5 Smart Travel Tips For A Stress-Free Winter Holiday

Posted by Jamie Costello on December 18th, 2019

When the weather gets a little too cold and miserable, many of us long for the feeling of having the sun on our skin and sea breeze in our hair. Winter holidays are becoming increasingly more popular as out-of-season getaways become even cheaper and more of us wanting to escape the festive season stress. 

But, winter comes with far more travel issues than summer, so getting to your destination with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment is on everyone’s agendas. With that in mind, here are 5 travel tips so that you can enjoy a stress-free winter holiday.

Limit your luggage

Travelling with as little luggage as possible means that your trip will, inevitably, be a lot easier. The recommended thing to do is travel with just carry on luggage, but this isn’t always achievable, so if you do need to travel with hold luggage, try to limit yourself to just one case and one additional hold bag per person. 

Being able to have one hand free, whether it be to hold an umbrella or look at a map, will make all the difference. Having less luggage also means that if you need to tackle public transport at your destination, then just having to look after one set of luggage is much less stressful. 

Avoid peak travel dates

Public transport and roads tend to get extremely busy from Thanksgiving, but there are some dates throughout December where you will find travelling very busy and very stressful. The 3 days before Christmas and New Year are some of the busiest travel peaks throughout the whole year, so if you can, avoid booking a holiday on these dates. Not only are these dates very busy, but you will find that they are also some of the most expensive. 

Take some creature comforts

If you’ve got a long haul flight ahead of you, then you will absolutely need some comforts to keep you happy during the flight. If cramped legroom and narrow seats aren’t enough to deal with, you also have to deal with a cold cabin and plane food, so pack things to help with these if you don’t want to suffer. Warm clothing, eye masks and some snacks will help you to stay warm, get some sleep and be able to eat something if you don’t like the food served. 

Depending on your accommodation choice, you may also want to take some creature comforts for there too. Don’t rely on free toiletries, such as shower gels or body lotions, as even though they may be advertised or included you won’t always get them. Be sure to pack a nice shower gel, some soothing body lotion and any other toiletries which will help you feel better whilst you are away. 

Indulge in some luxury

Many add ons tend to be reduced during the winter months, meaning that you can get a lot more for your money. Things such as airport lounges, private transfers and airline upgrades tend to come at a lower price, so if you want to add a little extra luxury to your holiday. Accommodation wise, during the winter months rates are cheaper, so it is likely that you can get a much better room for the same price as you’d find a budget one during the peak summer seasons. Luxury villas in Vale do Lobo, stunning beachside hotels and city-centre apartments are less in demand, so you’ll be able to find these types of accommodation at a better price!

Travel early in the day

Generally speaking, airports tend to be a lot quieter early in the morning. Delays are also far less likely to happen in the mornings and, if they do, then you have more time to make alternate arrangements for later on in the day. If you are travelling by car, then you will also find that the roads are quieter (bar rush hour), so you won’t get stuck in traffic. Early morning trains are less busy and tend to run on time, but be sure to book in advance and reserve your seats if this is available.