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Getting Home for the Holi-daze

It's the time of year for Travel Hell, and here to save us is the December issue of Conde Nast Traveler. Wendy Perrin and her crack squad of travel industry experts pieced together a lengthy article on the how's and why's of holiday air travel, which we don't have to tell you sucks. Here are four things you need to know this season to keep you sane--at least until you get to your in-laws' house:

· More and more people are getting bumped--voluntarily or not--from flights, so be prepared: it could happen to you. If the airline asks for volunteers, it's up to you to sweet talk good compensation, be it free tickets or vouchers. CNT has a tip: "Cash doesn't have blackout dates."

· To avoid getting bumped all together, check into the equipment being used on flights. The bigger the airplane, the better the chance some people won't show.

· You may be able to avoid all this if JetBlue flies to your airport. They never overbook flights. But caveat emptor: They also have one of the lowest on-time arrival rates of major carriers.

· If you are flexible, you should be able to avoid delays. Flying early in the morning on Saturdays or Tuesdays is best, CNT says. And look up historical on-time data before booking.

Good luck out there!

[Photo: drewish]

Related Stories:
· Escape From the Airport [CNT]