Weather

Airports, airlines, travelers brace for winter weather

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Tough traveling this Thanksgiving

Severe winter storms are already wreaking havoc with Thanksgiving travel plans across the country.

Denver International and many other airports are taking out their snowplows and de-icing gear and advising travelers to be sure to check the status of their flights before leaving home.

Many airlines are offering fee-free flight changes, waivers on fare differences for rebooked flights and refunds left and right.

In some cases, they are encouraging passengers to switch to flights leaving a day or two early.

At 9 p.m. on the west coast, these are some of the airlines issuing travel alerts. No doubt there will be updates and more alerts by morning and over the next few days. So, if you’re scheduled to fly anytime over this holiday, be sure to check your airline’s website and sign up for alerts about your flight.

American Airlines has a travel alert for passengers scheduled to fly November 27 to/through or from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Delta Air Lines has travel advisories posted for flights to, from or through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on November 27 as well.

Frontier Airlines has canceled many flights through Denver and Colorado Springs, CO on Tuesday, November 26. Advisories for rebooking and refunds are on their site.

JetBlue has posted travel alerts for flights in and out of Denver International Airport on Tuesday, November 26.

Southwest Airlines is warning customers that flight schedules may be “disrupted,” as in delayed, diverted, and/or canceled on Tuesday, November 26 in Denver and on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 26 and 27 through Minneapolis/St. Paul.

United Airlines’ winter weather alert also applies to flights in and out of Denver on Tuesday 26.

Bottom line: even if the weather looks great where you are – or where you’re headed to, bad weather in other parts of the country can still disrupt your travels. Check flights, check again and, as always, pack lots of patience when you go to the airport this time of year.

Airlines waive fees as Hurricane Dorian approaches

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Hurricane Dorian may have something to say about your plans to go to Florida or somewhere in the southeast or the Caribbean in the next few days.

If you’re flying, these airlines are offering you a chance to change your plans with waived fees.

Here are links to the details on what fees are waived and the dates by which you’ll need to make new plans or request a refund.

Allegiant

American Airlines

Delta

Frontier

JetBlue

Southwest

Spirit

United Airlines

Airlines offer change fee waivers as Hurricane Michael roars in

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Many airlines are offering waivers on change fees for passengers with booked flights to, through or from cities likely to be hit by Hurricane Michael.

Full refunds are available from some carriers as well.

 

This Weather Channel map should travelers make many travelers sit up and take notice.  Airlines certainly are.

Here’s a link to travel advisories from American Airlines and JetBlue and Tweets from some other airlines that have issued weather alerts.

If you’re getting on a plane soon, check with your airline for cancellations and complimentary changes you might be allowed to (or need to) make as this storm does its thing.

Donate to disaster relief: do good get bonus miles

Mileage Programs, Weather, ,

Donate to disaster relief; get bonus miles.

Want to help the people and communities trying to deal with the aftermath of Hurriance Florence, Tphoone Mangkhut, the flooding in western Japan, the California wildlfires and whatever comes next?

See below for campaigns United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are spearheading to  raise funds for a variety of humanitarian and disaster relief efforts.

 

United’s Crowdrise campaign is raising funds for six groups: the American Red Cross, Airlink, Global Giving (Hurricane Florence), Feeding America, Americares and Global Giving (Typhoon Mangkhut).

United has pledged to match the first $50,000 raised and to provide up to 5 million bonus miles as thank-you gifts to MileagePlus program members who pledge at least $50 or more before October 31, 2019.

Donate $50-$99  and get 250 miles; donate $100 to $249 and get 500 award miles; donate $250 or more and get 1,000 bonus award miles.

American Airlines if also offering bonus miles as a  thank-you to AAdvantage members who donate to the American Red Cross by October 5.  American is offering 10 miles for every dollar donated with a minimu donation of $25 dollars.

Through Delta Air Line’s SkyWish program SkyMiles members can donate miles to help get volunteers helping with disaster relief get where they need to be.

Whether you’d like bonus miles or have lots of extra miles to share, this is a pretty good time to be generous with your cash or your miles – or both.

Updated airline travel alerts: Hurricane Florence and others

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As Hurricane Florence, and others, move in, airlines are canceling flights, updating their travel advisories.  In many cases airlines are expanding the dates change fee waivers are being offered.

Some airlines are waiving bag fees and pet fees for travelers leaving affected southeast cities and capping the prices for the last seats on certain flights.

Courtesy The Weather Channel

Courtesy The Weather Channel

Here are live links to the updated travel advisories from many domestic airlines. Many International airlines with flights into the affected areaas are canceling flights and offering waivers as well

As of Wednesday morning, September 12, here are some of the airlines that have posted notices.

These likely aren’t all the airlines adjusting schedules and suggesting passengers wait until the storms blow over. And it’s very possible that the dates these waivers cover will change as the hurricanes blow through.

If you’re flying somewhere this week be sure to check with you airline before heading to the airport. Airports may say they are open, but all their scheduled flights are canceled. Read the rules for refunds and pay attention to the dates covered. Most airlines are offering no-fee refunds and waived changed fees for flights that are rebooked for another time.

Alaska Airlines: A travel alert is posted for flights to or from Charleston (CHS) and Raleigh-Durham (DUR) for those with flights through September 16. Alaska also has an advisory for its flights to and from Hawaii, due to Hurricane Olivia.

American Airlines has a travel advistory posted covering 23 airports in the southeastern United States for those with tickets through September 16. American also has travel advisories posted for flights to an from Hawaii due to Hurricane Olivia and to the Caribbean due to Hurricane Isaac.

Delta Air Lines has travel alerts posted for more than a dozen southeast U.S. airports for travel scheduled through September 16 due to Hurricane  Florence,  for flights to or from various airports in Hawaii due to Tropical Storm Olivia and for flights to the Caribbean due to Hurricane Isaac.

Seven southeast airports are affected by the travel alert posted by Frontier Airlines 

Tropical Storm Olivia is affecting flights for Hawaiian Airlines, which has posted travel waivers as well.

The travel advisory for JetBlue affects flights to and from eight east coast airports through September 16.

Southwest Airlines’ travel alert covers 9 east coast airports its expects to be affected by Hurricane Florence through September 17 and . The airline is also offering travel waivers for San Juan Puerto Rico (SJU) and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (SJU) due to Hurricane Isaac.

United Airlines’ travel fee waiver covers 16 airlines in the southeast U.S. due to Hurricane Florence. Travel alerts remain posted for the airlines’ flights to and from Hawaiian airports and for flights affected by Hurricane Isaac.