KJFM — Aside from Christmas and New Year’s week, Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel (busier than Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day). When you take time away from the daily grind to relax and feast with the people you care about, the last thing you want to deal with are packed airports, backed up highways, and delays.

Unfortunately, if you plan to travel during the busiest time of year, this may be precisely what you will get. Luckily, Thanksgiving travel is not all doom and gloom. A few simple tips can help you make the most of your holiday travel. For those that don’t live within super close proximity of family and close friends, there may be some planning involved in order to spend the day together. It’s a well known fact that you can save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by traveling a week before or after an actual holiday. If you and your loved ones are all onboard with an “un-Thanksgiving”, you can collaborate and save yourselves the hustle and bustle frustrations on Thanksgiving Day.

Whether your travel plans are by car or by plane, don’t forget to check the weather conditions. Some destinations are experiencing true winter weather in November. For some, this means there could be icy roads and even closures. Always make sure to give yourself extra time to get to your destination. If you’re ahead of schedule, you can always stop for sightseeing or a quick cup of pumpkin spice coffee. And remember, some issues are simply unavoidable, so do your best to be flexible and patient. In 3 years, your bad travel day will turn into a funny story to share around the Thanksgiving table.