Travel Mistakes That Nearly All Oklahomans Are Likely To Make During The Holidays

Last year, over 1.1 million Oklahomans left the state to travel for the holidays, and there's a good chance that the number will be even higher this year. That number isn't even including the number of people admitting to driving instead of flying for the holidays this year, which was proven to be the more preferred route.

Leaving for days, or sometimes weeks, at a time is stressful enough. But the last thing you want to deal with are unexpected mistakes that, to be honest, we could all easily prevent or plan for.

If you're traveling for the holiday season, don't make these common mistakes that could cost you more than just a few bucks at the airport.

Mistake #1 Booking too late - plan ahead!

The Christmas season is debatably the busiest time of year for traveling. A significant word of advice from a travel expert, Sally French, who tracks travel for NerdWallet, is "the longer you wait to book holiday travel, the more expensive it is going to get."

@thenatalieway1 Biggest mistake travelers make? Booking the place first, then scrambling for experiences. Flip it. Start with the feeling you want—atmosphere, indulgence, intensity—and then pick the destination. Backwards is the secret #travel #traveltips #travelplanning #genx #notyourdaughterstravelcontent ♬ original sound - thenatalieway1

Unfortunately, if you were waiting for the right time to purchase your tickets or book your flight accomodations, the sweet spot has already passed. According to French, the best time to book Christmas travel is the first week of November, or at least 51 days out from Christmas. Luckily, we're still weeks out.

So, you may not get the cheapest prices you could have if you would have booked earlier, but booking now will still save you tons!

Mistake #2 Not planning for delays or hidden costs.

On average, most travelers are planning to spend around $2,334 for their travel budget. What most people don't for, however, are delays and hidden costs and fees. Delays in flights could force travelers to book hotel rooms they weren't anticipating on spending money on, or things like unexpected uber or lyft trips.

READ MORE: These Stores in Oklahoma Are Staying Open For Thanksgiving

Instead, plan ahead - anticipate that the weather, increased holiday travel, and just plain ol' human error can throw things off of schedule. Arrive early to flights and budget accordingly for more than what you're intending to spend. After all - it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Mistake #3 Not packing the essentials - create a checklist!

If you have children, you know they need food - one of the most important needs they have, right? If you have pets, you know they need food and water; again, very important needs that you prioritize over anything else. So why not ensure that one of the most important items you carry, which is your cellphone, has what it needs to stay charged?

@travelingwithjoce Packing pro tip: Lists are your travel BFF! 📝 Avoid the ‘Did I forget something?’ panic and conquer packing chaos. #TravelSmart #PackingList #travelhacks #travellife ♬ Calm - Faneo sound

That's right - don't forget the charger! It's one of the most commonly forgotten items that costs travelers unnecessary money and could really put you in a bind if you can't access things like money, boarding passes, and more.

More commonly forgotten items that you want to make sure you have packed before the day of traveling are:

• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Important documents like your ID and passport
• Printed versions of information like boarding passes
• First aid kit
• Necessary medications

Long story short - plan! plan! plan! Seriously, many of the mistakes travelers make are caused by not planning far enough ahead. Don't get caught up this holiday season without the essentials or stranded without the money to get home.