With this holiday travel season expected to be the busiest ever, everything from inclement weather to a looming government shutdown has airline passengers considering all possible scenarios to ensure they still make it to their vacation destination.
Whatever the concern, travel experts have weighed in to help alleviate any pre-flight concerns with answers to your most common air travel questions.
“We expect to see 50% more people traveling during the 12-day winter holiday period compared to the busy nine-day Thanksgiving period,” Going travel expert Katy Nastro told “GMA.” “Just a couple of days equals a lot more people on the road, so make sure you add some buffer to your transit times to the airport, especially during peak season AAA suggests for metro cities.”
How a government shutdown would affect vacation travel
“Air travel will operate as normal during the busy holiday season. But the longer this goes on, the longer TSA employees and air traffic controllers will go without pay,” she explained, adding that previous extended shutdowns have led to “staff calling out sick and strained skeleton crews trying to fill the gaps, leading to longer security lines than usual.”
How early should I arrive at the airport during the holiday?
If ever there was a time to be an early bird at the airport, it’s now.
Whether you’re a frequent flier and carry-on queen, leaving the potentially long lines of overweight, checking in gift-filled luggage or regularly relying on TSA PreCheck to ensure quick access through dedicated security lanes, agencies have already warned that this will be the busiest travel season ever, period.
“With record numbers of travelers expected, even more time included in your airport experience can’t hurt,” suggested Nastro.
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The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen nearly 40 million travelers from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, up 6.2% from last year.
The three busiest days to fly in the coming days, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, will be Thursday, December 19, followed by Friday, December 27 and Friday, December 20.
United said it is planning for the busiest holiday rush ever, with 9.9 million ticketed passengers scheduled to fly between Dec. 19 and Jan. 6. The airline said it is adding nearly 500 more flights per day during the holiday season. The Chicago-based operator expects Friday, December 20, Friday, December 27 and Saturday, December 28 to be the busiest days.
What to do if your flight is delayed during the holidays
First, always have your airline’s app downloaded to see the latest information with notifications enabled. In most airline apps, you can see where your incoming flight is coming from to get an expected status so you’ll be the first to know if a delay is expected.
Nick Ewen, senior editorial director of The Points Guy, previously told “Good Morning America” that apps like FlightRadar24 can “show you the registration number of the plane that’s scheduled to operate your flight,” which can be helpful for navigation next step if yours is nowhere to be seen.
“If you’re waiting to depart New York in two hours and your plane is still sitting in Texas, you’re not on time — even if the airline’s system says your flight is on schedule,” he said of how the tool could provide more insight .
Airline expert Scott Keyes, founder of Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights, shared his top tip for delays that either cause you to miss a connecting flight or force you to rebook: Get on the phone as soon as possible.
“Especially if there’s bad weather, a lot of people are going to call, so don’t just stand in line at the airport to talk to a gate agent,” Keyes told “GMA.” “You also want to make sure you call the airline. But specifically call the airline’s international number.”
This handy hack will bypass America’s main hotline, Keyes said, which most others would also call.
Under the new regulations from the Department of Transportation, if there is a clear interruption to your flight on any airline — which is three hours or more for domestic flights and six hours or more for international flights — the airline is required to automatically provide cash refunds to passengers .
What to do if your flight is canceled while traveling on vacation
“Flight disruptions are stressful. The only other thing on par with that level of travel stress might be navigating back when you choose not to be rebooked by the airline,” travel expert Katy Nastro told “GMA” previously.
Thankfully, as “GMA” previously reported, new federal regulations that went into effect earlier this year require airlines to make it easier for ticket passengers to get refunds after cancellations or other significant flight changes, which also now need to be more clearly defined.
Travelers can now easily receive an automatic refund if they choose not to take a rescheduled flight due to significant disruption. However, this does not mean that travelers can receive both a refund and a new flight – the new federal regulation only covers one or the other.
How to use AirTags to track luggage
The long-running tech travel hack is a great way to make sure you know exactly where your bags are when you’ve checked them in before security, or even if you have to check in at the door.
Now, major airlines such as United are implementing Find My technology to locate your luggage in case it goes missing or doesn’t reach your final destination.
Check how it works here.
“For everyone else, it’s always a good idea to have the AirTag packed, even for carry-on luggage,” Nastro said. “With flights likely to be packed to the brim, overhead bin space is likely to be prime real estate and people will need to gate check. Keep the AirTag packed anyway so you can keep an eye on where the carry-on is as well.” “
The airlines are also cracking down on their two-part baggage limit and increased hand luggage. To ensure you don’t get singled out when going through security or boarding, make sure you have combined bags before you walk through the airport doors.
What to do if someone asks to change seats on a plane
One of the great air travel debates that really relies on your personal experience right now – to switch seats with a fellow passenger if they ask or not?
Whether it’s a parent with a child who desperately wants your window view or another request, Rosalinda Randall, an etiquette expert, told “GMA” that no one is obligated to change seats on a plane if asked to do so.
“You can always ask. What I tell people is if you’re going to ask, you have a good reason.” But she noted, “be ready when someone answers you with the answer you didn’t expect.”
Nastro reflected on the age-old travel adage “pack your patience” which she said “should get an update to practice ’empathy in the air.’
“We’re all trying to get where we’re going this holiday season, and it can’t hurt to come from a place of understanding,” Nastro reminded.
What’s Covered in the New DOT Airline Refund Policy
Click here for complete information on the new requirements that each airline must comply with under federal regulations.
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