Spring Break Travel: My Worst Nightmare
Intro
When it comes to flying, there are periods across the year that are traditionally horrendous. These usually entail holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Summer, but there is none worse than spring break. Screaming babies, troublesome teenagers, obnoxious college students, and lines at security the size of Disneyland, make for very unpleasant flights.
Why I Really Don't Like Spring Break
The best times of the year to travel are January and February, everyone has completed their Christmas/New Year's festivities and has decided to stay in school. During this period you are most likely to come across business travelers, or couples looking to take vacations. However, come the second week of March, it becomes a complete and utter sh*tshow.
If you are planning on traveling sometime in the next month, be aware that airports are packed, and filled with people that tend not to travel as much and people that take forever at the TSA Precheck lines... Personally, I would show up an additional 30 minutes earlier than one usually does during this period as it really is diabolical.
The worst of the worst during this period is usually the East Coast, as people flock down to Miami and the Caribbean for spring break looking to soak in some rays. However, the West Coast can also get affected, with college students heading out to Texas or as far south as Cabo...
For me, I am thankful that I will only be taking one flight, and that is leaving the USA sometime next week. However, as it is a weekend (ish) flight, I am expecting it to be filled to the brim, especially considering the widebody I am on only has 7 seats left...
My Advice
With all of that being said, I wanted to provide my advice if you are flying from a US Airport in the following month:
If you are flying internationally, I would recommend arriving at least 2.5 hours before scheduled departure. If you are flying domestically, I would recommend at least 2 hours before departure. A couple of years ago, I flew from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas and the business class check-in line at LAX took 30 minutes alone...
PATIENCE. During this period it is critical to have patience. I know most seasoned travelers have their routine which they follow, but spring break can slightly alter that routine. Yes, some people will board before their group is called. Yes, some people might take extra time in the security line, and yes, patience is the key here.
Last-minute flight prices during this period can be more expensive. While last-minute flight prices are usually more expensive, I am seeing high load factors on a lot of flights this month. Most flights are quite full, and the few remaining seats are put into higher-fare classes.
Final Thoughts
If you are traveling in the next month, during the peak spring break period, keep in mind that airports are going to be slam-packed. If you can, try and allow yourself an extra 30 minutes to deal with check-in, and make sure to have patience during this period, as you are going to need it (hopefully not). Gosh, I cannot wait to be out of the US and in Afghanistan and The Seychelles: no issues over there. But what if I get a screaming baby on a 16-hour flight to Hong Kong 😒.
I just want to add: I have no problem with unseasoned travelers or screaming babies as it is often not their fault for the latter, but it is important to note as I know many people find it slightly irritating.
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