Travel alerts

Airports and airlines brace for Hurricane Milton

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First, it was Hurricane Helene. Now Hurricane Milton is heading toward Central Florida and is expected to arrive with vengeance midweek.

Airlines are already canceling flights, posting travel advisories and offering fee waivers for flight changes.

Airports are issuing operational updates and reminding travelers that they are not public shelters.

Here are the policies and status announcements we spotted on Sunday evening.

If you are traveling this week, be sure to check (and recheck) for flight changes.

The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) issued a statement saying that it was waiting for evacuation orders from Pinellas County officials before deciding when to close the airport, but that all flights in or out of PIE on Allegiant were already canceled on Wed (Oct 9) and Thurs (Oct 10).

Airline travel alerts ahead of Hurricane Milton

Here are the links to travel alerts and change fee policies for airlines ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival. They’re likely be updated as the storm arrives.

Alaska Airlines

Allegiant  Air

American Airlines. The alert covers travel to, from or through at least a dozen Florida airports.

Delta Air Lines. 8 airports are part of the travel alert.

Frontier Airlines. 7 airports are part of the airline’s travel advisory.

JetBlue Airways. 4 airports are covered by the travel alert.

Southwest Airlines‘ travel alert is for four Florida airports.

and 5 airports are included in the travel alert issued by United Airlines.

Airlines offer travel advisories/waivers for weather & 737-9 MAX inspections

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Between the storms in many regions of the country and the grounding of all Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft for inspection, there are a lot of flight cancellations, schedule disruptions, and airline travel alerts.

Here are links to the current travel advisories and waivers (as of early Tuesday, January 9, 2024) in effect for some of the major airlines. Be sure to check your airline’s website for the latest updates on these advisories,

Alaska Airlines

On its website, Alaska Airlines is advising travelers that due to Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft inspections and winter weather in the Northeast, they are offering a flexible travel policy for travelers who want to change or cancel their flights. Original travel dates include January 9.

American Airlines

American Airlines has a travel alert for close to 60 cities that may be affected by severe weather in the Eastern US and Canada. The airline will waive your change fee if you traveling in any fare class and are scheduled to fly January 9-10 and can travel instead January 9 – 15. See here for more details on American Airlines’ travel advisory.

Delta Air Lines

for Delta Air Lines has travel advisories posted for winter weather in the Midwest that may affect more than two dozen airports and as many in the Northeastern U.S.

JetBlue

JetBlue has also issued travel alerts for winter weather in the Midwest and the Northeastern US.

In the Midwest, the airline will waive change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling through January 9 to or from Chicago (ORD), Detroit (DTW), Kansas City (MCI), Milwaukee (MKE), and Minneapolis – St. Paul (MSP). The travel alert covers about 15 airports in the Northeast. Customers may rebook their flights through January 13.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines has travel alerts posted for the Midwest and the East Coast.

United Airlines

For those scheduled to fly on a Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane, United Airlines offers these options:

You can reschedule your trip and have the change fees and fare differences waived. Your new flight must be a United flight departing by January 18, 2024. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked. Trips rebooked after January 18, 2024, will still have the change fee waived, but there may be a fare difference. Cancelling and getting a full refund is also an option.

Hurricane Ian Still Tormenting Travel

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Courtesy The Weather Channel

Hurricane Ian was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane late Wednesday evening, but that doesn’t mean the travel woes that wild weather brings are ended.

Early Thursday morning, FlightAware listed close to 2,000 flight cancellations within, into, or out of the United States. Not surprisingly, the airports with the most canceled flights were in Florida and the southeast.

A handful of airports remain closed for commercial operations

Orlando International Airport (MCO) ceased commercial operations Wednesday morning but remains open to open to accept emergency/aid and relief flights, if necessary. In preparation for Ian’s arrival, airport personnel tied down the jet bridges and covered the ticket counters. The airport’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is in full activation. And, depending on damage assessment, commercial operations are expected to resume Friday, MCO said in a statement.

