(Oregonian (Portland, OR) (KRT)) Nov. 20--This weekend kicks off the crowded holiday travel season. U.S.-based airlines are expected to carry a record 21.7 million passengers on domestic and international flights between Nov. 19 and Nov. 29. That's a huge jump from last year, when, according to the Air Transport Association, 16.3 million passengers traveled by air.

Knowing what to expect -- not only at airports, but also at rail and bus stations and on the road -- can help you ease the burden of peak-season travel under post-9/11security requirements.

Here are some tips for dealing with the holiday crush:

TRAVELING BY AIR

--Luggage rules: Know your airline's luggage guidelines by checking passenger information on its Web site. Most airlines allow two checked pieces weighing up to 50 pounds each. Anything additional costs more. Do not lock checked bags except with an approved TSA lock (available where luggage is sold, including at the airport). Place your name and address on the outside and inside of each bag. Do not pack valuables such as cameras and jewelry in checked luggage. Do not wrap gifts.

--Carry-ons: Carry-on luggage is limited to one bag and one personal item. Do not attempt to pass anything sharp through the X-ray machine during passenger screening. Pack essential items, such as medications and travel documents, in your carry-on luggage.

--Cameras and film: Do not put film in your checked bags; it may be ruined by the X-ray. Put film in see-through containers (such as plastic bags) in your carry-on bag, and ask that it be hand-inspected rather than scanned. Digital cameras and electronic image storage cards are not affected by scanners.

--Bad weather: Plan in advance for weather-related delays. Keep a cell phone handy or a phone card with prepaid minutes. Have phone numbers available for your airline, hotel, rental car, or for family and friends affected by your travel. Print out a diagram from the Internet of airports you will travel through. This information helps when you need to switch gates quickly, or need to pass time between long delays.

--Mechanical problems: Airlines are not responsible for weather delays. Agents will help reschedule passengers, but don't expect compensation for meals or lodging. Delays or flight cancellations for mechanical reasons are the airlines' responsibility. They will reschedule passengers on the next available flight, even on another airline. If the delay requires an overnight stay, ask an agent for hotel and meal vouchers. Passenger rights under Rule 240 are explained on airline Web site under "contract of carriage."

--Arrive early: Arrive at the airport at least two hours ahead of your scheduled departure when flying internationally, when departing during peak morning and midday hours, when bad weather is expected, or on any peak travel day.

--Boarding passes: Passengers must obtain a boarding pass from the airline ticket counter, a self-serve ticket kiosk, a curbside check-in baggage station or in advance through an airline Web site. A boarding pass and photo ID are required to pass through security screening.

--Required documents: Passengers age 18 and older traveling domestically must have a government-issued identification card with a photo on it. All passengers bound internationally need a passport, except for travel to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada. A certified birth certificate is sufficient to travel to those countries until the end of 2006 for air and sea travel, or the end of 2007 for land crossings. Carry a photocopy of your passport in a different place (your wallet, your carry-on) than where you carry your passport in case the document is lost while traveling. Tuck an additional photocopy in your checked luggage.

--Take MAX: Consider taking MAX light rail to PDX, or have someone drop you off and pick you up. Airport parking is expensive and crowded; the economy lots filled to capacity on two days during last year's holiday crush.

--Security hustle: After you pass through security, don't allow yourself to be rushed. Make sure you don't leave anything you hurriedly dumped into a bin behind (laptop, jacket, jewelry, keys, etc.).

--Food onboard: Airlines serve less food than in the past. Check meal service when you make your reservation. Pack your own meal or plan to buy a takeout meal at an airport restaurant.

More info: Portland International Airport, 1-877-739-4636, www.flypdx.com.

TRAVELING BY RAIL

--Plan ahead: Train travel is up. Buy tickets for holiday train travel well in advance. More info: Amtrak, 1-800-872-7245, www.amtrak.com.

TRAVELING BY BUS

--Check routes: Greyhound, the only nationwide bus carrier, recently discontinued service to many smaller cities and towns along less-traveled corridors; so check available routes in advance. Greyhound does not take reservations. Passengers show up at the terminal an hour before departure to buy a ticket. If a bus fills up, another is pressed into service to handle the overload.

More info: Greyhound, 1-800-231-2222, www.greyhound.com.

ON THE ROAD

--Carry chains: Make sure you have chains and know how to put them on. A four-wheel or all-wheel drive passenger vehicle is not required to use chains if the vehicle weighs less than 6,500 pounds unloaded, has power to front and rear wheels, has winter tires on all wheels and is not towing another vehicle. But all vehicles must carry chains in case of severe conditions. Called a "conditional road closure," this most frequently happens in Oregon on Interstate 5 at the Siskiyou summit south of Ashland.

--Studded tires: Studded tires are legal in Oregon from Nov. 1 through April 1.

--Be prepared: A fresh battery, new wiper blades and an emergency kit with flares, flashlight, blanket, jumper cables, food and more is always a good idea.

More info: Oregon road conditions, 1-800-977-6368 www.tripcheck.com; Washington road conditions, 1-800-695-7623, www.wsdot.wa.gov/.

RULES FOR CHILDREN

--Crossing borders: Children (under 16 for Canada; under 18 for Mexico) traveling alone, with one parent or with another adult need a notarized letter of consent from the absent parent or parents. When the child is traveling with both parents, if one or both has a last name different from the child's, bring the child's state-issued (not a photocopy) birth certificate; it names the parents. (No, a passport alone isn't enough.) To find a sample consent form, go to www.lawdepot.com; click "more," then look under "other forms." Even if everyone in the family has the same last name, be sure to bring the child's birth certificate or passport. Some airlines deny boarding to families lacking proper paperwork. And having the right documents increases your chances of a smooth border crossing by car, too.

More info: your airline's Web site; www.travel.state.gove/travel/documents.html.

--Flying alone: Carriers have differing rules regarding the ages at which an unaccompanied child is permitted to take a direct flight or a connecting flight. The cut-off age for requiring the extra-shepherding service varies, as does the cost. The fee runs about $40 to $75 each way for domestic flights; international flights are generally higher. Ask if the airline gives a two-fer or discount for minor siblings traveling together.

More info: Regardless of what airline your child will be flying, take a look at US Airways' especially helpful planning checklist for parents. Find it at www.usairways.com; click "travel planning" then "children traveling alone."

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