Thanksgiving is a cherished time for gratitude, family gatherings, and delicious feasts. As many embark on their journeys to reunite with loved ones, it’s paramount to prioritize safety. This comprehensive guide on holiday travel tips will ensure your Thanksgiving travel is both memorable and secure.
1. Plan Your Trip Early
Book Ahead of Time: The Thanksgiving holiday sees a spike in travelers. Secure your tickets and hotels early to avoid last-minute hassles. Websites like TripAdvisor offer user reviews and can help you find the best deals.
2. Consider Trip Insurance for Thanksgiving Travel Safety
Protect Your Plans and Pocket: Especially for U.S. travelers traveling during the busy holiday season, buying trip insurance can be a game-changer. With a high volume of travelers going in and out of airports for the Thanksgiving holiday, lost baggage, trip cancellations, and long delays are not uncommon. Trip insurance can cover you if any covered, unexpected mishap happens before, during, or even after your Thanksgiving visit.
Imagine you finally returned home after visiting your family for Thanksgiving, when you realize you can’t find your luggage at baggage claim. Trip insurance may provide coverage for your return flight home if you find yourself in a situation where your baggage is lost or delayed. If your baggage is delayed, trip insurance may provide reimbursement for the cost of new essential items that you purchased such as toiletries and clothing. Meanwhile, if your baggage is completely lost, trip insurance may reimburse you up to your policy’s amount.
3. Smart Packing is Key
Travel Light: Carrying too many bags can make you susceptible to theft. Pack only the essentials and always use luggage locks. Remember, when it comes to Thanksgiving travel safety, simplicity is your ally.
4. Stay Updated
Monitor Travel Advisories: Before setting out, check for any travel advisories, especially if you’re traveling internationally. The Bureau of Consular Affairs is a reliable source for current travel alerts.
Check Your Flight Status: Additionally, you can keep track of the status of your flight by opting-in text alerts and notifications via the airline’s app for real-time status updates. You can also check the status of your flight’s departure and arrival time through the airports’ websites.
5. Thanksgiving Travel Safety on the Road
Vehicle check: If you’re driving, ensure your vehicle is in optimal condition. This includes checking brakes, lights, and tires.
Avoid Distracted Driving: With the excitement of Thanksgiving, it’s easy to get distracted. Stay focused on the road and avoid using your phone while driving.
6. Public Transport Precautions
Be alert: Buses and trains can be crowded during the holiday season. Keep an eye on your belongings and be cautious of your surroundings.
Know your route: Familiarize yourself with your travel route. Tools like Google Maps can be invaluable for this.
7. Safe Lodgings
Choose trusted stays: Opt for stays with positive reviews. Platforms like TripAdvisor can provide insights into the safety of various lodgings.
Secure your valuables: Use hotel safes for important items like passports and jewelry.
8. Health and Well-being
Stay Hydrated: Traveling can be exhausting. Drink water regularly to stay refreshed.
Don’t Overeat: Let’s face it. Thanksgiving is an eating holiday. From marshmallow-encrusted sweet potatoes to savory stuffing, and roast turkey breast, it’s a feast for the taste buds.
Remember to pace yourself though. Just because it’s Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to end up on the couch nursing an upset stomach.
Get vaccinated two weeks before traveling: Thanksgiving travel also coincides with flu season. There’s also an increased risk of Covid. This gives your body time to form virus-fighting antibodies.
9. Stay Connected
Share your plans: Inform someone close about your travel plans. Regular check-ins can be a safety net.
Emergency contacts: Always have a list of emergency numbers, including local police and medical facilities.
10. Practice Gratitude
After all, it’s Thanksgiving. Studies have shown that people who make it a habit to focus on what they’re thankful for are happier than those who don’t. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start. Think of it this way: if your Thanksgiving trip plans don’t go as expected, you’ll still be grateful for the money you save with trip insurance!
Thanksgiving is a time of joy, gratitude, and family reunions. By following these Thanksgiving travel safety tips, you can ensure your holiday journey is smooth and secure. Safety should always be at the forefront of our travel plans.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If I am traveling with my family for Thanksgiving, can one policy cover everyone?
Yes, a trip insurance policy plan can cover everyone in your family that you have accounted for on your plan. On your trip insurance, it is important to add every traveler that is joining you, that way they are all covered under your policy.
Can I get trip insurance if I am flying domestically?
Yes, trip insurance plans offer coverage for U.S. residents traveling domestically or internationally, and non-U.S. residents traveling to the U.S. While flights domestically are generally cheaper than international flights, it is still recommended to get that additional coverage with trip insurance. It can give you more confidence knowing that you can still get coverage for trip delays, interruptions, cancellations, and more benefits, as well as recoup the majority of your money with trip coverage instead of taking a financial loss.
Why should I get separate travel insurance if my credit card offers it?
While credit cards with travel insurance appear as convenient and “free” with certain cards, dedicated travel insurance provides substantially broader coverage for just 4-10% of your total trip cost. For this modest investment, you gain significantly expanded protection that most credit cards simply don’t match, including:
- Trip cancellation coverage for a much wider range of scenarios beyond the standard reasons (including documented traffic accidents, strikes, pregnancy complications, or even divorce)
- Higher medical coverage limits (up to $500,000 or more) for international emergencies
- Coverage for adventure activities and sports equipment
- Reimbursement for frequent flyer points if you need to cancel
- Rental car protection that would cost more if purchased directly
- 24/7 travel assistance services for emergencies, translations, lost luggage help, and medical referrals
While an additional cost to pay for separate travel insurance may seem like a hassle, the small expense can be a genuine lifesaver for many travelers.
If I use reward points or miles to book my Thanksgiving flight, how does insurance handle that if I need to cancel?
Reward points or frequent flier miles are typically considered to be refundable, and should not be included in your trip costs. If there are any rebooking fees or taxes related to your flight, it could be added into your trip cost for a potential reimbursement from your trip insurance plan. However, most airlines can reimburse your points or miles back in credit, but typically do not provide cash reimbursement.
What happens if I booked my holiday travel months ago, can I still get trip insurance?
Luckily, you can still purchase trip insurance if you booked your flight for Thanksgiving already, however, you may no longer be eligible for certain time-sensitive benefits like pre-existing condition waivers or Cancel For Any Reason coverage, which typically require purchase within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit.
If my Thanksgiving flight is overbooked and I get bumped from my flight, can trip insurance cover me?
If you are involuntarily bumped from your flight, trip delay coverage can reimburse you if you have to stay one more night at a hotel, transportation, and food. Additionally, you may also get coverage for any lost prepaid, nonrefundable expenses that were not used due to your delay.
When’s the best time to buy travel insurance for a Thanksgiving trip?
For maximum coverage benefits, purchase trip insurance as soon as possible after making your first trip payment. Many time-sensitive benefits such as Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) are only available if you buy within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit.
If I am traveling to see family and a major storm hits right before Thanksgiving, can trip insurance cover my cancellation?
Trip insurance can cover storms or natural disasters that are considered named or a “known event” if you purchased the policy before any natural disaster like a major storm. It is important to keep in mind that travel insurance only covers natural disasters that happen unexpectedly, meaning that if a natural disaster is reported and deemed named after you purchase a travel policy plan, you likely won’t be covered for your travel interruptions.
The key phrase to keep in mind is unexpected natural disasters. To receive coverage, you need to purchase a plan before any severe weather event like a hurricane is reported. Again, travel policies do vary, so we encourage you to compare plans that could cover you from unexpected events.
