Travel has roared back and is now reaching pre-COVID levels. Airports are crowded, record crowds are filling theme parks across the world, and almost every sector of the travel industry is stretched to cope with demands from guests and staffing issues.
Hotels, restaurants, casinos, cruise ships and car rentals are all impacted. This is expected to continue for the next 6 months to a year. Here are some tips for navigating air travel in a time when day of flight cancellations, delays, oversold situations, and constant changes are all to be expected.
A. You have rights established by the U.S. Congress Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights. However, these rights only apply to U.S. flights. Other airlines have detailed explanations on their websites.
B. Travel a day ahead whenever possible, particularly if you must be at your destination at a certain time, to join a cruise, special activity, etc.
C. Try to do carry-on luggage only, or if you are visiting family, send a box via UPS. Ground rates are usually a good value and less than the cost of baggage charges from the airline. Other options, but pricey, are luggage valet services.
D. Cross pack luggage whenever possible. Don’t have “his and her” suitcases, have “our” suitcases. If a bag goes missing, at least you’ll have something to wear.
E. If you book your flight on certain “low-cost” airlines, they may not be able to re-accommodate passengers on another airline in the event of cancellations. Major airlines such as Delta, United and American can re-accommodate their passengers on other airlines. Buying a ticket the day of travel is very expensive.
F. Watch your seat selection. Seats are cramped. If you are over 6-foot tall, pop for a premium or comfort-plus seat. There are added benefits such as early boarding, free baggage, and onboard perks. Don’t book a window seat on a long flight. Getting out of that seat to go to the bathroom often can be an ordeal.
G. Register and join airline frequent flyer programs.
H. Download the airline app on your phone. This will keep you up to date as to changes, including gate changes, flight changes and even notifying you your luggage has been loaded on the plane.
I. Consider getting a credit card associated with the airline you frequently use. Many times, they offer benefits such as better boarding placement, free checking of a suitcase or suitcases, and more frequent flyer points based on your purchases.
J. If you qualify, some higher-level credit card programs such as Amex Platinum offer free private lounge benefits, plus discounts or paying for TSA pre-check and CLEAR.