SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) The holiday travel season is just around the corner, and experts are expecting it to be a busy and expensive one, with airline ticket prices for the winter holidays increasing nearly 30% since last year. While travel experts recommend you start organizing trips at least three months in advance, do not fret if you’re a last-minute planner. There are still a few ways to maximize your travel plans and save a few dollars while you’re at it.

Hit the Highway: For those planning on taking a road trip this season, make sure your vehicle is up to date on all registrations and maintenance so you don’t experience any road bumps. If you’re planning a road trip and you’re a T-Mobile customer, you get a year of AAA membership for free  with all Magenta plans. This means you can get from point A to point B with the confidence and safety of 24/7 roadside assistance, if you need it. Plus, T-Mobile customers also save $0.10 per gallon of gas from Shell via the T-Mobile Tuesdays App.

Opt for Low Traffic Travel Days: When booking airline travel, CheapAir.com recommends avoiding Thursdays-Sundays. Instead, book airline travel on Tuesdays or Wednesdays if possible, as those are the slowest travel days of the week. According to ChearAir.com, traveling on actual holidays like Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday can save you $75-$90 in flight ticket prices. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are also expecting lower airfare prices this year.

Check the Cancellation Rules: Make sure you can cancel your hotel, airline, or car rental reservations if you need to, and understand what additional fees you may be subject to if you do need to adjust your trip. Plans can change at the drop of a hat, especially in the post-COVID world.

Use Those Travel Perks: Many credit card companies offer benefits like points and frequent flier miles, which you can redeem on flights, hotels and more. If you’re a T-Mobile customer, you can save up to 40% on select hotels and car rentals by booking through T-MobileTravel.com. Most come with free, flexible cancellations. You can also save your travel perks to use for your holiday travel plans and save even more.

Stay Connected: The internet can be hit or miss when traveling abroad, so make sure you’re well-versed in the details of your data plan before logging on. Luckily, T-Mobile customers with Magenta MAX plans can get 5GB of free high-speed data worldwide in more than 215 countries and destinations, plus free in-flight Wi-Fi and streaming all flight long on four of the biggest U.S. airlines. Visit https://www.t-mobile.com/travel to learn more about T-Mobile’s travel benefits.

Pack Smarter: Make sure all your tech items are within arm’s reach during your trip. Pack charging cables, headphones and tablets to keep children entertained on trips. Packing a portable charger in your carry-on is a game-changer when all the outlets at the airport are in use.

Holiday travel can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Do your research, take advantage of deals and you’ll cut out the hassle of planning your upcoming travels.

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