Memorial Day weekend is over, and we’re now about to enter June where summer travel really begins to ramp up. I will be doing a fair amount of flying this summer too, especially in August and September.
One thing that’s naturally a part of summer air travel is the uptick in thunderstorms and other inclement weather. I’m no stranger to this, as I’ve had travel plans twisted last summer and even as recently as earlier this month.
These weather delays can be frustrating, but there are several things we can control when choosing our flights and planning our trips. Here are my 3 tips for those flying this summer.
1. Fly in the Morning
This is honestly the biggest advice I can give. Fly in the morning. Yes, waking up early in the morning sticks. I get it. But it’s the biggest thing you can control.
First, the weather is no doubt calmer in the morning, as most thunderstorms occur in the afternoon and early evening hours. Although they can still happen in the morning, you will have a lot of options with the whole day ahead of you if you run into one of these morning storms.
Think about it. You and your fellow 150 passengers will most likely be able to find an alternate flight at some point in the day if you were on a 7:00 flight, especially at a hub. If you were on a 20:00 flight though, you would most likely be spending the night at the airport. You simply have a much larger selection of flights to take you to your destination in the morning compared to the afternoon and evening.
Second, many flight delays are because of a delay with the inbound flight. Planes have their own schedules, too. For example, the aircraft for my 17:00 New York to Chicago flight will first head to Miami, then to Dallas, then to Chicago, then back to New York for my flight. If any one of these flights gets delayed, each segment later in the day also gets delayed.
By flying in the morning, you avoid this issue. The first flight of the day is even better, as the plane would be parked overnight at the airport, waiting for your flight.
2. Fly Direct When Possible
I’ve rambled about the benefits of direct flights in previous posts. Simply put, avoiding layovers reduces points of conflict where something could go wrong. You could miss a connection, the weather might be poor in the layover airport, or the airline could lose your luggage. A lot could go wrong.
At the end of the day, time is money. If you have the option for a direct flight, go for it. It’s almost always worth the extra money.
3. Use Credit Cards With Travel Protection
Some credit cards offer a form of travel insurance/protection. You can get travel insurance without one, but it can increase the cost of your trip by a fair amount.
With this travel protection, your credit card will cover unexpected costs related to hiccups in your travel plans. Policies vary significantly for each credit card though, so it’s key to go through each one to see what they offer. Most situations include weather, injuries/death/illness, baggage damage, jury duty, military order, and more.
Here are a few cards that I know of with how much they cover:
Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve: Up to $10,000 per person a year, $20,000 per trip. Total of $40,000 per 12-month period.
The Platinum Card from American Express: Up to $10,000 per trip. Total of $20,000 per 12-month period.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve: Up to $10,000 per trip. Total of $20,000 per 12-month period.
These are just a few, but there are many more. It’s likely that you already have some form of travel protection if you have a travel rewards credit card.
Bottom Line
As I said towards the beginning, flying in the morning is the best thing you can do to avoid weather delays and other related issues. Speaking from experience, it’s not fun having to wake up at 3:30 in the morning to fly. But it’s all worth it as I enjoy quieter airports and calmer weather in the summer. I don’t recall my routine 6:00 flight from Boston, Delta flight DL2611, ever having a delay.
Limit points of conflict, too. Avoid layovers as much as possible, and utilize credit cards with travel protection in case something goes wrong.
All photos taken by the author.
