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Nothing ruins a summer travel day quite like a line of thunderstorms. And this week has been a rough go at U.S. airports, capped by a whopper of a storm system Monday that scuttled more than 2,000 flights and led to significant flash flooding, including at some New York City subway stations.
Travelers aren’t out of the woods.
At least 600 additional flights had already been preemptively canceled for Tuesday by 10 a.m. EDT, according to data from FlightAware. And, the Federal Aviation Administration warned travelers could face significant disruptions at 10 of the largest airports along the East Coast.
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As for the rest of the week? I wish I had better news to share.
“I think we will likely see a pretty high number of flight cancellations through the rest of the week,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty told TPG on Tuesday.
The worst days ahead, Douty predicted, will be Thursday and Sunday — though it’s possible neither will see disruptions quite as significant as Monday’s. A silver lining, perhaps?
That could mean more delays, cancellations and headaches for travelers with a summer trip or weekend getaway planned (I’m one of them).
Here’s what to know about the disruptions, and what your options are if you’re stuck.
Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do
A rough few days for air travel
Since Saturday, airlines have had to cancel more than 5,200 flights, according to data from FlightAware.
Monday was the worst; storms swept across a large swath of the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. At one point during the afternoon, the FAA had grounded or slowed flights at almost every major hub along the Eastern Seaboard.
New York’s three major airports were among the hardest hit. Nearly 35% of all departures were scrapped Monday at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), with close to 30% of flights axed at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Additionally, more than a quarter of flights were scuttled out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
Why did passengers get stuck on planes?
In a frustrating turn for travelers, Monday’s storms led to passengers stuck not just in airport terminals, but — in some cases — on planes, for hours.
The combination of storms and thrown-off flight schedules led to traffic jams on taxiways, prompting long waits for takeoff.
Meanwhile, some aircraft couldn’t get to the gate, as nearby lightning forced essential ground crews to retreat inside to shelter.
What should you do if your flight is delayed or canceled?
Whether you’re stuck because of storms or eyeing the forecast and your flight for later this week, here’s what you can do to prepare and adapt.
Fly in the morning, if you can
We’ve said it for years, here at TPG, but if you can take one of the first flights in the morning, the lack of sleep may be worth the stress you’ll save.
Morning flights tend to get canceled and delayed less, for a few reasons. For one, those pop-up storms that snarl air traffic are just a lot less common in the morning. So are the air traffic control delays that mount as flight schedules get thrown off by those storms.
Plus, the overnight hours allow airlines to reset their schedules, which often look about as good in the morning as they will all day.
Keep in mind, many planes (especially those flying regional and domestic service) will visit several cities in a day. If an aircraft gets delayed in Memphis, and then again in Charlotte, and then again in Miami … it’s likely not making it to LaGuardia on time for that late-afternoon departure.
Watch for options to change your flight
Of course, “fly in the morning” isn’t the most helpful advice if you’ve already booked your trip.
However, when a major storm system is forecast, airlines may reach out with offers to change your itinerary.
Sometimes, carriers will issue a travel advisory that allows widespread ticket changes, even for travelers flying on a restrictive basic economy ticket.
In other cases, your airline may send you an email asking if you want to preemptively change your trip.
Use the app instead of waiting on hold
If your flight is delayed or canceled, a lot of airlines will let you make itinerary changes right through their mobile app.
Personally, I find this to be a far less stressful option than standing in a 50-minute line or waiting on hold for hours on end.
Refund rights
Under U.S. Department of Transportation policy, if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed (three hours for a domestic flight, six hours for international), you’re entitled to a refund if you choose not to travel.
This applies to any type of flight disruption, including stormy weather.
The refund rules can be handy if you decide to take the train or drive instead of fly, if you decide to rebook yourself (out of pocket) on another airline … or, if you decide to scrap the trip and stay home.
Just remember: If you do accept the airline’s accommodations (like rebooking), you would likely not be refund-eligible.
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What about food and hotel vouchers?
A number of airlines have promised the DOT they’ll pay for things like unexpected hotel nights, meals and ground transportation when passengers are stranded.
The catch: These are generally for travel troubles that are the airline’s responsibility (think maintenance and airline staffing).
In most cases, weather would not fall into that category, so:
A credit card with travel insurance comes in handy
We recommend carrying a travel credit card that has built-in travel insurance. Here are some of the TPG team’s favorites.
Just remember: In most cases, you’ll need to book the trip with that card in order to make a successful claim.
Related reading:
- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG’s monthly valuations
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
