When it comes to flying at this time of year, it's about the destination, not the journey. Make your next trip as quick and painless as possible.

FLY INTO SECONDARY AIRPORTS.

Approximately 50 percent of the people who travel through O'Hare International Airport in Chicago are merely catching a connecting flight. More traffic means more delays. Think Midway before O'Hare, Long Beach before LAX, and Providence before Logan.

CHOOSE TRAVEL TIMES WISELY.

Avoid the crowds by traveling on weekdays between 11 and 3.

BE PREPARED.

No matter how thorough your planning, there's always a chance that you'll end up stuck in an airport for hours. The Travel Detective: Flight Crew Confidential, by Peter Greenberg ($16, www.amazon.com), lists pilot and flight-attendant picks for the best stores and services in major airports and cities around the world.