Season’s greetings.
Happy holidays and merry everything, we hope our special-edition newsletter finds you well. In addition to stories that’ll help get you through the holidays, we hope you have safe and healthy celebrations. Start the yule log fire (even if it’s on the TV), grab a festive drink and read up on the latest in holiday travel happenings.
The pre-check
With an abundance of holiday travelers, uncertainty around how Omicron could affect travel and prepping for potential blips along the way, here is what’s happening in the world of travel.
- Who’s ready to pack their bags.
A lot of US travelers. According to AAA, over 109 million Americans plan to travel for the holidays this year, up 34% compared to 2020. This could mean heavier traffic no matter how you plan to get away – be sure to build in extra time for your holiday voyage. - What’s changing by the day.
Thoughts on whether holiday travel will be impacted by Omicron. The latest came out on Tuesday, when Dr. Fauci shared that if you are fully vaccinated and boosted, you should “feel comfortable” gathering with similarly vaxxed family and friends over the holidays. - Who’s planning ahead.
Both airports AND travelers. Some airports in the US are offering free rapid tests for international arrivals via the CDC. The bottom line: check the latest COVID-19 travel restrictions for where you’re headed to make sure you’re getting the proper test within the needed time frame. - We’re wrapping things up.
And we mean more than just presents. Looking back on the past year, we revisited some of our top data stories to reflect on how current events and trends shaped the way we traveled in 2021.
Trending travel
Here’s what’s trending according to our data and how it can help you make the most of your trip.
Packing is hard, okay?
Don’t we know it – that’s why we created this handy guide to help you check all the things off your (packing) list. End-of-year celebrations can make things crazy and the last thing you want to worry about is a suitcase that won’t zip – here’s a few quick tips:
- Don’t pack wrapped gifts.
Nothing raises a red flag like a pretty bow. We recommend you wait to wrap gifts until you’ve reached your destination – otherwise, it’s highly likely you’ll be “randomly selected” for an agent to tear through your careful papering. - Invest in a quality, lightweight carry-on.
But do your homework before you go. What may be carry-on size for one airline may be too large for other carriers. Check before heading to the airport with our bag measurement tool right in the KAYAK app and you’ll be good to go. - Wear your heaviest layers to the airport.
Channel your inner Joey – they can weigh your bag, but they can’t weigh you. After you get through TSA, you can always change into something more comfortable. - More packing hacks.
Want to get the full list of holiday packing tips? Head over to the Travel Hacker blog for the whole story.
Tricks of the trade
Though this originally appeared in our 2021 Travel Hacker Guide, we felt it was appropriate to repurpose the OOO email generator while you’re out for the holidays.
See ya next year!
If there’s something we’ve learned from working from home, it’s that taking time off and setting healthy boundaries between work and play is important. Whether your employer gives you next week off or you’re just taking a few days yourself, be sure to let those you work with know using KAYAK’s Out of Office Generator. Tell us about your time-off plans using this fun quiz and we’ll help you craft the perfect away message.
As of this past Tuesday (12/21) it’s officially winter. Based on our data, here are some top-trending chilly locations*. For those eager to walk in a winter wonderland, where are you headed next? Let us know in the poll.
Links in this Newsletter are for informational purposes only, and there is no affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement by or with KAYAK Software Corporation whatsoever.
*KAYAK US searches between 12/13/21 – 12/19/21 were considered for travel between 12/21/21 -3/31/22 and were filtered for destinations with the greatest Yo2Y increase in searches compared to the same search and travel dates in 2019.
