Has your flight been canceled or delayed? You’re not alone. While the number of cancellations and delays has improved following last summer’s mass chaos, air travel remains unpredictable. Read on to understand what’s causing recent travel disruptions, what to do if you’re impacted, and how to more likely avoid flight cancellations in the future.
What to do if your flight is canceled
If your flight has been canceled, remember that federal law entitles you to a full cash refund for the cost of your airfare (regardless of the reason). Follow these steps to rebook your itinerary and claim compensation.
Get on the airline’s app — or make an international call
First, pull up the airline’s app on your phone. Most airline apps allow you to easily rebook your flight for free, provided you can supply your six-character reservation code. Getting in line to speak with an agent and calling the airline while you wait is also a good idea (albeit slower than using an app), and social media messaging, texting or WhatsApp may prove helpful. “During times of mass travel disruption, you should try all different avenues for getting help,” says Nick Ewen, director of content at The Points Guy.
Ewen also recommends a lesser-known tactic: calling the airline’s international numbers. Airlines have offices in Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and more. “While it can be costly, you can often get through to an agent more quickly,” Ewen says.
Note that, depending on why your flight was canceled, finding seats on a new flight may be difficult and may alter your travel plans considerably.
Reference the Cancellation and Delay Dashboard for compensation
While you’re entitled to a full cash refund, you may also be eligible for other compensation such as free overnight accommodations. Visit the Department of Transportation’s Cancellation and Delay Dashboard to see what each major airline will and will not offer in the event of a controllable cancellation.
The following domestic airlines guarantee meal vouchers, complimentary hotels and complimentary transportation to and from accommodations in the event of a flight cancellation:
— Alaska
— American
— Allegiant
— Delta
— Hawaiian
— JetBlue
— Southwest
— Spirit
— United
Depending on the time of day, you may want to book a complimentary hotel before you do anything else. “If you were originally booked on the last flight of the night and there are no other options, grab a hotel room near the airport before they’re all taken,” Ewen advises.
Request a refund
If the airline cancels your flight or it’s “significantly delayed” (a term still defined on a case-by-case basis) and you’re forced to change your travel plans, the DOT requires airlines to provide a full refund. Unfortunately, getting a refund is often a lengthy and frustrating process — an issue the DOT is actively working to improve with new protections for flyers, including $1 billion in refunds since 2021 and legal action against several airlines. Most airlines will instead offer a voucher for future travel, but be wary of vouchers, since they often come with limitations such as blackout and expiration dates.
If you believe you’re entitled to a refund and the airline denies it to you, you can and should file a complaint with the DOT. Once you’re able to get your money back, note that reimbursement covers the total cost of airfare only and does not include other expenses associated with your trip.
What to do if your flight is delayed
In the event your flight is delayed, airlines are not legally obligated to give you a refund unless the DOT determines the delay to be “significant.” But here’s what you can do:
Research other flights
Investigate what other flights on that airline are headed to your destination and ask an agent if they can get you on one of them (without charging change fees). Also be sure to look into what’s available on partner or other airlines: If Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue or United don’t have any flights available on your departure date, an agent will book you on a flight with a different carrier at no additional cost to you per the Cancellation and Delay Dashboard. Note, however, that airlines are not legally obligated to do this.
Inquire about other compensation
If you’ve been stranded at the airport for several hours, check in with an agent and reference the Commitments for Controllable Delays section on the Cancellation and Delay Dashboard — regardless of whether you’re able to get on another flight. Several airlines provide vouchers for meals, overnight accommodations and round-trip transportation to the airport.
Why are flights being canceled?
“There are two primary causes for the rash of controllable cancellations we saw in 2022: overscheduling and antiquated airline technology,” says Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights).
— Overscheduling: “Controllable cancellations spiked around Memorial Day 2022 as travel demand bounced back quicker than expected and airlines realized they had far more flights scheduled than they were able to operate,” Keyes explains. “This was due in large part to the ongoing pilot shortage, but also labor shortages in other essential areas like aircraft mechanics.” The result? Full flights with few rebooking options.
— Outdated airline technology: “Internal systems at many airlines are built on top of 1970s technology,” says Keyes. “Most of the time it works fine, but on occasion when there’s a lot of cancellations (even for understandable reasons like a winter storm) it can buckle under the weight.” This is exactly what happened to Southwest Airlines in December 2022; its outdated software system couldn’t adequately respond to a series of winter storms, forcing the airline to leave thousands of travelers stranded.
Will air travel be chaotic again this summer?
