Summer flying has been rough, but milder skies may be ahead.

(CNN) — We can’t say we weren’t warned.

Those looking for promising signs will find them in no time. Are we in this pattern for the rest of summer travel — and, heaven help us, into fall? Is there hope in sight?

Travel experts who spoke to CNN Travel this week say they expect the fall travel season to bring some relief, certainly in prices but also in flight disruptions. But we still have the rest of August and Labor Day weekend to go.

Hope for Labor Day weekend

With deep-seated, systemic problems with a shortage of workers from pilots and mechanics to air traffic controllers, no one is seeing any particular dramatic relief in the next two weeks.

But count Scott Keys, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, a flight deals and travel advice site, on a cautiously optimistic flight this Labor Day weekend. (Labor Day is Monday, September 5.)

“Looking back over the summer, you had two big holiday travel periods. You had Memorial Day when air travel went horribly wrong. There were extensive delays and cancellations that turned travel into a nightmare for many people. … and then the Fourth of July weekend with minimal travel disruption. You had Sunday,” Keyes said.

“As I look forward to Labor Day, my best guess would be closer to the Fourth of July than Memorial Day. The reason for that, I think, is that there will be less overall traffic on Labor Day than on Memorial Day,” he said. “With fewer travelers, the pressure on the system is reduced.”

This reduces the chance of a domino effect if something goes wrong.

“One of the reasons we’ve had a difficult summer is because the system has a shortage of pilots, a shortage of aircraft, now a shortage of air traffic control,” he said.

So when bad weather hits in the summer, there aren’t enough people on staff to absorb the damage.

“But with Labor Day looking like less travel time than earlier in the summer, I’m more confident that things won’t take the downturn we saw earlier this summer,” Keyes said.

Early vacations this summer

Kathleen Bangs, a former airline pilot and spokeswoman for flight-tracking site FullyAware, echoed concerns about the potential issues with too many people on too few flights.

“People showed up early this year on vacation,” she said. That has already put a lot of pressure on airlines, which have been dealing with issues such as pilot training and pilot shortages in the pipeline at regional airlines since the start of the winter.

There is also a shortage of maintenance technicians and mechanics. More than half of that critical work is exported, she said. “Right now there are airlines canceling flights just because there aren’t enough mechanics,” Bangs said.

But with more people taking their winter trips, some schools already back in session and business travel not quite at their pre-pandemic pace, it will be easier for airlines to deal with weather-related issues.

Bangs put some of that in perspective.

“Delays in 2019 were still pretty bad… I think one of the reasons delays drive people crazy is because most days are now over an hour long.”

But airlines may only give you 40 to 45 minutes to make a connection.

“This means that you will not fly that connection. Before, the airline said, “No problem. We’ll put you on the next flight,” says Bangs. But you can’t do that now because there are so few open seats. That’s why you don’t hear many people talking about airline delays in 2019, but you do now.

One bright spot: Air fares have fallen

One thing’s for sure: At least when it comes to price, people have reason to be excited right now.

“Airline prices have been falling since the last big peak in mid-to-late May,” said Hayley Berg, chief economist at the travel booking app. But don’t panic during this drop.

“These low prices will be available for the next two weeks of travel in September and October. And then the cost of air travel will start to increase, and will increase very quickly as we head into Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Air fares are down an average of 37% year-to-date in the United States from May’s peak, and passengers are paying less for Memorial Day and July 4 travel.

Berg shares Keyes’ cautious optimism for Labor Day weekend — especially if you’re not booked yet and flexible as you go. Peak travel days are Thursday, Friday and Monday. Try getting up on Saturday instead.

“You can save as much as 26% off top airfare,” she said. And then Return Wednesday can save you up to 21%. But those aren’t the only price savings you can get these days.

“There will be fewer people at the airport, shorter lines and hopefully fewer interruptions. So not only will it save you money, but it will save you some significant frustration,” he said.

“There is some benefit in trying to fly on a day when the airports are not crowded and there are few flights scheduled. Usually the natural way to get delayed and canceled is to lean on the tarmac when one flight is delayed and it has a chain reaction. Or one flight is canceled and it messes up the whole schedule. So fly on off-peak days.” It has great benefits.

It’s all a warning of something out of anyone’s control: the weather. It’s hurricane season in the United States, and the weather in other places like Western Europe was terrible. A big storm can change the calculus quickly, Keyes said.

Another strategy: wait for it to fall

Bangs, Keys, and Berg all love the promises made in September and October, and it’s not just the typically low prices.

Bangs noted that there could be delays in flight chaos after the Labor Day weekend.

“The best time to travel is September and October. The crowd goes down. Children are in school. The weather is usually better,” said Bangs. “But b [winter] During the holidays, you’ll want to get the ticket now because the price goes up.

Berg is “absolutely 100 percent” behind the fall flight.

“For travelers who want to hide in one more trip before [winter] The holidays, September and October are the absolute best times to fly, which means they should be planning and booking their trips this month,” Berg said.

More strategies to come

While we hope and wait for things to calm down, here are some more tips on navigating the skies now and in the coming weeks and months.

Take the earliest possible flight: “The earlier you schedule your flight, the more likely it will go smoothly because … the weather will be better in the morning and afternoon,” Keyes said. “But you don’t run the risk of a domino-effect cancellation.”

Think like a business traveler. “Passengers have to be smarter. They have to emulate business travelers. Because business travelers are smart. They’ve got PSA pre-check. The airline apps have been downloaded to their phones,” Bangs said.

Weighing the benefits of popular routes- Las Vegas, Denver and Atlanta are the most popular domestic destinations this Labor Day, according to Hopper, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), Cancun and Mexico City are the most popular international destinations for Americans. Don’t let the expectations of many travelers scare you, Berg said.

“More popular destinations typically have more flights and more direct flight options. This means there is a greater chance of finding another direct flight or another flight, even if there are disruptions.”

Continuously. Bangs and Keyes suggest booking nonstop, connecting flights whenever possible. It might be worth the extra cost if there is one.

Consider a budget carrier: Bangs budget carriers should be considered for point-to-point travel in the United States, but beware of international flights. Delta Air Lines may not have backup resources.

Do not check a bag. “If your flight is delayed or you have to reschedule or you miss a connection, it’s much easier to not find your bag in the belly of the plane,” Keyes said.

Silver linings

What initially appears to be bad news may have a silver lining.

For example, Bangs sees some positives in the fact that American Airlines canceled 31,000 flights in November. Such moves would reduce delays and cancellations for everyone, if the schedules were actually a little more coordinated. That’s probably a good thing.

“All the airlines have tried to go back to the 2019 schedules in 2022. And now they say, ‘Well, that’s not going to work.'”

But some “golden era” flight parts may never return, Bangs said.

“The days when you have a half-empty plane — those wonderful days where you can stretch out and sleep on all three seats — I think those days may be gone forever.”

Top Image: Travelers 2018 They pick up their luggage on arrival at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on July 2, 2022. (Stephanie Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images)