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This holiday season, it’s been severe thunderstorms — snow or no snow — that have proved to be the main hurdle for millions of travelers heading to the airport.

And more trouble may arise.

Stormy weather on Thursday slowed air traffic at the nation’s second-busiest airport – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – and caused delays further south at nearby Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). ).

At DFW, nearly half of all departing flights were delayed Thursday. And more than a fifth of flights were canceled as a slow-moving storm system fueled multiple ground stops during the day.

Help! Here’s what to do if your flight is canceled or delayed

American Airlines, which operates its home base at DFW, was hit hard by the severe weather, which caused more than 1,000 flight delays and more than 300 cancellations on Thursday, according to data from FlightAware.

Southwest Airlines saw more than 1,600 flights delayed Thursday, with its Dallas and Houston bases hampered by stormy conditions. United Airlines, which has a hub at IAH, also delayed more than 1,000 flights on Thursday.

U.S. The disruptions came on what was expected to be one of the busiest days of the holiday season at airports. The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 2.7 million passengers on Thursday, and an even higher number could pass through security on both Friday and Sunday.

Between the crowds, weather and technology outages on Christmas Eve in America, it’s been a tumultuous Christmas travel week than what travelers enjoyed over the relatively smooth-sailing Thanksgiving holiday.

While American quickly recovered from Tuesday morning’s third-party technical glitch without canceling a single mainline flight (despite residual delays), bad weather on both Christmas Eve and Thursday has complicated operations at its massive DFW hub this week.

So far Friday, things seem to be back to normal on the carrier — and on other airlines around the country.

However, conditions could worsen again this weekend, according to the National Weather Service gives a warning. Severe storms are possible in parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday — and unsettled conditions on the East Coast this weekend are likely to affect travel.

NOAA National Aviation Meteorologist Wes Adkins told TPG on Friday, “Sunday’s weather will cause the most significant impact for weekend travelers, with potential major disruptions for East Coast traffic. The storm’s routing on heavily used air corridors from Florida to Virginia Deviations may occur.” .

Overall, airlines enjoyed a much smoother year for operations than 2022, which left travelers with many memories of the airline meltdown — punctuated by Southwest Airlines’ holiday operational fiasco that year.

Airlines have regularly pointed to two-decade highs in staffing levels, along with other operational improvements, as the key to getting their schedules back on track when problems arise.

But as this week has shown, Mother Nature can always succeed in the best-laid plans of travelers — as it certainly has for a portion of the more than 20 million passengers who have passed through the airport this holiday season, the last time. week

Now, with millions more passengers expected at the airport between now and next weekend, here’s what you need to know if you’re traveling.

Know your refund rights

Under US Department of Transportation policy, if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed and you choose not to travel, You’re entitled to a refund for the unflown portion of your trip — and that also goes for flights disrupted by weather.

But, keep in mind, “choose not to travel” is key: if you accept rebooking or other accommodations, you may not be refund-eligible.

However, a refund may come in handy if a flight disruption affects your travel plans to the extent that you choose to stay over or take a different mode of transportation (including travel on another airline).

Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do next

What about food vouchers or other compensation?

Airlines offer a wide range of guarantees for food, hotel and ground transportation expenses for stranded passengers. You can find it on Promises FlightRights.gov.

A caveat here: these promises are for “manageable” disruptions that are ultimately the airline’s responsibility. Bad weather, in general, does not fall under that category.

A credit card with travel insurance can help

This is where a credit card with travel insurance can help you cover unexpected expenses when a flight goes wrong. Just remember: in most cases, to successfully claim, you must have booked the trip with that card.

Read more: 10 Best Credit Cards With Travel Insurance December 2024

Take a closer look at your airline’s application

Finally, stay connected to your airline’s app if you expect a flight delay, and certainly if you run into trouble.

Often, airlines offer rebooking options through the app, allowing you to change your reservation with a few taps of your finger — instead of waiting in long lines or being on hold by phone.

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