Christmas Travel Chronicles
Observations from a rare trip this time of year
It’s been a while since I’ve flown between Christmas and New Year’s Day.1 There was a time where I would annually have to fight the crowds of infrequent travelers and their excessive numbers of jackets. Well, this year I had to hit the holiday road again for a quick trip to the West Coast. A few things stood out to me, particularly in light of some of my recent posts. Please enjoy these last pithy observations of 2025 as we count down to the New Year tonight.2
Christmas on the Concourse
I always appreciate the effort by the local airport authorities to spruce up the terminals for Christmas. People who manage airports will tell you anything that isn’t nailed down is likely to get destroyed or disappear, so there’s probably some reticence to go crazy with the garlands and the oversized ornaments.3 Nevertheless, I was greeted by a variety of lovely decorations in airports across the country
It always makes for a warm feeling when you’re greeted by a beautiful Christmas tree as you make your way to your gate, soon to be reunited with your loved ones. Of course, sleeping under the light of that same tree because you’re delayed until tomorrow morning makes things much worse.4 Emotions can run to the extremes this time of year, and the airport is no exception.
Tis the season!
Lump of Coal for Hertz
In an earlier post, I talked about my frustration with the car rental companies over the past couple of years, with some particularly harsh words for Hertz. When I arrived at the Burbank airport a few nights ago, I was not expecting there to be any cars available for President’s Circle members.5
There were three.
Three is better than none, but there were other flights due in after mine. One can only hope there were more cars on the way for my Gold Rewards comrades.
When I returned my car, the scene was not much better, as I saw only one car available for pick-up. Now this is is a busy time in Southern California, but the horde of Indiana fans coming in for the Rose Bowl were not going to be happy when they got to the Hertz lot.6
Indiana football has had quite the 2025 . . . the rental car companies have not.
Holiday Rib Roast Prices for Airport Cuisine
I’m not the first person to notice that airport food prices are out of control. I also understand the many factors that contribute to those costs.
But $20 for a chicken sandwich and tater-tots? Props to Ludacris for his burgeoning Chicken and Beer airport restaurant empire, but this seems a bit excessive, even with the excellent “Hotlanta” sauce on the sandwich.7
Prices like this might be the best reason to get an airline lounge membership if you fly a lot. Hotlanta sauce is great, but there’s a perfectly acceptable bow-tie pasta dish at the United Club buffet. And you can pour Tabasco on it.
Happy New Year!
Notes
This is an important life goal for anyone who is on the road all year, unless you’re flying to St. Barth’s or something
It is unlikely I will make it past 9:30 PM
The bigger the airport, the bigger the risk of this kind of unseasonable behavior — looking at you NY/NJ Port Authority facilities
For clarity, I did not sleep under any Christmas trees on this trip
As a company, this is not the default feeling you want one of your frequent customers to have
Countless numbers of IU fans in red sweatshirts were making their way to baggage claim yesterday — sorry about the rain, everyone
I’d argue the rosemary-flavored tater-tots were better than the sandwich — I was not expecting that