Business travel is something that you either like or you hate — there’s really no in between. However, if you really don’t like traveling for work and you have to travel during the busy months of the year, it can be downright miserable if you don’t know how to avoid the most annoying travel problems while you’re trying to beat the crowds. Of course, most of the year the airports and other venues are going to be crowded, but there seems to be something special about the holidays and other times where most people are out on vacation with their families. If you’ve ever wondered how to deal with the crowds at Thanksgiving while still making that all-important meeting across the country, this guide is definitely for you.

First and foremost, you will need to make sure that you try to give yourself as much time as possible. Even in the case of last minute reservations, you usually have a few hours to spare before your next flight. Instead of gorging out on food at a restaurant all the way up until your flight gets called, you might want to hit the airport early. This can also help you use those loyalty points you have stored up, or even ask for an upgrade for your trouble. It’s really up to you. This can also help you keep from getting bounced off a very important flight since you showed up late and they gave away your seat to someone else. It’s really up to you how you want to play this, but getting to places early is also considered a mark of leader. As the old saying goes — if you’re on time, you’re late.

The next tip that you will want to consider is having all of your reservations booked ahead of time, as well as to join some sort of loyalty program that allows you to skip ahead in lines. The last thing that you want to do is try to wait around while you’re fighting the massive crowd at Thanksgiving, or some other major holiday where everyone is out and about.

Finally, you will want to make sure that you pack some basic necessities and even some treats in your bag while you travel. If you are trying to travel light, you will want to have your most essential items in your carry on case. Suitcases get lost every day in airports, and you don’t want to be caught without your essentials in order to make a big splash at your next business presentation. This is one of the biggest travel mistakes that businessmen and women make when they’re trying to get from one place to another quickly.

These tips aren’t meant to be harmful — on the contrary. They are designed to let you get the upper hand when you know that you have to travel for work during a time where you’d rather be at home. If you follow the tips in this guide, there’s really no reason why you wouldn’t have a very efficient trip in virtually no time at all!