ARLINGTON, Va. — Nearly 7.2 million Americans are expected to fly this holiday season, according to AAA. Storms headed our way could make for major delays and even cancellations.
"We're looking at long delays and probably some cancellations," said Kathleen Bangs. Bangs is the spokesperson for FlightAware, a flight-tracking app.
She recommends downloading your airline's app or a flight tracking app like FlightAware to stay on top of any delays, diversions or cancellations.
If your flight isn't canceled but does get delayed, this can cause major issues, especially if you have a layover.
"Right now we're seeing almost pre-pandemic levels of passengers," said Bangs. "Airlines are stuffing every seat, so even if there's a later flight, your chances of getting a later flight are slim."
Monica Goodwin told WUSA9 Tuesday night that she and her family pushed their flight to Wednesday to try and get back home to Atlanta before the storm hits.
"We came up here to visit with family and we're gonna leave later in the week," Goodwin said. But after catching a glimpse of the weather, "it's supposed to be a wintry mix all down the East Coast, we decided to come back early on Wednesday."
For anyone traveling this week, Bangs recommends taking advantage of the travel waivers many airlines are offering.
TRAVEL WAIVERS
If you are able, Bangs recommends changing your flight to Christmas Eve or even Christmas Day.
"Not only if you were to rebook would you potentially get a cheaper flight, but there will be a lot less people flying on those days, so a lot less competition for those seats and flights," said Bangs.