Everyday air travel madness is but a preview of what you can expect if you plan to fly over the holidays. The airlines are running near capacity and the slightest glitch a delayed departure or a canceled connecting flight - can have dire consequences. To help you avoid a holiday travel disaster, we've assembled the following checklist. Following these suggestions will increase the odds that you'll arrive at your intended destination with your sanity intact.
Before you book Do your shopping on some of the great shopping sites such as FareCompare and SideStep. But before you reserve your flights...
Check our airport ratings to help guide your route selection and avoid airports that are likely to be subject to bad weather or traffic delays.
Check the on-time performance of the flights you are considering and compare the flight ratings for airlines on your route.
The cheapest flight might cost you more than you think (a night in crappy airport hotel, for example). Minimize the number of connections you have to make by favoring direct flights over the multi-stop "bargains". Spending an extra $50 on a flight with an 80% on-time arrival record vs. taking 4-stop cheap flight that is chronically late could be well worth the expense. If you think you can suffer a missed connection by getting on the next flight out, you're probably kidding yourself. The next flight and the one after that are probably over-booked. You can reduce your chances of being stranded by choosing early flights.
When you book your flight, consider booking a parking space as well. Airport lots can fill up and stay that way throughout the travel peak. Sites such as ParkSleepFly and Airportparkingreservations.com can ensure you a spot when you arrive.
If you're traveling Internationally, do yourself a favor and check for travelers' warnings and advisories.
On the day before you travel - Set up your flight alerts
Turn your laptop or mobile phone into your own personal travel assistant with FlightStats flight alerts. We'll monitor your flights and send you an email or text message to let you know if anything changes departure delays, cancellations, and gate changes.
You should also check security wait times at your US departure airport so you can give yourself plenty of time to make your flight. We'll show you minimum, maximum and average security wait times for the day you plan to travel courtesy of the US Transportation Safety Administration (TSA).
Weather is a huge factor for holiday travel. If you're planning to make a connecting flight at an airport that is snowed-in or foggy, you could be in for a chaotic travel day. Our interactive map will give you a good read on current airport delays due to weather, traffic or security issues.
Get a traffic report to see how long it might take to get to the airport.
While you're en route Check your flight status early and often
If you've set up alerts, we'll proactively notify you of any changes. You'll get the most accurate information available well ahead of your fellow passengers and be first in line if you need to make adjustments.
If you haven't set up alerts, you can still get great FlightStats flight status information on your laptop or mobile phone using the following resources:
Yahoo Mobile - type your flight number (e.g. AS 250) into the Yahoo Mobile search box and hit "oneSearch".
Type the carrier code and flight number into the Google Mobile Search box to display the status of your flight.
Or send your flight number (e.g. AA 225) by text message to 466453 (Google). Your flight status will be sent to your phone as a text message.
If you can't get text messages or browse the web to get flight status, then just dial 1-800-flights (1-800-354-4487). This service features excellent voice recognition making it a pleasure to use.
If you travel often and have a smart phone, you might also consider installing MobiMate's WorldMate travel application.
If you have a tight connecting flight, switch on your mobile phone as soon as the wheels touch down and check for gate or schedule changes on your connecting flight. You'll know whether you have to rebook, run or relax.
If you're meeting family or friends, make sure to set up alerts for their flights or check their flight status on our web site before you head out to pick them up. Better yet, bring up the FlightStats real-time Flight Tracker and watch the progress of their flight on a map.
Repeat steps 2-5 for your return trip:)
You can download a full reports on US airline and airport on-time performance for October here. Above information is provided by: FlightStats. Visit their web page.
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