We are certainly happy to be able to travel a little more freely this year, but there are certain aspects of traveling in 2022 that now seem to be more complex. Unfortunately, airlines, car rentals and in some cases even hotels and restaurants have not recovered to their previous levels of service. As a result, travelers are now at more risk for cancelled flights, expensive car rentals and potentially disappointing travel experiences.
First and foremost, if you plan to travel, you really have to come to terms with the fact that travel nowadays is not like it used to be. The likelihood of travel problems is higher and additional planning and anxiety is the norm. Understandably, some folks have opted not to travel, because they just do not want to deal with all the stress. We totally get it! We went through a lot of hemming regarding our travel plans over the past couple of years, and we did cancel several trips due to the uncertainty of world events and their potential impacts. However, we have made a number of trips, including international trips during the past year, and despite the additional anxiety, we ended up having a wonderful time.
So, for us, we have decided that we will continue to travel. We will plan our trips to the best of our ability, and we will think through some contingency plans, in case something goes wrong. In the end though, you simply cannot plan for everything. So, we leave home with the thought that some things may go wrong, but we will just have to figure those things out when and if they happen.
If you are not as committed to travel as we are, that is totally understandable! After all, everyone’s tolerance for risk is different. However, if you would like a few tips for mitigating some potential travel issues, particularly if you are flying, read on!
• Drive or Fly?
Before making an airline reservation, consider if driving to your destination makes more sense. In the past, we thought that any drive of more than one day automatically meant that we should just fly to our destination. Now though, we have reconsidered that premise, especially if we need to rent a vehicle. Not only has the cost of flights increased, but car rental fleets are smaller and as a result, rental costs have risen substantially. So, from a cost perspective, it may make more sense just to drive your own vehicle.
We spent 3 days driving to and from Colorado, on our trip there in May. Even by factoring in 4 nights in hotels, meals and the cost of fuel, we spent far less on our transportation costs than we would have had we flown and rented a car. Of course, we had the time to make the drive, and we do not mind spending time in the car. It definitely worked for us on this particular trip, but clearly it may not work well for everyone, and flying may be the only viable option.
If you would like more information on planning a road trip or a few sample itineraries, take a look at our article, Summer Road Trips – Tips and Itineraries.
• Arrive at Your Destination a Day Early
If you do decide to fly, understand that passengers are now more likely to encounter flight delays and sudden cancellations. If you are planning to join a tour group or a cruise, or if you have to arrive at your destination for a scheduled event, consider arriving a day or two earlier than planned. Yes, there will probably be some additional expense incurred by traveling early, but you will have peace of mind knowing that you will not miss your trip or a big event.
• Avoid Certain Airports and Aircraft
We live about 40 minutes from a regional airport, and although it would be more convenient for us to fly from there, we rarely do. In these times, when flight cancellations are so prevalent, minimizing the number of legs on your itinerary is advisable. Flying in and out of small airports frequently means that at least one connecting flight will be necessary.
In addition, smaller airports typically have fewer flight options available. Certain routes may have only one flight per day or maybe even only a few flights per week. The minimal number of flights means that if a flight is cancelled or delayed, there will likely be fewer options available for rescheduling. There may not even be another flight available for several days.
If your itinerary is flexible, then the time savings of flying in and out of your regional airport may be just fine. However, if your trip is time sensitive, considering driving a couple of hours to a larger airport, if you have the option.
Another factor to consider is the type of aircraft used on your planned flight. When airport traffic gets backed up and flights start getting cancelled, smaller aircraft with fewer passengers are more likely to be cancelled or diverted. We have experienced this issue a number of times, so if we have a choice, we try to fly in larger jets as opposed to the smaller, regional jets.
• International Flights
When flying to Europe, most East Coast flights leave the U.S. by connecting through the busiest airports such as JFK, Dulles, Newark, Atlanta, etc. We have been on delayed flights through these airports and getting rescheduled on another flight can be quite difficult. On one occasion, after a flight to Amsterdam was cancelled upon our arrival at JFK, the airline planned to fly us to Houston in order to take a flight from there the next day!
Connecting flights are almost always necessary unless you are flying to and from major hubs, both in the United States and your international destination. Flying from Charlotte, we either must connect through a U.S. airport in the northeast, or take one of a few direct flights to a European city. We opt to fly directly to Europe and make connections there. We have found that once we arrive in Europe, we will have many more options for getting to our final destination in the event our connecting flight gets cancelled.
• Leave Early in the Day
If you are flying domestically, schedule your flights as early in the day as possible. Afternoon flights are more likely to be delayed or cancelled. As the day wears on and air traffic begins to stack up, the likelihood of schedule impacts increases.
Another alternative is to fly late at night. Since there are fewer planes in the air and a lower chance of encountering weather-related issues, red-eye flights are generally not as impacted by unexpected delays and cancellations.
