Let’s be honest, U.S. domestic air travel is not fun. Staff shortages and high fuel prices as well as normal weather problems have led to some very public and painful meltdowns this year. Mass cancellations and delays happen daily. Prices have skyrocketed on domestic travel. Also, airlines are short staffed, and staff are overworked. Surviving air travel this year takes planning. Here are our top tips surviving for domestic air travel.
Looking for the way to get the best airfare prices? Check out our 6 Insider Secrets for Getting the Best Airfare.
Tip 1: Don’t Fly!
If you can, drive! Seriously, if your destination is a day’s drive or less, it may be the better alternative. Besides, a road trip can be fun.
Tip 2: For a Better Air Travel Experience, Use the App
Download and use the app for your airline. With it you can get your boarding pass, change seats, track your bags, see your incoming plane, and change a flight. Best of all, if your flight is cancelled or you miss a connection, you can often rebook from your phone. It beats waiting in the long line to talk to an agent. Good use of the app can be one of your strongest tools for surviving air travel.
Tip 3: Leave Early
Fly MUCH earlier than you need to – a whole day early if it’s important!! Remember, airline meltdowns have caused people to miss weddings, funerals, cruises, international connections, and graduations. If you must be somewhere, spend the extra money and go a day or two early.
Tip 4: Take that 6 a.m. Flight (Ugh!)
Fly the first flight in the morning so you have all day to be rebooked if things hit the fan. Yes, that means it might be a 3:00 a.m. wake-up, but morning flights cancel less often.
Tip 5: Watch the Weather
Remember, a single storm can shut down a whole airport. If severe weather is expected, you can often rebook to another flight. Check your airline’s website to see if a “weather waiver” is in effect.
Tip 6: Longer Layovers
In the past, a one-hour layover was sufficient at many airports. That 1-hour layover is no longer enough for 2023 air travel because so many flights run late for so many reasons. Look for layovers of at least two hours.
Tip 7: Avoid New York
We love visiting New York but you should avoid connecting at any New York area airport, especially Newark. In recent years, there is a 50/50 chance your flight will cancel or you will miss your connection. And if you get stuck there for an extended period, expect the restaurants to be expensive and the airline clubs jammed with people. For all these reasons, we try to avoid EWR, JFK, and LGA.
Tip 8: Be Nice!
One of the most important tips for air travel is to be nice! People are less likely to want to help you if you are mean to them. Tensions are high. You are frustrated and staff are exhausted. Besides, the delays are usually not their fault. A “please” and a sympathetic word can do wonders to get you the help you need.
Tip 9: Use Your Carry-On
If you can manage it, don’t check a bag—if you experience multiple cancellations a checked bag may not make it with you anyway. On the other hand, make sure your carry-on fits the airline’s size policy.
Don’t be the person who holds up the whole flight because you can’t figure out how to make your too-large carry-on fit in the overhead. We don’t like that person. In fact, we usually bring a carry-on that fits under the seat in front of us so we don’t have to fight for overhead bin space.
Tip 10: Buy Travel Insurance
If you don’t want to risk missing out on your dream cruise, make sure to protect your investment with travel insurance. But generally, it is not a good idea to purchase it from the airline as you can get better coverage for your whole trip from a third-party insurer.
Think carefully about how much money you have spent on your non-refundable trip and consider purchasing travel insurance to cover it. Airline and cruise company insurance can be more expensive than purchasing from a third-party provider. A knowledgeable travel agent can help you find the best insurance for your needs and budget.
Tip 11: Get the Best Seat
For 2024 air travel, on most airlines if you buy the cheapest seats (usually called basic economy) you have no right to sit in specific seats. Read the rules when you purchase your ticket. If sitting together is important, buy the ticket that lets you do that.
Do not expect strangers on a crowded plane to change seats with you, especially if they paid for that window seat. And if you do need to ask, ask nicely. You have no right to demand someone give up their seat and you certainly have no right to plop yourself down in that seat without permission.
Tip 12: Buying Your Air from Third Party Sites
If a flight is oversold, and no one volunteers to give up their seats, who do you think is the first to be bumped? It will not be the people who bought directly from the airline, it will be those who bought from a third-party site like Kayak, Expedia, etc.
Tip 13: Bring a Sweater
Planes are often cold. Even if you are heading for a sunny beach Layering is your friend. They will NOT turn the plane’s temperature up just for you! We always carry a Pashmina.
Tip 14: The Restroom!
Although this should seem obvious, we see people on many flights ignore this advice. Wear shoes to the restroom because you don’t know what liquid is on the floor. Also, don’t leave debris in the restroom. And, put trash in the receptacle and use a towel to wipe the sink.
Tip 15: Thank the Staff
A thank you note or a $5 gift card can brighten their day beyond measure. We know people who take small boxes of chocolates to give to deserving staff.
Also, if someone goes out of their way to help you, write down their name and send in an email note of praise to the airline. It matters as sometimes they will get perks or promotions because of your praise!
Tip 16: The BEST Tip for Air Travel
We saved the best tip for last. And shockingly few air travelers are aware of this important tip.
Last year when air travel melt-downs frustrated tens of thousands of travelers, the U.S. Department of Transportation stepped in. Not only did they tighten some rules, the got most of the U.S. domestic airlines to agree to provide you certain benefits if your flight is cancelled or delayed. Just visit the Airline Customer Service Dashboard and enter the specific airline. Then you can see what your airline has promised you if bad things happen.
Finally, you can use the comprehensive dashboard to compare airlines.
Secret Tip 17: The Coolest Secret
This one is so cool we made it a secret number 17. Take a European style two prong plug even if you are not going to Europe. What???
The reason is because the power ports on the plane can fit a variety of plug types and the U.S. ones tend to get worn down the most either because they’re used the most or Americans are more impatient in their handling of cords. But the European sockets are nice and tight. The sockets on most planes will work with either type, but the European ones actually work!
Want to know more about our airfare secrets and hacks? Check out the secret to visiting two destinations for the airfare for one and our 6 tips for getting the best airfare deal.
