Prepare for Holiday Travels

The holidays can be stressful enough, so traveling shouldn't be. Whether you're getting to your destination by plane, train or automobile, here are a few things to know to ensure stress-free travels.

Automobile

Snow might be in the forecast for Christmas weekend, according to weather.com. If the winter storm hits two weather results are possible: The I-95 Boston-Washington corridor could be affected predominantly by rain, or there "could be just enough cold air in place for accumulating snow from Philadelphia to New York City, Hartford, and Boston."

Before loading up the car and hitting the road, check the traffic report courtesy of SmarTraveler, by clicking here for the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

To prepare for potential snow, weather.com suggests several safety tips. Make sure your tires are properly inflated, that you have a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit and warm clothes or blankets. Drive slower and don't tailgate. Don't use cruise control because "using cruise control in the snow, ice or even rain is dangerous because if your car hydroplanes or skids, the car can accelerate and spin the wheels, attempting to maintain a constant speed." And if the weather gets too bad, pull over and wait it out.

And don't forget, starting Dec. 27, teens 18 and younger will not be permitted to transport more than one passenger who is under 18 unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. So if you were planning on having your teen drop of his or her friends after the holiday party, a change of plans might be in order.

Plane

First, click here for traffic around the Philadelphia International Airport to plan your trip to the airport accordingly. Remember that the airport suggests arriving two hours prior to the departure of a domestic flight and three hours before the scheduled departure time of an international flight.

To scoot through security quickly and smoothly follow some tips found in the FAQ portion of the Philadelphia Airport's website. Be sure to have all liquids and gels packaged in containers no bigger than 3 ounces, in clear plastic, zip-top bags. Each passenger is allowed one zip-top bag. If the liquid exceeds 3 ounces or you have more than one zip-top bag, your items may be confiscated. Some exceptions are made for baby formula, breast milk and medical necessities, but visit the TSA website to find out all details. Also, remove laptops from their bags and place them in a plastic bin to go through the X-ray machine.

Once you're through security and have found your gate, enjoy free wireless access if you have built-in Wi-Fi technology on your phone or laptop or grab a snack before your flight departs.

Train

If you're traveling via train this holiday season, Amtrak guarantees no booking fees and no baggage fees (for up to two pieces of carry-on and three pieces of checked luggage), less boarding hassles and spacious seating for a comfortable ride.

To help you stress less, Amtrak is offering a variety of discounts. Senior citizens can save 15 percent, military personnel get a 10 percent discount, there's a student advantage, weekly specials and other passenger discounts.