Your tech smart Thanksgiving travel survival guide

November 24, 2025

By Kim Komando

The airports will be chaos. The highways will look like a Costco parking lot on a Saturday. But with the right tech tricks, you can glide through Thanksgiving travel like the genius of your family (which, let’s be honest, you already are).

I’ve rounded up my favorite secret, tech-powered travel hacks, the ones seasoned travelers don’t want you to know.

📱 1. Outsmart the crowds

You know those “expected wait time” signs at the airport? Cute. They’re wrong. Here’s what the pros use:

Google Maps Live Busyness: Search your airport in Google Maps and scroll to “Popular Times.” It shows real-time crowd levels so you can see exactly when the security line spikes.

The FlightAware app: Check if your inbound plane is delayed before the airline tells you. If your plane’s stuck in Detroit, well, so are you. My pilot buddy also uses the app Flighty. It’s pretty good for $5/month.

My TSA App: Gives crowd estimates and known delays. Not perfect, but way better than guessing.

Your airline’s app: This is the single biggest upgrade most travelers skip. It gives you real-time gate changes, boarding alerts, baggage updates, and even lets you use points or miles to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi on many carriers. Yes, skip the $8–$20 fee and use your miles instead.

🚗 2. Skip the traffic

Use this Google Maps trick: Open Maps → tap your route → tap the three dots → “Set depart or arrive time.”

Set it for Wednesday or Sunday at the time you expect to leave. Google will show you predicted traffic so you can pick the smartest window.

Or try Waze’s Planned Drives. It pings you when it’s the ideal moment to hit the road.

💺 3. The secret airport lounge hack

You don’t need elite status to relax in a lounge.

Use the LoungeReview app to find lounges that sell day passes. Many airports offer access starting around $25–$35, and you get clean bathrooms, decent food, and, most importantly, plenty of outlets.

🔌 4. Those public USB ports

Public charging stations are hacker bait. Pack:

• USB data blocker (20% off, $10.39)
• 20W wall charger (41% off, $11.19)
• 10,000mAh battery pack (40% off, $15.59)

Travel smart, not hacked.

🧳 5. Screenshot Everything

Screenshot or take pics of your: your boarding pass, rental car agreement, hotel confirmation, parking spot and lot number, terminal map, luggage, the kids or your spouse (in case they get lost), everything.

When airport Wi-Fi melts down (and it will), you’re covered.

Holiday travel doesn’t have to wreck your sanity. Use these tech-powered tricks and you’ll arrive fresh, calm, and smugly superior to everyone who didn’t plan ahead.

Want a holiday miracle? Forward this to the family member who desperately needs it.

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