Traveling by air right now sucks. You know it's bad when mainstream media outlets, who have no shortage of stories to cover in the present, have dedicated time in their primetime slots to talking about it.
Now, we could debate about why so many flights are being delayed or canceled, and whether or not airlines are intentionally selling flights they know they can't make, but this article isn't about the industry. It's about you, the traveler.
I've been flying solo since I was 19 years old, when I regularly flew from Burlington, VT to Rochester for breaks during college. In my 20+ flight experiences prior to 2022, I've experienced only one flight delay. This past summer, two of my flights home were cancelled, and I was lucky not to have my plans severely disrupted by them.
My love of flying and going somewhere new or amazing is worth the hassle...it's just that the hassle is the expectation now, not an exception. It's no excuse to miss out on some amazing travel experiences, especially since we've spent the last two years traveling from San Living Room to Las Bedroom while hiding from Covid.
So, here are some ways to survive the hassle of flight delays, cancellations, and the civil aviation ecosystem as a whole, whether you're a frequent flyer or have never flown before.
Let's start with some pre-flight stuff:
1. Pack Smart
Before you even think about heading to the airport, think about how you've packed. I'm not talking about how you've sorted the books you intend to read, how you fold your clothes, or remembering your electric toothbrush.
Consider purchasing tags or some kind of identifier to clip to your bags in case they get lost, especially if you checked them at the airport rather than carried them on the plane. Include information like your address, name, and phone number so airport or airline officials can contact you.
Keep important items like wallets, cell phones, printed boarding passes, and your passport in your pockets or carry-on luggage. If your miss your flight for any reason after you've checked that bag, it's going to your destination without you. Guess she's just not that into you, fam.
Note that sometimes, because of the size of the plane and the amount of people on board, you might be asked to leave carry-on luggage at the bottom of the jet bridge to be stowed beneath the plane. Ask the gate agent if your bag might be too big to carry on, and make sure you've taken everything out that you might need during flight. Or, do what I do; pretend you didn't hear them and bring it on anyway. The worst that can happen is that there isn't room, and they make you take it the jet bridge anyway.
2. Download your airline's app (and check in as early as possible!)
Unless you're flying with some really small, obscure airline, your carrier will have an app you can download. The app has all kinds of nifty features, allowing you to download a digital boarding pass, check-in, change seats, etc.
It will also update you on the status of your flight. If your flight is cancelled or delayed, the app should provide you rebooking options.
While we're talking about the app...make sure to check-in as early as possible! Though overbooking flights isn't quite as common as it used to be in the digital age, it can still happen. You can check-in up to 24 hours before your flight, and I would do it at or around then to further guarantee you a seat.
3. Arrive Early
It's good practice to get to the airport at least two hours before your flight departs. It's not like a bus station where you can walk up right when the bus is hissing and lowering to the ground. You might need to check your bag and leave it at the airline counter. Then you have to get through TSA, which is typically smooth, but you never know (this deserves its own article). Then, depending on the size of the airport, it might take you a long time to walk to your gate (looking at you, Miami).
On top of all of that, you can't just arrive at your gate when your flight is scheduled to depart. Boarding begins ~30 minutes before departure, and the gate closes ~15 minutes before departure. Once that door closes, there's no opening it. It's one of those secret rules of air travel, so make sure you can do the math and get to your gate at the appropriate time.
If you end up having a little too much extra time, go get dinner, catch up on your reading, tune in to whatever mainstream media outlet you allow to brainwash you. It's better than running through an airport with your lungs on fire.
Okay, you're in your seat.
You're reading the menu card front to back out of boredom, you're sweating because the AC doesn't work...but you're on the plane. Good work!
But what if you're sitting there when you get a text through the airline app, saying your connecting flight to Podunk is cancelled? What if the flight you're on has been delayed, and you'll have a very limited window to get to your next gate? What if you're not on the plane through no fault of your own, but because that flight was cancelled?
Well, it's time to buckle in because this is where you're gonna need your air travel smarts.
