Travel Insured International (www.travelinsured.com) reminds travelers to plan early for their flight plans this 2009 holiday season when capacity cuts by U.S. airlines are expected to result in many sold-out flights with fewer to choose from. Note, for example, that with the Christmas and New Year's holidays falling on Fridays, the airport crowds of Wednesday Dec. 23, Thursday Dec. 24, and of Sundays Dec. 27 and Jan. 3, will be unusually heavy. Savvy travelers may want to consider alternate flight dates, if possible.

Here are some holiday travel thoughts to consider: This may be the year to forward gifts by mail order to your loved ones. Why pay airline baggage fees to bring them onboard flights? Call ahead to check for flight delays, but arrive early. If long, unexpected delays occur you have time to call your travel agent, airline or a hotel for a backup plan. Consider packing good food to eat after check-in but before going through airport security. Once past security, you're at the mercy of pricey concession stands. Do you have a good friend near the airport? You may need one if hotels sell out when adverse weather conditions cancel flights. If you will spend lots time in holiday crowds, have you considered a flu shot? Insure your flights with Travel Insured's Airline Ticket Protector with affordable premiums starting at less than $20 per person. What's Covered under an Airline Ticket Protector?

Travel Insured's Airline Ticket Protector provides coverage on Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption to ticket costs valued up to $3,500. Travelers may qualify for a waiver of pre-existing medical conditions if the plan is purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit. Trip Delay coverage is included to a maximum $500 with no daily limit. Baggage Delay coverage is provided up to $200 and Missed Connection up to $500.

Travelers in need of accident, emergency medical expense or car rental coverage can take advantage of new value-added options in the Airline Trip Protector plan:

Cancel for Any Reason Option: Travelers within 14 days of their initial trip deposit can purchase this option, available for a 50% premium supplement and paying potential benefits of up to 75% of total trip cost in a cash refund. Flight Accident Option: Available for up to $1 million coverage and priced from $8 to $50 per person depending on the benefit level selected. Combined Emergency Medical Option: $50,000 in Emergency Medical Expense with $250,000 in Emergency MedEvac coverage. Priced at $25 per person. Car rental collision damage waiver (CDW) Option: $7 per day price is charged only to the primary traveler named on the Airline Ticket Protector plan. All plan options must be indicated and paid for on the Airline Ticket Protector application. When selected, the Flight Accident, the Emergency Medical, and the Cancel for Any Reason Option will be applied to all travelers on the same application.

Remember that traveling with a Travel Insured Airline Ticket Protector will give you peace of mind, a good thing to help keep you in the holiday spirit. Enjoy the season!

About Travel Insured International Travel Insured delivers comprehensive travel protection benefits ranging from trip cancellation and trip interruption to emergency assistance and Medevac insurance, travel accident and sickness medical expense, accidental death and dismemberment, missed connection and baggage delay or loss.

The company's travel insurance plans include its comprehensive Worldwide Trip Protector, the most popular travel protection plan (http://www.travelinsured.com/Travel-Insurance/TravelPlan.as px?plan=333) and Worldwide Trip Protector Gold (http://www.travelinsured.com/Travel-Insurance/TravelPlan.as px?plan=334), an enhanced travel insurance plan designed to protect luxury vacations and business trips. Travel Insured also offers two travel insurance plans designed to provide basic yet flexible protection for families and budget conscious travelers, its Worldwide Trip Protector Lite insurance plan and Worldwide Trip Protector Lite Expanded insurance plan. Finally they offer a Medical Protector insurance plan, an Airline Ticket Protector plan as well as a complete offering of Group Travel Insurance plans including Student Group insurance plans.

Visit Travel Insured's web site at www.travelinsured.com or speak to a friendly, knowledgeable Travel Insured customer care professional at 1-800-243-3174.

Travel Insured International, based in East Hartford, Connecticut, was founded in 1993 by the foresight of insurance industry executive Peter Gehris when he acquired the travel protection division of the Travelers Insurance Company. Coverage is underwritten by Arch Insurance Company (a Missouri corporation, NAIC #11150) with executive offices located in Jersey City, NJ. Not all insurance products or coverage is available in all jurisdictions. Coverage is subject to actual policy language.