The holiday travel season is now upon us and airports are sure to be buzzing this Thanksgiving. This is the time of year where airports are packed with travelers, trying to make it home for the holidays. Here are a few tips from WABI Travel Consultant Peter Ramsey that can help get you where your going with a bit less hassle.

Get to the airport early. "Earlier than normal," says Ramsey, "the normal is an hour or an hour and a half. I would say two hours if you're on the first flight of the morning. Come in, check in, get everything done, and then go have breakfast. Just make sure you're back at the airport to go through security."

Take advantage of online services. "Check in online, very important. You can get your boarding pass right online, it saves you a lot of hassle. I tell people to bring about $100 in cash with them. It's a plastic environment these days."

With money being tight, some people think they can save more by driving. Ramsey says that's not true in most cases. "Gas prices are up from last year by about 70 cents a gallon, so that may deter people, but if you're going on a trip of more than 4-6 hours, then you're dealing with more than a tank of gas so you might as well fly."

Regardless of how you choose to travel, getting home to your family is the important part. A group of soldiers just returned from a year overseas and passed through Bangor International Airport on their way home for the holidays. Sgt. Chris Valentine is looking forward to getting home to Seattle, Washington and having dinner with his family. "It's cool, I'm glad to get back, pretty excited, ready to go see my family. We've got a big dinner planned, just ready to get home." It's no surprise what this soldier is most looking forward to. "The food, it's gonna be awesome."

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