If you want to minimize this risk, though, here are the best ways to avoid delays and/or cancellations in the first place:
4. Fly Direct
When you fly direct, delays just mean getting there a bit later than scheduled. If your outgoing flight is cancelled, you can just drive home (if your returning flight is cancelled, skip to #6). You also don't have to worry about missing connecting flights. If you live near a big airport like New York-JFK or Atlanta, it's easier to find a direct flight to where you want to go, whether your destination is domestic or international.
If you're flying out of a smaller airport like Rochester or Syracuse, your options for direct flights are likely limited to hub airports, or airports where airlines like to concentrate their flights. Unless your destination is one of these exciting hub cities, which are usually places like Philadelphia, New York, or Washington, you will probably have to get a connection if you're flying to another small airport, a different coast, or internationally.
5. Catch an early flight
Yeah, nobody is a fan of getting up at 4 in the morning to rush through TSA and sit in an overcrowded airport, but earlier flights are less likely to be delayed or outright cancelled. According to Travel + Leisure airspace is less crowded in the morning, meaning there are fewer headaches for air traffic controllers than in the afternoon and evening, when planes build up and wait for departure.
If an early flight is delayed or cancelled, you'll also have more options for rebooking later in the day.
What to do if a delay will impact travel/your flight is cancelled:
6. See what your rebooking options are
Remember that airline app you downloaded? It should provide you a list of flights either the same day or the next that you can rebook to at no extra cost (do NOT pay extra - if it tries to make you, check out hint #7. You shouldn't have to pay anything to get on a rebooked flight).
If it would greatly inconvenience you to fly out the next day, see if you can fly to an airport near your final destination. For example, if your flight to Syracuse is cancelled, you might be able to fly to Rochester, Ithaca, or Watertown (yeah, they have an airport).
7. Speak to an airline representative (and get some compensation for the disruption to your plans)
Face-to-face interaction is typically the best and quickest way to get things done.
Your mission is simple: track down your gate agent or the customer service desk, tell them exactly what happened, where you need to be, and ask them the best way to get there.
If this isn't possible for some reason, you might have to go through your carrier's call center. Little known air travel fact: American carriers typically have international call lines that are usually quicker than the domestic one. Same MO as above: tell them what happened, where you need to be, and ask the best way to get there.
Once you've got a gameplan, ask about compensation. Even if you aren't inconvenienced by a change in plans, airlines typically offer incentives like miles, money, or a travel voucher. If you're forced to stay the night in a different city, definitely ask about compensation for a hotel room.
Sadly, airlines aren't required to do this according to the USDOT, unless the flight is overbooked. In fact, on my trip to Alabama earlier this summer, the airline I flew with was literally telling people to walk into Philadelphia and hope they got lucky with a hotel.
If all else fails and nobody is willing to help you, a snarky Twitter post tagging the airline will certainly get their attention.
8. Stay Calm, Be Friendly and Flexible
The most universal advice I can give you about traveling is that on the long list of things that can go wrong, at least one of them will. It's just part of the deal.
If you're flying home, don't get it in your head that you will be in your bed that night. If you're flying to Tampa, don't wear your bathing suit on the plane. If you're flying to Chile in the summer months, keep that parka parked.
My point with all this is: don't expect everything to go perfectly, because it won't.
If you go into the airport with this mindset, you can be ready and flexible for anything that comes your way. Always be friendly with airport and airline staff: they are constantly being screamed at and treated like less than dirt, both by their employers and travelers. The more friendly you are, the more patient and willing they will be to help you.
Sometimes, they're jerks. That's their problem, not yours.
It's also important to extend that courtesy to other travelers. Not only will you make some new friends; you might still be able to get to where you want to go.
When my flight back to Syracuse was cancelled earlier in the month, the goal was to rent a car from Albany airport and drive home. It wasn't until we were taxiing to the runway on my rebooked flight that I learned Albany had no rental cars available (yeah, that's another thing to be ready for). Thankfully, I had struck up a friendship with a woman who also needed to get to Syracuse, and had a ride there.
Long story short, I made it home that night. Accepting uncertainty and showing kindness won't just get you far at the terminal, but in life.
With all of this said...
Please, don't let travel uncertainty hold you back from taking the trip of a lifetime. Ashoka Tano, the great grey Jedi, once said: "nothing worth doing is ever easy." Find your destination and get out there!
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