When traveling by plane...
• Skip the Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving crush and fly on Tuesday or first thing Thanksgiving morning. Book returns for Friday night or Saturday, and choose direct early-morning flights. Check AirfareWatchdog.com, Farecast, and Mobissimo for the best deals.
• Opt for alternate airports—Oakland versus San Francisco, Providence versus Boston, Westchester versus NYC, Milwaukee versus Chicago O'Hare—to save time, money, and hassle.
• If possible, lighten your load by shipping luggage ahead. You'll be spared baggage-claim hassles. Try Luggage Free (800-361-6871), the Luggage Club (877-231-5131), or UPS and opt for their cheaper delayed ground services.
• Check in early—as early as 24 to 36 hours in advance online—to avoid being bumped or getting separate seat assignments. Call your carrier to learn about preboarding for families, gate-checking strollers, and bassinet availability for long-haul flights.
• Print boarding passes at home and skip the departures level altogether (if you don't have bags to check). Check on security lines in advance, and consult the TSA's SimpliFLY site for tips on speedy check-in.
By train...
• Consider traveling overnight. Sleeper cabins offer a magical experience for kids, and you'll save a travel day and remain unaffected by most weather delays.
• When waiting in a crowded station (NYC's Penn Station, Boston's Back Bay Station) for your track number to be posted, find a SkyCap. These Amtrak employees know track assignments before they are announced, so you'll be able to stake out your position and avoid a stampede with children in tow.
• Use Amtrak's Train Status tool on its home page for up-to-the-minute info on delays or service changes.
• Quik-Trak kiosks are located in most large train stations. If you're departing from an unstaffed location, you can have your tickets sent by mail.
By automobile...
• Get your car tuned up for the season: Fill coolants, make sure tires are properly inflated and balanced, and remove any unused third-row seating—the extra weight wastes gas.
• Save on fuel costs by consulting GasBuddy.com for price information and by not overfilling the gas tank, by keeping windows rolled up, and by traveling at 55 mph for 21 percent better mileage. Fill up at your local gas station—closer to the highway, prices are higher.
