Traveling home for Thanksgiving is never easy or pleasant: The weather is cold, traffic is always a nightmare and the airports are chaotic. Now, most of the country has been swamped by rain and is being warned of further storms. The storm has already canceled dozens of flights and made the roads more dangerous.

There have already been 12 fatalities from car crashes linked to the weather across the U.S. The West Coast has been hammered with this weather, as it moves across most of the country, threatening millions of Americans' travel plans as they try to reach their loved ones for the holidays. The East Coast now is bracing for a possible snow and ice storm that could threaten some of the floats with high winds at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

But by Thanksgiving the storm will have eased and the Northeast will have a layer of snow, as most of the country will enjoy the weather calming down. For this reason traveling early on Thanksgiving morning will be ideal, but there also are a few simple tips you can follow to make the trip more bearable.

If you are one of the 25 million Americans who will be flying these holidays, remember to arrive early. Get to the airports two hours before a domestic flight and three for international. If you can, check in online and pack light, so you just need a carry on so no need to check your luggage.

The list of flights and arrivals will be available on the airlines’ websites, so remember to check for delays and cancellations. You can also use this moment to confirm your seat number and travel times. When you arrive at the airport, be prepared for security checks, and allow time for this.

Common sense will be vital if you are driving Wednesday or Thursday. Today the road traffic will be heavy and the roads wet. Allow extra time for traffic and move slowly as the roads with rain, sleet and snow will be dangerous.

While travel is not for the faint-hearted, particularly on the holidays, the reward is having this time to be with your loved ones. The weather is expected to calm down for Thanksgiving, so enjoy the feast!

Thanksgiving