Don't let travel ruin your fowl mood

Experts predict 600,000 fewer people on the roads and in the skies this Thanksgiving season, but the drop in numbers doesn't guarantee open highways or vacant airports.

Even with the 1.4 percent drop in travel from 2007 forecast by the AAA, 41 million Americans will drive, fly or take buses and trains this holiday.

So what's the best way to ensure you'll be there for the yearly tryptophan fix and not stuck in traffic or rescheduling a missed connection?

Remember the basics, savvy travelers advise, like allowing plenty of time to reach your destination.

"Everyone has predicted travel will be down, but it's not like numbers are being slashed in half," Chicago Department of Aviation spokeswoman Karen Pride said.

Travelocity senior editor Genevieve Shaw Brown added that because airlines have cut capacity, flights will be full. "When there's so few available seats, there's little room for error," Shaw Brown said.

It's also important to be aware of new luggage fees and carry-on restrictions.

With some fliers traveling for the first time since checked bag fees were instituted by most airlines, "it will take some people by surprise," Shaw Brown cautioned.

Here are some additional Thanksgiving travel tips and facts:

• The Transportation Security Administration's 3-1-1 rule prohibiting bottles of liquids bigger than 3 ounces in carry-on bags is still in effect. The TSA is offering new Green Lanes at airport security checkpoints for families and anyone else who might need a little more time.

• Can't stand another night on the foldout couch? There are plenty of last-minute deals at hotels, Orbitz spokeswoman Abby Hunt advises.

• If you're traveling by air, call ahead or check your airline's Web site for news about delays. Travelocity also is dispatching bloggers Tuesday and Wednesday to a number of airports, including O'Hare, to write about delays and parking issues every two hours at windowseatblog.com.

• Got a long wait at O'Hare? You can rest easy - there's a healthy snack to tide you over. O'Hare came in second in a survey tallying healthful meal options at 15 of the nation's busiest airports by the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine. The worst? Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

• The federal government is opening up military airspace to civilian flights over Thanksgiving in the Midwest, East Coast and West Coast.

• Orbitz projects O'Hare will be the third busiest airport this year at Thanksgiving, based on ticket sales, with McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas taking the top spot.

• While gas prices are down, airfares aren't, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Average domestic flights in the second quarter of 2008 cost the highest of any quarter in the last 13 years. The average domestic fare in the second quarter was $352, the government reported. But Travelocity's Shaw Brown notes that tickets for Thanksgiving trips have dipped slightly as airlines try to lure bargain hunters.

• Don't forget many airlines are charging for baggage, with a majority hitting up fliers $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second.

• If you're driving, remember to bring snow scrapers, a flashlight, a shovel and booster cables. Check antifreeze levels and be sure your tires are properly inflated.