It's that time of year when travel takes on a whole new, dare I say, ugly uglier face. I recently received a question from a reader of my Business Class column and thought it would benefit travelers everywhere or those just crazy enough to travel over the holidays (uh, that would be me).

 I can't believe I was convinced to book a trip the week of Thanksgiving. I'd appreciate any tips you have for travel that week.
—Susan J.

Susan, my first inclination is to suggest you schedule an appointment with your doctor to have your head examined, then sign up for a couple assertiveness training courses.

Who am I kidding? Of course I'll be right in line with you as I too was convinced (make that coerced) into traveling during the holidays. (How did this happen?)

My over-the-river-and-through-the-woods odyssey requires a transcontinental flight, two layovers and a travel time more suitable for vampires and barn owls than a natty travel writer.

But I will neither despair nor whine further (at least in public) as I've harvested a cornucopia of travel tips for your (and my) consideration.

• Book a nonstop where available. (So didn't happen.)
• Consider arrival and departure times in relation to rush hour traffic. (Miami at 4 a.m., not a problem.)
• Pack luggage the day or night ahead.
• Plan airport parking or ground transportation. (See who your real friends are.)
• Create a travel checklist. Don't forget ticket information, Web check-in printout, ID, cash, extra-strength aspirin, eyeglasses, cellular phone, patience, etc).
• Double check your departure time well before your departure.
• Check in online and print boarding pass prior to leaving for the airport (usually up to 24-hours ahead of flight time).
• Have a meal before traveling. Flights of three hours or less rarely have meals. (Feel free to read between the lines.)
• Leave earlier than normal for the airport. (Anticipate parking, security screening, sibling rivalry, tantrums, traffic, larger crowds.)
• Be aware that airlines usually release pre-assigned seats 30 minutes prior to departure if you have not checked in. (This is a strong argument for checking in online first.)
• Flights will likely be overbooked. If you're late and miss your original flight, later flights may not have space to accommodate you.
• Remove all old destination tags from luggage. Add ID tags to luggage and inside luggage.
• Don't bring wrapped gifts through security. (The gift card is your new friend.)
• Upon checking in, verify your checked baggage receipts match your final destination. Portland, Maine is not Portland, Oregon.
• Keep valuables, cellular phones, chargers and medications in your carry-on luggage. (See TSA security rules.)
• Adhere to TSA and airline carry-on luggage policies.
• No joking; take security seriously. (Holding cells don't serve turkey and security guards are rarely good conversationalists.)
• Bring snacks for long flights (no liquids from home allowed)
• Email your itinerary to appropriate parties
• If being picked up, give very specific instructions to the chauffeur, and include your cell phone number.

Once on the ground, you're on your own.

As a grown adult who is still relegated to a seat at the kiddie table, I resist offering any advice outside the realm of travel.

Perhaps this year my place setting won't include a sippy cup.