Is flying on Christmas Day a pain in the ass at all?

[martha]

Zoner, I'm looking at you here.

Anyway, have you traveled on Christmas Day? How did it go? We're thinking of overseas travel next winter, maybe flying out on Christmas Day, possibly in the evening.

Please share.

 

[UberBeaver]

Back me up here, Zoney.

I worked at an airline for 6 years and Christmas Eve and Day were usually pretty quiet. There were some domestic flights that filled up (FLA, Cali, etc), but I think the international ones were pretty empty.

 

[Thora]

I've flown Christmas Day several times. It's been completely fine - no different in my opinion than any other day. I've flown in the evening Christmas Day twice, and both times the flights were very empty, so we had lots of space. I've only flown in Canada/USA on that day, so I can't say what it would be like for any other country.

Good luck!

 

[martha]

So far, it all sounds good. Thanks.

 

[tiny dancer]

Martha, Christmas day is the best time to travel, that is to me. The Days before Christmas are really busy and the day after Christmas is almost a nightmare. I flew this past Christmas on December the 26th, 2006, and I had a delay l flight, and sat in the airport for 5 hours. Just about every seat on the plane was filled. After I landed, I never saw so many people in the airport terminal in all my life.

 

[Doozer61]

I flew to Oregon on Christmas morning about 3 years ago and it was great. My row was empty and they even gave us a breakfast sandwich instead of some cheap ass bagel. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Coming back on New Years Day was a little different.

 

[Miringeltje]

Flying overseas on Christmas eve or Christmas Day will most likely give you the cheapest price during that season.

Because almost everybody wants to be "home" with their family before that, the prices in the days before Christmas are much higher.

Also try to fly back as many days after New Year's as you possible can. The days right after New Year's have the higher prices as well and very busy.

For overseas travel however, flying back on January 1st sometimes is cheaper too.
Because not a lot of people want to be at the airport at 8 AM, when they partied all night on New Year's eve.

I've flown overseas during Christmas season in 2004 and 2005.

This year (2006) I traveled within the US on Christmas Day and was expecting it to be very quiet. But the airport was fogged in and so all the morning flights were delayed. So it was really crowded at the airport, because of that.

 

[BonosBaby12]

Coming back on New Years Day was a little different.

I flew back on New Year's night this past year and it was quite the adventure. Stood in line for close to 45 minutes just to check in but luckily my flight wasn't packed.

 

[zoney!]

Why are others responding when she asked me? you guys aren't "zoner"

Flying overseas on Christmas eve or Christmas Day will most likely give you the cheapest price during that season.

Because almost everybody wants to be "home" with their family before that, the prices in the days before Christmas are much higher.

This is the thought...and everyone knows it. Because of that, it is getting worse and worse every year.

I spent 13 hours at work on Christmas this year. It was VERY busy...and mainly because people THINK it is easier. Every year, its gets a bit more crowded.

It also depends on what day the 26th falls on. Christmas is a weekday...that means people will need to be back to work, and more people will travel on Christmas.

International flights might be different, but that is what I am seeing domestically (US).

 

[martha]

Thanks for all these responses, even the non-zoner ones.

We chose Christmas day so we wouldn't miss out on family stuff. We're still flexible to a point. I only have two weeks over the holidays, so that limits our options.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Well, I'm not zoner (but he's a friend, so I claim the right to respond to the thread )....

I've not flown on Christmas, but I did have a New Years Eve flight from Mpls to Amsterdam one year. We missed any parties because the clock turned midnight somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. I don't remember the flight being overly full or empty...pretty normal.

I took a Greyhound bus over Christmas Eve once. Boy was that an experience...

 

[martha]

I took a Greyhound bus over Christmas Eve once. Boy was that an experience...

Any Greyhound bus trip is

 

[U2Girl416]

Any Greyhound bus trip is

I'll 2nd that. a guy next to me on a bus trip from Syracuse, NY to NYC wet himself and the bus was full, nothing I could do but pretend I wasn't there.

don't have anything to contribute about Christmas Eve, but I did fly on Thanksgiving day once and it wasn't bad at all. before and after are the crazy times I think

 

[Canadiens1131]

I've flown on Christmas day (YUL to PHI) and it's no biggie. Airports are quiet and flights are as usual.

 

[tpsreports2424]

It is no pain in the ass at all! there is no one there...

 

[zonelistener]

Well, I'm not zoner (but he's a friend, so I claim the right to respond to the thread )....

 

[U2Girl1978]

I'll 2nd that. a guy next to me on a bus trip from Syracuse, NY to NYC wet himself and the bus was full, nothing I could do but pretend I wasn't there.