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I was going to write a post on improving your travels this Thanksgiving weekend, or during the holiday season more generally, but CondeNast Traveler’s Wendy Perrin has already done most of the heavy lifting and offers six good tips. I’ll add my comments and addenda in italics:

1. Check in online.
Indeed. Check in up to 24 hours in advance. And use this opportunity to pick better seats, if they’re available.

2. Check bags curbside.
If you’ve checked in online, some airlines and airports have dedicated bag check-in areas for passengers who have checked in electronically. In Chicago O’Hare terminal 1, for example, that desk is near the far left end of the terminal (if you’re dropping someone off by car, it’s at the last Terminal 1 entrance door).

3. Label your luggage with your name and address, inside and out.
Indeed, and also put a copy of your itinerary inside the suitcase. If the tag falls off on the outside, they’ll look for identification on the inside. Adding the itinerary helps them know where to look.

4. Follow the TSA rules for carry-on luggage to the letter.
Print the TSA’s rules (PDF) and bring them with you, in case you get into a dispute over whether something in your possession is permitted through security or not. After all, screeners aren’t necessarily consistent in their knowledge of the rules.

5. Don’t wrap gifts. TSA might unwrap them.

6. Wear easily removable shoes.

And here are a few extra:

7. Not all security lines are equally busy. Some airports have less-popular security lines, either in an adjacent (but connected) terminal, or at the far end of a terminal building. A few of these “shortcuts” are listed here. They can shave a few minutes off your airport hassle.

8. If you’re traveling with a laptop, download your airline’s timetable. If you’re making connections, having this information on hand is invaluable for approaching a customer service agent and getting booked onto alternate routings.

9. If you have elite status, and your airport has an elite-access line for security, this is the time to use it. Even if you’re traveling on a different airline than the one you have elite status with, you may be able to use the elite line. (Terminal 2 at Chicago O’Hare is an example of this.) A lot of infrequent travelers are passing through America’s airports this week, and some will forget to take off their belt, remove some coins from their pockets, etc. The elite line has the seasoned veteran flyers, and it’s bound to move faster, even if it’s the same length as the general-admission line.

Safe travels!

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