For those of us who celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas at home, we usually associate holidays with a turkey, pumpkin pie, presents and even watching the Lions lose miserably. For those traveling, however, mental images of never ending airport security, baggage check, and passengers running in every direction are more common.

Even though the airlines are predicting a fewer number of passengers due to airline ticket pricing and the state of the economy, airports still say that passengers should be prepared to deal with delays.

Some airports have decided to 'give back' to those who are flying during the holiday season. For example, from Nov. 20- 26, Detroit Metropolitan Airport gave a $5 gift certificate to every passenger who parks in the Blue Deck or McNamara terminal between 4:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. This certificate can be used at any of the nearly 120 food, beverage, and retail locations throughout the airport.

"The Airport Authority family has much to be thankful for this holiday season, but nothing more so than the support of the more than 30 million passengers who will have passed through Detroit Metro Airport throughout the year," said WCAA CEO Lester Robinson in a press release. "During this time of Thanksgiving, we feel it is important to let our customers know how much we value their support of our world-class facility."

Because there are fewer flights available, airplanes for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays will most likely be completely booked, according to the Associated Press.

A majority of flights during Thanksgiving and Christmas are domestic flights.  And with fewer flights to all of the same places it is important to keep in mind some tips to keep your trip moving smoothly.
If you had trouble making it through Thanksgiving travel here are some tips to make life easier during Christmas-time travel.

Some tips that might make your flight less hectic are to:
o    Pack light (if you can fit it all in a carry-on, do it!)
o    Check the status of your flight before going to the airport
o    Get to the airport earlier than normal!   

So, to all of my fellow travelers: stay calm, get there early, and enjoy your holiday!

By Alana Goeringer