Holiday Travel, but Make it Comfy

A slower, softer approach to getting from here to there this season.

Holiday travel has a reputation, and to be fair, it’s largely deserved. There’s something uniquely humbling about sprinting through an airport, bargaining with the universe to let you carry on an extra bag of presents, hearing that your train is delayed indefinitely due to unspecified “maintenance issues,” or that the rental car company lost your reservation. Add the person next to you coughing through whatever preschool plague is currently circulating, and comfort is the last word that comes to mind.

This season, travel is (somehow) even more chaotic. The recent government shutdown caused major disruptions, with the Federal Aviation Administration warning it might have had to cut up to 20 percent of flights. While operations have resumed, the ripple effects are still being felt in delays and staffing shortages. Still, most of us are taking our chances, with record-breaking travel anticipated for the 2024–2025 holiday season.

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Understandably, the number of people reporting travel-related anxiety has soared. In a recent interview with NPR, Aixa Diaz, spokesperson for AAA, acknowledged that while the stress is understandable given the heightened chaos, emotion has always been part of the travel experience. “We travel because we want to spend time with the people we love and do fun things,” Diaz said. “Uncertainty is sort of baked into travel, and this certainly doesn’t help. But try to keep things in perspective. Control what you can, stay informed, and try not to be caught off guard.”

So maybe the goal isn’t a perfectly smooth trip, if such a thing even exists. Maybe it’s about finding comfort in small ways while the people around you lose it at baggage claim. From early packing rituals to immune-boosting snacks and the joy of sipping coffee you didn’t make yourself, here’s how to make your holiday travel feel, if not relaxing, at least a little more comfy.

Come Home to a Clean Space

Spending just an hour or two getting your home in order before you start packing pays off tenfold in peace of mind. You’ll avoid tearing the place apart looking for that one shirt you have to bring (or worse, realizing too late you forgot something essential). And there’s nothing quite like coming back to a clean, calm home after the whirlwind of travel — it’s an underrated kind of comfort.

Pack for Comfort

Packing a neck pillow, cozy socks, or an eye mask isn’t indulgent, it’s strategy. These small comforts help you avoid that icky, worn-down travel feeling so you can feel your best when you arrive. Here are a few must-haves, plus some extras to help you feel human again mid-journey.

Cozy socks
An extra layer if the AC is on high
A neck pillow
A mini reset kit: toothbrush, toothpaste, face wipes, deodorant, extra socks, Band-Aids, Advil
Face mist, hand moisturizer (one that pulls double duty as hand sanitizer never hurts), lip balm, and eye drops

Pro Tips:

Start packing a day early, even if it’s just laying things out. Choose clothes that feel good and look vaguely intentional: soft layers, breathable fabrics, shoes you can actually walk in. This isn’t about aesthetics; it’s about not realizing, at 5am on departure day, that you have zero clean socks.

Keep Calm and Carry (Less) On. When it comes to stuff, less is truly more. Not in the minimalist sense, but in the functional, “my shoulders don’t ache from carrying my bags” kind of way.

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Mind the Cortisol

Travel can spike your stress levels, so here are a few strategies to keep your mind and body steady.

Know Before You Go: Check traffic or transit delays for the trip to the airport or train station and factor in parking, security lines, or busier than usual check-in lines. Once you’re there, keep an ear out for travel alerts, delays and cancellations are unfortunately more common than ever.
Manage Expectations: Experts call it ‘psychological flexibility,’ which might sound clinical, but it’s really just going with the flow when plans change (it can make all the difference when travel inevitably throws you a curveball).
Set the Mood: Bring a book from your TBR stack, download a few episodes of your favorite podcast, or queue up a comfort show on your tablet. Resist the temptation to doomscroll through delays. Instead, put on a relaxing playlist and grab yourself a seasonal treat.
Stay Fueled: Travel can be a blood sugar rollercoaster. Pack snacks that actually keep you full, or plan ahead to find something sustaining on the go. Flying? Scope out an airport spot before boarding. Driving? Pick a place that actually sounds appealing, rather than pulling over at the nearest gas station in desperation.
Know Your Next Steps: Nothing spikes stress faster than realizing you have no plan for getting from the airport to your final destination. Do yourself a favor: figure it out ahead of time. Screenshot directions, confirm ride options, and even scout the route to baggage claim.

Protect Your Immune System

There’s nothing comfortable about fighting off a cold while you travel. If you’re feeling under the weather, consider wearing a mask to protect others — you never know if your seatmate might be immunocompromised. In the days leading up to your trip, give your immune system a little extra support with supplements like vitamin C, zinc, B vitamins, and magnesium. If you already take daily supplements or medications, pack them in a labeled container so you don’t miss a dose on the go.

When it comes to plane travel, you’re not catching a cold because of “recycled air,” it’s the shared surfaces and close quarters, says Dr. Shazia A. Khan, a primary care physician at Northwestern Medicine. Bring disinfecting wipes for your tray table and armrests, wash your hands often, and make sure you’re up to date on vaccines. And last but definitely not least: hydrate. Cabin air on planes is notoriously dry (humidity on planes hovers around 10–20%, compared to 30–65% in most homes). Dr. Khan recommends drinking a glass of water every hour you’re in the air, especially if you order an in-flight glass of wine. Bring a refillable water bottle and sip often; your skin, energy, and immune system will thank you.

Embrace the Chaos

The holidays are meant to be a little chaotic, that’s part of the charm (and the story you’ll tell later). Here’s the secret: calm, comfortable travel isn’t about what’s in your bag; it’s about how you move through the madness. Think of it as wellness in motion — small, intentional choices that keep you grounded while everyone else unravels at baggage claim. Stay hydrated, know your post-arrival plan, and you’re already ahead of the curve. Because real comfort isn’t about the socks or the neck pillow, it’s about arriving with your sanity intact.

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Karin is a Seattle-based writer and editor. She writes on mental health and wellness, travel, and social impact, and edits fiction on the side. When she's not on assignment, you'll find her exploring the Pacific Northwest or planning her next trip.