, it’s good to have a backup plan; just in case. If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that things can change very quickly. Places can close or rules can change, so try and have a plan b – just in case.
Travel with unwrapped gifts
If you’re travelling with Christmas gifts, don’t wrap them before you go. This means that if your luggage or carry-on gets checked, you won’t have to unwrap them at the airport. And if you’re travelling with a bottle of booze, pack it securely in your checked-in luggage rather than trying to take it in your hand-luggage.
Use the hotel concierge before you arrive
If you’re staying in a hotel for Christmas, reach out to the hotel concierge before you leave. Share your itinerary so they can let you know what’s happening in the city. There might be an event happening that you didn’t know about, or they will be able to recommend a new restaurant.
Book as much as you can before you leave
From tours to restaurants, lots of people are heading away this Christmas so it’s best to book as much as you can now. Then it saves any disappointment if you can’t do the thing you’ve travelled there to do.
Bring snacks
If there are unexpected delays, or the airport has staff issues, you may find the queues to get food are unbearable. So always take snacks if you can, especially if you have young children.
Buy travel insurance
Even if you’re travelling domestically, it’s a good idea to have travel insurance. This will help if there are any issues with lost luggage or delayed flights. And if you’re driving, you can still cover yourself against additional cancellation charges or lost valuables.
Book your airport taxi/Uber in advance
Start off expecting there to be lots of other people travelling at the same time. So, to avoid issues with booking a taxi or Uber, it’s best to book as far in advance as possible. Then you’ll have a guaranteed lift to the airport.
Pack light and label everything
If you can, try to only pack what you can fit into carry-on luggage. Then you won’t have to check any baggage in and avoid the risk of delays once you get there. Of course, sometimes this isn’t possible. So if you do have to check-in a suitcase, make sure you put labels on them which give your name, number and destination. This will help your luggage get back to you if it does end up getting lost.