Without intention, I have found myself flying on the holidays over the last few years. Reflecting back, in 2006 I traveled from Vancouver, British Columbia, arriving home almost as the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve. In 2007, I returned home from Barcelona on Christmas Eve. And since 2009, I have traveled every Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to Tucson, Ariz., where my parents now live. I am certain I have crossed paths with Santa’s sleigh at least once by now.

This year the agenda is the same; however, to my delight, my boyfriend and I will make the trip for the first time together. Upon booking our flights, he asked me if there is anything we can do to prepare for the “madness of traveling on the holidays.”

Search online and you will find many tips for smart holiday travel. It is recommended to order gifts online and have them shipped, rather than incurring costs to check them or infringing on your carry-on space. If you don’t have access to a club lounge, it is recommended to purchase a day pass to avoid the stress of the crowds. Of course, show up early and expect to wait, as hoards of people will try to make their way through security and on to their final destinations.

While all of these suggestions are good, my only tip is just that . . . be prepared to tip. Don’t be surprised to find throughout your holiday travels many individuals who exude the spirit of the holidays even as they are not able to spend them with those they love. In taxis, airports and airplanes, you will without a doubt interact with someone who makes your holiday a little brighter. In these moments, if you have a little extra to spare, you will experience the joy of giving to those who make our global pursuits possible year ’round.

— Danielle Hudena, director of sales and marketing