It’s terrible, horrible, no good and very bad when your flight is delayed during the holidays. Whether you’re heading home to see Nana or fleeing your in-laws after forced Thanksgiving niceties, there are ways to avoid a stressful meltdown at the airport.

SmartMoney’s Pay Dirt blog runs through four ways to calm your nerves and make the best of those hours you could end up stranded.

Be polite to airline employees: As simple as this one sounds, for every nice traveler at a gate, it seems there are four having apoplectic fits. Sure, it’s annoying to be stuck, but a gate agent can’t be blamed for air traffic control, weather or equipment problems. And if you are courteous and heck, even friendly? You might end up on an upgrade list.

Don’t wear sweatpants: Looking respectable can go a long way. Ditch the pants with the words on the behind and dress up a little bit. SmartMoney cites frequent flyer Kate Hanni, founder of FlyersRights.org, who says, “I’m treated with a great deal more respect than when I’m wearing jeans or sweatpants on my return flights home from Washington DC.”

For more tips on making an unpleasant experience a bit less no good, very bad and terrible, check out SmartMoney.

Thanksgiving Flightmare Part 2: Avoiding Airport Rage [Smart Money]

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