What travelers can do as flight delays and cancellations continue

If you’re flying or planning a trip for Thanksgiving, the ongoing government shutdown is making things complicated. Travelers are facing cancellations, delays, and tough decisions about whether to fly at all.

Sean Cudahy, the senior aviation reporter with The Points Guy, said staffing issues at the Federal Aviation Administration are leading to delays and cancellations at major airports, including at Reagan National, Dulles International, and BWI Marshall airports.

“We’ve seen the delays and cancellations really climb,” he said.

Reagan National saw major delays Friday night, and other airports, like Atlanta and Newark, have also been hit hard.

There are ways to put yourself in a better position for a smooth trip.

Cudahy said if you’re booking a flight, go nonstop if you can. Connections, especially tight ones, are risky right now.

“A delay is not the end of the world, but it is a big problem if it causes you to miss your second plane,” he said.

Cudahy also recommends avoiding peak travel times, like early mornings and early evenings.
“That 6 to 9 a.m., that kind of early evening window when things get really backed up,” he said.

If your flight gets canceled or delayed significantly and you decide not to travel, you’re entitled to a refund within seven days if you paid by credit card.“Go with another airline, book yourself a different trip, go on a train — you’re owed a refund, no questions asked,” Cudahy said.

Travelers should also look for flexibility from airlines, according to Cudahy. Some are offering refunds or letting people rebook trips.

“Your airline may give you the right just to go ahead and scrap the trip, stay home, get a refund or reschedule,” he said.

And, while regional airports might seem like a workaround, they’re not immune to the disruptions.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know that there’s any one place that you can go and be guaranteed to miss trouble,” Cudahy said.

If you’re booking a flight for Thanksgiving, he recommends using a credit card with travel insurance and avoid the Sunday after the holiday, which is typically the busiest travel day of the year.

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