fight the crowds. >> reporter: up north, crippling rain in oregon and washington expected to delay northwest flights. for the rest of the country, whether is on travel's side for a change. >> 75% of the country will be rain-free. northwest, not so great. we will see heavy rain and mountain snows continuing. >> reporter: since seattle is not a major domestic hub, the ripple effect of bad weather there is unlikely to spread. >> if there were to be a storm in chicago or in the northeast, you could count on mass chaos, but that does not look like it's going to be the case at all. >> reporter: there are new 2012 hollywood holiday tricks for savvy travel travelers. some airlines allow you to avoid the baggage counter by tagging and checking your own bag, giving you the opportunity to lose your own luggage.