Some experts say no, pointing to better preparedness by the airlines. “Airlines are anticipating a robust travel season and have a better sense than last year of their own schedule capabilities and limitations,” says Keyes. “And the experience of the summer 2022 meltdown and Southwest’s Christmas meltdown chastened a lot of carriers to prioritize prevention (by, say, not overscheduling) rather than maximization (putting as many flights on the schedule as possible and just hoping the pilots/planes/resources are there to support it).”
Others predict continued complications. While the the number of airline industry employees has grown by roughly 10% since pre-pandemic, there’s still a staffing shortage — particularly for air traffic controllers and Customs and Border Protection — and outdated technology remains in place.
How to avoid flight cancellations and delays in the future
It’s almost impossible to avoid canceled or delayed flights these days. But there are a few things you can do when booking flights to lessen your chances for travel disruptions.
Keep tabs on your aircraft
On your departure date, check your flight information before heading to the airport. You can keep a watchful eye on the flight’s status — including the aircraft scheduled to operate your flight — using the airline’s app or a third-party app such as FlightAware Flight Tracker (which also offers a website), FlightRadar24 or TripIt Pro.
“As an example, if you’re flying from Orlando to New York, and your plane is flying in from Chicago, the initial flight from Chicago to Orlando might be delayed (or canceled) before yours is,” Ewen explains. “Airlines will try to find replacement aircraft in that case, but if you can identify a potential cancellation before it officially happens, you may be able to get rebooked ahead of the other 100-plus passengers on your flight.”
Consider an alternate airport
When booking your flight, you may consider flying out of a different airport than the one you typically depart from. For example, a small regional airport with limited routes may mean less travel delays and hassle overall — or it may be worth driving further to another international airport for a nonstop flight to your destination rather than opting for a connecting flight close to home.
Fly in the morning
While flight disruptions are unpredictable, historically fewer cancellations and delays occur in the morning.
Avoid weekend travel
Fly on off-peak days like Tuesday or Wednesday. You’ll often find cheaper flights on these days, too.
Opt for longer layovers
If you need to take more than one flight to reach your destination, book a flight with a longer layover to provide enough time to make your connecting flight. Keep in mind that at some airports you may need to go through security or customs for your connection. For longer journeys, you can reduce the risk of missing connecting flights by planning a city stopover. For example, Icelandair offers Iceland stopovers for no additional airfare.
Consider a credit card with travel protections
You don’t need to be a frequent traveler to take advantage of credit card travel protections and perks. Here are a couple options to consider:
— Chase Sapphire Preferred: This travel credit card ($95 annually) provides coverage for delays and cancellations when used to book flights. It also provides other travel protections such as delayed baggage coverage. “Even someone who travels just once or twice a year can still get phenomenal value from this card,” Ewen says.
— American Express Platinum Card: This card ($695 annually) offers travel insurance that reimburses some nonrefundable expenses like hotel accommodations, meals and other essentials as long as the trip was purchased using the card.
When choosing a travel credit card, also consider the other benefits it carries. Even the most basic airline credit cards can offer travel perks like discounts on in-flight purchases and waived baggage fees, while premium travel credit cards (which require a higher annual fee) can include access to an airport lounge with food, drinks and Wi-Fi. Some also provide a concierge service to rebook flights or built-in trip insurance to cover unforeseen expenses.
Purchase travel insurance
Even if your credit card includes some travel protections, consider purchasing more comprehensive travel insurance. Options range from cheap plans to cancel for any reason policies. Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications for Allianz Global Assistance, says that, depending on the length of your delay and your coverage, “[travel insurance] may reimburse you for lost prepaid expenses, as well as costs you incur because of the delay, including meals, accommodations, communication and transportation.”
Talk to a travel advisor
“In the event of a flight delay or cancellation, travel advisors have a number of tools to assist,” says Peter Vlitas, senior vice president of airline relations at Travel Leaders Group, one of the largest travel agency companies. “If we anticipate flight delays due to weather, for example, travel advisors receive advance waivers so they can select alternative flights before they sell out.”
If you didn’t purchase flights through a travel advisor, you can pay for a service like Cranky Concierge’s Urgent Assistance plan, which charges a fee per one-way flight to help travelers find a solution to flight changes (either delays, cancellations or missed connections) and proactively monitor future trips.
Avoid checking luggage
Travelers who only travel with a carry-on bag and/or personal item (such as a backpack or purse) that meet carry-on size restrictions will have the most flexibility in rebooking — and will also avoid the chance of lost luggage, a lingering issue in the industry. Some carriers will try to move checked luggage to a later flight for you and will make every effort to keep you and your belongings together. However, when airlines don’t have interline agreements with other carriers, you’ll have to allow enough time to retrieve and recheck your own luggage.
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What to Do If Your Flight is Canceled originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 06/21/23: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
