WASHINGTON – The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, but the Sunday after the turkey holiday is not far behind.

To make the journey home smoother, consider packing the car ahead of time to ensure an on-time departure, and travel earlier in the day to avoid high-volume traffic in the afternoon.

Slowing down on open roadways will also save travelers when it comes to gas mileage.

To make airport pick-ups easier, drop-off passengers at the arrival section and pick travelers up from the departure area.

“Particularly in the evening, there’s not much activity at all on the upper-level roadway, and you can get in and out very quickly,” said Paul Wiedefeld, executive director at BWI Marshall Airport.

Wiedefeld explained that for weekend trips, travelers typically come with smaller luggage bags and therefore don’t mind walking upstairs to the correct level.

WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)