How to avoid flight delays and cancellations

Between bad weather, air traffic control congestion, staffing issues and maintenance problems, flight delays are a necessary evil of the travel industry.

Some delays will inevitably turn into cancellations, which can cause disruption to your travel plans.

What’s more, whenever the pandemic hit, we saw a lot of airline failure, with thousands of flights canceled and delayed in a short period of time.

Avoiding flight delays and irregular operations may not always be possible. Still, there are certainly a few things you can do (with your luggage) to increase your chances of getting to your destination.

Whether you’re booking the first flight of the day or buying a flight from an airline hub, here’s what you need to know to avoid flight delays, cancellations and airline crashes.

Fly continuously

When things go wrong, getting to your destination becomes more complicated as you increase connectivity. Even if your first flight runs as scheduled, there’s no telling what the next flight will be.

So if possible, book non-stop flights to maximize your chances of reaching your destination.

If you start at your starting point, you can always go home to cut your losses. When you’re already on the road, finding a replacement flight or a place to stay in a city other than your destination can be a challenge.

Take the first flight of the day

The first flight of the day is especially good for a number of reasons, including being less likely to be delayed.

For the most part, most domestic jets do not fly at night so your plane will wait for you at the airport. Additionally, if there are technical issues, engineers can resolve them overnight without disrupting your plans.

If the first flight of the morning is delayed, it gets worse throughout the day as that plane makes more flights throughout the day.

Fly from intersections

Most major US airlines operate hubs in key cities across the country. These airports handle hundreds of daily flights for each of the major carriers, and they are often home to staffing infrastructure.

If your flight is delayed or canceled, you’re more likely to get a replacement flight to or from a hub with multiple daily services.

Plus, if your flight has staffing or maintenance issues, it’s usually easier to resolve those at a hub than at a location.

Do not check bags

This may not be possible, but if you can, avoid checking bags. As flight delays and cancellations begin to pile up, airline baggage handling systems are overwhelmed, waiting hours (if not longer) to retrieve checked bags after canceled flights.

Additionally, your rebooking options may be more limited if you check a bag on your flight.

Even if you finally arrive at your destination, it can take days – if not weeks – for your checked bag to show up.

If you have to check a bag, we recommend keeping the Apple Airtag in your bag and keeping all your valuables handy.

Know your rights

When your flight is significantly delayed or canceled for any reason, you are entitled to a full refund (not a credit). That’s thanks to the Department of Transportation, which is seeking refunds for non-regular flights or inbound flights from the US.

Because you can collect a full refund when your flight is canceled, you can quickly rebook on another airline that operates on time.

Set backup option

Many major US airlines have interline ticketing agreements with other carriers, which means that if your flight is significantly delayed or canceled, you can rebook on another airline.

When preparing to travel, arrive at the airport armed with a backup plan in case your flight is disrupted. Approach the customer service counter with your backup options and ask the agent to rebook you on another airline – assuming the airline has an intermediary agreement with the operating carrier, it shouldn’t come at extra cost.

Check the credit card benefits

Many of TPG’s top recommended travel credit cards include travel interruption and cancellation insurance.

Read about charging all airline expenses to these cards and your benefits before you travel. If your flight is delayed or canceled, notify your credit card company and take advantage of your benefits.

Save and submit your receipts

As we’ve seen recently, many US airlines are willing to refund meals, hotels and alternative transportation in the event of flight cancellations or significant flight delays due to reasons within the airline’s control.

Make sure to collect your receipts throughout the trip and send them to the customer care department after your trip for reimbursement.

at last

Although flight delays and cancellations cannot be avoided, there are some things you can do to prevent them from happening.

From booking the first flight of the day to flying non-stop, it’s certainly possible to reduce your exposure to irregular jobs.

But when things go wrong, check out TPG’s guide to what happens if your flight is delayed or cancelled.