Holiday crowds make airport travel less predictable, so build extra time into your schedule before you ever leave home.

TSA generally encourages travelers to arrive approximately two hours before their scheduled departure, and individual airports or airlines may recommend additional time depending on the airport, destination and travel period.

Your medications, identification, phone, charger and other items you couldn't comfortably be without during an extended delay should stay accessible rather than disappearing into checked luggage. Keep your phone charged throughout the trip instead of waiting until the battery is nearly dead to look for an outlet.

Before leaving home, check your airline's app for schedule or gate changes and review current TSA requirements. Make sure you have an acceptable form of identification and check your bags for prohibited items before heading to the airport.

Allow enough time that you aren't sprinting through parking garages, leaving bags unattended or becoming so focused on making your flight that you stop paying attention to your surroundings. Personal safety often deteriorates when people become rushed, distracted and overwhelmed.

Travel insurance can make sense when a trip involves substantial prepaid expenses, expensive accommodations, cruises, international travel or destinations where severe winter weather could disrupt your plans.

But don't purchase a policy based on the words "travel insurance" alone. Coverage varies significantly. Read the policy and determine exactly what circumstances qualify for reimbursement, what exclusions apply, what documentation you'll need and whether coverage includes trip cancellation, interruption, delays, medical expenses or emergency transportation.

International travelers have additional considerations. U.S. health insurance may provide limited or no coverage outside the country, and Medicare and Medicaid generally do not cover medical care abroad. Travel medical and medical evacuation coverage are different from ordinary trip cancellation protection.

The goal isn't simply to insure every vacation. It's to understand how much money you're putting at risk and whether you're financially comfortable absorbing that loss if weather, illness or another covered event changes your plans.

A trustworthy neighbor can become an important part of your home security plan while you're away.

Let someone you trust know the dates you'll be gone and exchange phone numbers. Ask them to contact you if they notice an unfamiliar vehicle, an open door, a garage door that shouldn't be open or anything else unusual around your property.

Packages and accumulated mail can advertise that nobody is home. Pause deliveries when practical or arrange for someone to collect them promptly. Don't leave notes for delivery drivers announcing that you're away.

If appropriate, a neighbor can also put trash cans out and bring them back, occasionally park a vehicle in your driveway or otherwise help your home maintain its normal appearance.

Give that person only the information and access they actually need. There's no reason for a casual neighbor to know your complete itinerary, hotel, flight numbers and every detail of your trip.

Technology can handle part of your safety plan automatically while you're traveling.

Smart lights or timers can maintain normal lighting patterns at home. Security cameras, video doorbells and connected alarm systems can allow you to check your property and receive alerts remotely.

On the road, navigation apps such as Waze continue to provide real-time traffic information that can help you identify congestion and problems along your route. Check conditions before leaving and use hands-free navigation while driving rather than interacting with your phone behind the wheel.

Airline apps can provide check-in access, boarding passes, gate information and notifications about schedule changes. Enable useful alerts before your trip instead of trying to configure everything after a problem develops.

Technology also gives you an easy way to create a travel lifeline. Share your itinerary with someone you trust and establish reasonable check-ins, particularly if you're driving a long distance alone.

For international travel, U.S. citizens can also enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive safety and security information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Technology is most useful when you set it up before you need it. Download safety apps, enable alerts, charge devices, save important phone numbers and configure location-sharing or emergency contacts before you leave home.

Holiday travel will always involve a few things you can't control. Weather changes. Flights get delayed. Cars break down. Traffic stops moving.

Preparation determines how many options you have when those things happen. Protect your transportation, your belongings, your home and yourself before the trip begins so an inconvenience is less likely to become an emergency.