Book the earliest flight
As much as we would all like the extra sleep, especially on holiday and before heading out into the cold, one factor that is in your control is choosing what time you intend to fly. Early morning flights give a traveler many advantages.
Follow your airline and airport on social media
Follow your airlines and airports via its pages, Twitter or Facebook. Many airlines and airports post the speediest updates to their Twitter feeds, so start following them now. Sign up for your airline alerts to get flight updates e-mailed to your smartphone.
Check the weather days before you travel
Don’t wait until a storm breaks your travel plans! Check the weather even if you are traveling somewhere warm because the domino effect of flight cancellations in other parts of the country can affect your flight too. When it comes to travel, winter weather forecasting is really quite reliable and storms can often be predicted as early as 72 hours prior.
Charge your devices
Expect crowds surrounding the electrical outlets at your departure airport to increase if your flight is delayed. And don't expect rest stops to share their outlets with you. Have a car charger and stash a power pack or a few battery chargers for your portable electronic devices.
Choose your clothing wisely
Your packing list is definitely going to be bulkier than other week-long trips in other seasons, so you have to pack smart to have enough space for everything and survive the winter.
Wool socks, boots, thermal underwear and a warm jacket are essential, as gloves and a hat since the fingers and ears are especially prone to frostbite. Also, make sure to pay attention to your destination’s climate – down garments are great in dry climates, but not so much in wetter climates as they lose their insulating properties when wet and are slow to dry.
Make a hotel reservation early
If you suspect that you may be overnighting it in a hotel because of bad winter weather that strikes at your connecting airport, book a hotel reservation ahead of time. Just make sure you book one that can be cancelled in case you don’t need the room.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst
Before you leave, make sure you have a plan in place for anything that could go awry. For example, notify close friends and family of your itinerary, keep phone numbers of emergency contacts with you, pack a travel first aid kit, and know who you can call in the event of an emergency.