• Stay on Top of Itinerary Changes
In the past you may have relied on your airline, tour company or travel agent to make you aware of changes to your travel itinerary. We suggest that you monitor your flights and itineraries yourself. We have experienced changes to flights and were never contacted by the carrier. So now, we take a quick look at our itineraries very frequently and no longer rely on anyone else to inform us of changes.
The earlier you find out about a change, the more options you will have for making alternative plans.
• What to Do if Your Flight is Cancelled/Rescheduled
Despite all of your best efforts to pick the least risky flights, your flight can still change or even be cancelled right up until the time of departure.
So, what should you do if your flight gets cancelled at the last minute?
Again, knowing about the cancellation as soon as possible is important. You do not want to find that your flight is cancelled after you have arrived at the airport, if you can find out before you even leave home! You will definitely be more comfortable re-planning your trip from your home or hotel room than in the airport.
One way to easily get up to the minute changes in your scheduled flight is to download the airline’s app to your cell phone, and begin receiving proactive communications through e-mail or text. You will be able to easily track delays, cancellations, and gate changes, etc. on the day of your flight.
Once you find out about the cancellation, start researching your preferred flight options. The airline may automatically reschedule you, but those flights may not be the best option for you. Despite being automatically rescheduled, you may still want to contact your airline to try to work out a better option.
If you are at the airport, you can speak with a customer service representative. If you are waiting in a line for customer service, simultaneously get on the phone and try to reach customer service that way. Remember the quicker you react, the better options you will have!
• Strategize with Your Luggage
In addition to flight cancellations and delays that could impact the receipt of your luggage, staffing shortages and interruptions have resulted in a lot of lost luggage! So, the easiest thing you can do is to avoid checking luggage.
If you have been following our blog for a while, you may know that we strive to only use carry-on luggage. However, we know that it is not always possible to avoid checking a bag, especially on international flights. For example, carry-on luggage on Lufthansa is limited to just under 18 pounds. Some folks have reported that they have successfully made it on to flights with heavier luggage. But it has been our experience that the European airlines are very strict and both our carry-on and personal items have been weighed for compliance with the weight restrictions.
So, if you are checking luggage there are a few things you can do that will help minimize the chance of loosing your luggage and maximize the chance that your lost luggage will be found and returned to you promptly.
– Be sure to know what you are allowed to pack in your luggage. Checked luggage is scanned and your luggage is more likely to be opened for inspection if you are carrying prohibited items. Just having to have ‘special handling’ increases the chances of your luggage not making it onto your flight. Here is a link to the TSA website explaining what can be carried within your luggage.
– Make sure you have a luggage tag on the outside of your bag with all of your contact information. Place a copy of that same information inside your bag as well.
– Remove all stickers and barcodes that may have accumulated on your luggage from previous flights.
– Consider using Apple Air Tags or a similar technology to track the location of your bags.
– Check the airline’s app. Some include a basic level of tracking of your luggage.
– Take a photo of the contents of your luggage to help you recall its contents in the event you have to file a claim.
– Consider using a luggage cover or luggage straps that will help differentiate your bag from all the others, and take a photo. If you lose your luggage, you will need to provide a description of it, and a picture is worth a thousand words.
– Share the risks with your travel partner, if you have one. Spread your belongings across multiple bags. That way, if you do lose one bag, you will at least have some of your belongings in the bags that do make it.
– Ensure that all your valuables and anything else that you may need to survive for a few days is included are in your carry-on luggage.
TIP: For some tips on packing, take a look at some of our most popular posts: “Tips for Packing Light”, “How to Pack for the TSA” and “10 Products to Keep You Organized When You Travel”.
• Monitor Your Destination for Changing Rules
Even though many countries have opened up to travel with fewer restrictions, there are still some in place. Be sure to thoroughly understand what is required for entering and traveling within each country on your itinerary. This website can help you understand and keep track of any changing requirements.
• Purchase Travel Insurance
Another familiar theme that we frequently stress is the need for travel insurance. Although airlines will compensate you for lost luggage, their compensation for cancelled and delayed flights is not quite so clear. Having travel insurance is just another method of protecting yourself from financial loss from many situations you may encounter when traveling. If you would like to learn more about travel insurance, we have written a couple of articles on the topic: “Understanding Travel Insurance” and “Trip Insurance – Single Trip Versus an Annual Policy”.
We hope that you have found these tips helpful. They are the ones that we have incorporated into our own travel. Keep in mind that no matter how much you plan or what mitigation steps you take, things can still go awry. Mentally prepare yourself for that eventuality, pack your patience and try to take the problems in stride. Doing so will go a long way to making your trip more enjoyable, memorable and satisfying!
Until next time, safe travels!