If you are traveling for the Holidays this weekend, be safe and expect road and air travel delays and/or flight cancellations.
WASHINGTON, DC (7News) - An Aviation expert shares his tips on travel for the Holiday weekend:
“If I had a sure thing to get out tonight instead of tomorrow, and you have the flexibility to speed up your plans and get out, that’s what I would do, especially if you’re headed through the Midwest and the Ohio Valley where you’re going to see a lot of snow and blizzard conditions,” said Ben Mutzabaugh, senior editor with the travel website The Points Guy.
Most airlines are not charging for flight transfers; however, many flights are sold out, so space on earlier flights is limited. Alternatively, you could switch to a later flight on Saturday to hopefully avoid the storm, but the weather is ever-changing and unpredictable.
If you choose not to change your flight from Thursday or Friday to Saturday, consider these tips to make your life easier if your flight gets canceled:
- Pack all your belongings in a carry-on so you don't have to wait to retrieve your luggage before switching to a new flight. This will allow for more flexibility and a quick turnaround if you need to run to a gate on the other side of the airport.
- Have a list of alternate flights you could take and suggest them to the airline when requesting a new flight.
- Download a flight tracking app like FlightAware or FlightStats; they will alert you if your plane is delayed.
Fortunately, most airlines have been preparing for these delays and cancellations from experience on Thanksgiving and throughout the pandemic. Please be safe and patient!