One of the best times to travel with the family is around the holidays. Everyone has some time free from work, school, sports, dance, and music lessons. Basically what we’re saying is that the kids can make some time for you!  It makes sense to use this time free of activities for a family vacation. The only issue is that everyone else knows this too, making the holidays one of the toughest times to travel to top destinations around the world. Here are a few holiday travel tips that can make family travel go as smooth as possible.

1: Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport. With more cars on the road and more travelers at the airport, anything can happen. There is no worse way to start your vacation than by sitting in traffic and wondering if you’ll make it to your gate on time. Start the trip off on the right foot, leave earlier than normal for the airport.

2: Research the best airport to leave from. Sometimes it makes sense to fly out of a smaller airport, even if it’s a bit more out of the way. Major airport hubs are guaranteed to be busy and are susceptible to more hold-ups. No one wants that!

3: Pack light. This can make life easier in so many ways. Packing lighter allows you to avoid checking a bag and makes it easier to switch hotels as you go from city to city. The only thing to consider when only having a carry on is overhead space. Getting to your gate early and opting for early boarding can eliminate that concern for you.

4: Take advantage of the latest technology. A few travel apps can make not only holiday travel, but all travel much easier. Two good ones are Flight Status and Gate Guru. Flight Status is a great app to give you time updates on delays, baggage numbers, and much more. Gate Guru is an app that provides estimations on how long it’ll take to get through security.

5: Fly direct if you can. Direct flights lower the chances that you’ll run into a delay due to weather. If you must have a layover, do your best to layover in a warmer and drier climate to avoid any chance of snow and ice.

6: Most importantly, stay calm. Everyone will be high strung in route to their holidays. The staff at the airport and hotel may be missing out on time with their families and dealing with irritable customers all day. It’s the holidays— stay calm and try to help spread a little joy!

Whether you want to visit Peru, adventure in Baja, or enjoy all of the wonders of Thailand, these holiday travel tips will make your family vacation a bit more enjoyable!