Here are some of the other airports that closed in advance of Hurricane Ian’s arrival.

Airports open, with delays & cancellations.

Key West International Airport (EYW) plans to reopen at 7am on Thursday, September 29.

Airlines offering alerts and travel waivers

Here are links to the travel alerts and travel waiver offers from many domestic airlines. Many now cover flights to, from, or through airports in cities throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.

If you’ve got a flight scheduled, be sure to keep checking back.

Alaska Airlines

American Airlines

Delta Air Lines

Frontier Airlines

JetBlue

Spirit Airlines

Southwest Airlines

United Airlines

Winter storm Xylia dumps snow, cancels flights

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Snowflake

Winter won’t go away just yet. Winter storm Xylia wreaked havoc with roads and air traffic in the midwest over the weekend. More than two feet of snow fell at Denver International Airport as of 6 p.m. on Sunday evening.

More than 2000 flights in and out of DEN were canceled over the weekend, with hundreds more already canceled for Monday.

Here are some of the images DEN shared on Twitter on Sunday

If you do have a flight scheduled through DEN or other airports in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska, here are links to the storm-related travel alerts and flight change rules posted by airlines.

Alaska Airlines

American Airlines

Delta Air Lines

Frontier Airlines

https://twitter.com/FlyFrontier/status/1371275788662804485?s=20

JetBlue

Southwest Airlines

United Airlines

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.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

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Snowflake

Polar vortex, arctic chill, super cold weather or just brrrrrr.

Whatever you label it, sub-zero temperatures and weather woes associated with Winter Storm Jayden are causing schools, shopping centers, and goverment offices in the midwest to close and forcing airlines to cancel flights.

The Weather Channel is warning of dangerously cold conditions and warning folks in the Midwest to brace for temperatures to be (and feel like) colder than in “at least two decades.”

On Tuesday evening, FlightAware’s Misery Map was showing flight delays at some east coast airports ranging from an hour (DCA) to more than two-and-a-half hours (EWR) and cancellations for the day at over 1,400.

Wednesday’s outlook doesn’t look any better. As of 10 pm on Tuesday evening, FlightAware showed that more than 1,500 flights within, into or out of the United Stations were already cancelled.

If you have a flight reservation anywhere this week – even to or from a warm place – don’t leave home without checking with your airline.

Here are alerts posted from some of the major U.S. airlines. Airlines are canceling flights proactively and offering change fee waivers/refunds as well.

American Airlines : Travel alert covers more than 30 cities for travel scheduled January 29 and 30.

Winter weather advisories from Delta Air Lines cover flights to, through or from Atlanta, Chicago and the Upper Midwest.

JetBlue’s winter weather waiver covers travel to or from 15 cities in the northeast.

Southwest Airlines is listing travel alerts and waivers for flighs to and from many cities in the Midwest and Northeast.

United Airlines has reduced operations to and from Chicago O’Hare and posted a travel waiver for a long list of Northeast cities.

As the storm and the cold weather makes its way across the country, no doubt some of these travel waivers will be altered and extended. Keep an eye on the skies and on the airline websites and social media posts.

And stay warm!

Airlines offering change fee waivers due to wildfires

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Airlines are offering change fee waivers and refunds in response to the California wildfires.

Some airlines are also helping out with emergency relief efforts for those affected by the fires.

See the links and tweets below for specific dates and details of the alerts airlines have posted.

 

Wildfires seen from space. Courtesy NASA

American Airlines  – The travel alert posted on November 11 offers change fee waivers for passengers booked travel to, through or from Burbank, California (BUR), Los Angeles, California (LAX), Oakland, California (OAK), Sacramento, California (SMF) and San Francisco, California (SFO) through November 13, 2018. Waiver is available for rebooked flights through November 18, 2018.

American will also give you 10 miles for every dollar you donate to the American Red Cross on donations of $25 or more.

Here’s the latest information from Hawaiian Airlines:

JetBlue is offering to waive change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling through Tuesday, November 12, to/from the Burbank (BUR), Los Angeles (LAX), Oakland (OAK), Sacramento (SMF) and San Francisco (SFO).

The wildfire travel advisory for Southwest Airlines currently applies to flights booked through November 16 to, through or from Burbank (BUR), Los Angeles (LAX), Oakland (OAK), Sacramento (SMF), San Francisco (SFO) and San Jose (SJC).

“Customers who are holding reservations on the abovementioned dates, and want to alter their travel plans may rebook in the original class of service or travel standby (within 14 days of their original date of travel between the original city-pairs and in accordance with our accommodation procedures) without paying any additional charge,” Southwest says on its website.

Here’s the most recent information on wildfire waivers from United Airlines:

Airlines are likely to update their policies regarding waivers and refunds as the fires continue.

If you’ve got travel planned to or through California, be sure to check your airline’s website or social media channels for the latest information.

And stay safe!

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.

Airlines offer change fee waivers for Hurricane Lane

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Airlines are posting and updating travel alerts and offering change fee waivers for travel to/from the Hawaiian Islands as Hurrican Lane moves in.

Here are links to change fee waiver policies of airlines in effect as of today for flights to and from Hawaii:

Alaska Airlines: Waiving change fees and the difference in the price of the ticket for travel booked to or from Kauai (LIH), Kona (KOA), Maui (OGG) and Oahu (HNL) for tickets purchased on or before August 21, if travel is completed on or before August 30, 2018.

American Airlines: No change fee for flights to or from Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL), Kona, Hawaii (KOA), Kauai Island, Hawaii (LIH) and Kahului, Hawaii (OGG) for tickets purchased by or before August 20 if you’re scheduled to travel August 23 to 26. New travel must take place by August 30.

For travel scheduled August 23 and 24,  to or from Seoul, Korea (ICN), Honulu (HNL), Kona (KOA), LIhue (LIH) and Maui (OGG), Delta Air Lines is offering change fee waivers for trips scheduled August 23 and 24. New travel must take place by August 27.

Hawaiian Airlines, as you may imagine, is keeping its site updated with news about the hurricane’s impact and has very detailed information about change fee waivers and rules posted.

Several other airlines, including United Airlines, have issued alerts for trips to and Hawaii as well. As always, if you’ve got a trip planned, keep an eye on your airline’s website and Twitter feed for the latest details.

 

Airlines offering waivers to/from Hawaii’s Big Island

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Courtesy USGS

Don’t cancel that Hawaiian vacation just yet.

Although there’s increased volcanic activity and a new flow of lava from the Kīlauea volcano on the island of Hawaii (the Big Island), the Hawaii Tourism Authority website is reassuring visitors that no flights into airports anywhere in Hawai‘i are being affected and that the area where the lava is coming to the surface is very far from resort areas.

For updates, photos and webcam views of the volcano activities, see the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) website.

That’s the good news.

The bad news: due to the volcanic activity there is a no-fly zone over Kīlauea volcano and on Friday Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was closed until further notice because of damage caused by earthquakes and aftershocks in the area.

So helicopter tours and visit to the park are out.

There’s still plenty to do on the Big Island, but some airlines are offering travel waivers for those who don’t want to head that way right now.

For those with tickets issued on or before May 3 and scheduled to travel to/from Hilo (ITO) or Kona (KOA) on  Hawaiian Airlines through May 13, the airline is offering change fee waivers for flights no later than May 20,

United Airlines is offering to waive change fees for those traveling to/from or through the Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona (KOA) airports for those with tickets for travel through May 13 for new flights departing on or before May 16.

Other airlines flying to Hawaii may post waivers later today and this, of course, is a changing situation, so be sure to check your airline’s website and the USGS alerts for current news.