Yesterday I got one of those calls that travel writers often receive right before a major storm. One of my good friends is down in Punta Cana for spring break with his kids. He had just read my newsletter warning that a huge Nor’easter was about to slam the Northeast and wanted to know what he should do. Smart move calling early because timing is everything when storms disrupt travel.
Here’s exactly what I told him and what every traveler should do when buying a plane ticket and when a storm is approaching.
Check airline travel alerts immediately
The first thing I told him was to check his airline’s travel alerts page to see whether a waiver had been issued. Airlines like American, Delta and United Airlines often publish weather waivers that allow you to change flights for free, even on basic economy tickets.
Act fast
In his case, United had already issued a waiver but Delta hadn’t yet. That’s common. Airlines don’t all move at the same speed and I find that United is almost always the first to offer waivers. The moment a waiver appears, you need to act fast. Planes are already full, and once cancellations start there are very few empty seats to rebook passengers.
If you absolutely need to be back for work or school, aim to leave before the storm or the first day after it clears. In this situation, that meant Tuesday. Unfortunately, he waited a day. When he called back, flights were completely sold out until Thursday and he had been on hold with the airline for hours.
Always download the airline app and enable notifications
This is one of the biggest travel hacks people ignore. Airline apps will often notify you about cancellations before airport agents even know. You can usually rebook directly in the app without waiting on hold.
I told him: if the airline offers you a bad option, don’t accept it immediately. Do your own research first, then call or message through the app to request what you want. When flights start disappearing, prices skyrocket. He saw tickets even to Florida going for $2,000 one-way.
Buy travel insurance before the storm
This is where a lot of travelers make a costly mistake. I asked him if he had travel insurance. He said he didn’t. Big mistake. Then he asked, “Can I buy it now?” I told him no. You have to purchase travel insurance before a storm is forecasted. Once a storm is named or publicly predicted, it becomes a known event and coverage for that disruption typically won’t apply. The smartest move is to buy travel insurance at the same time you purchase your plane ticket — and use a reputable third-party provider rather than relying solely on what’s offered through the airline. Waiting until trouble is on the horizon is simply too late.
Pay with the right credit card
Next, I asked how he paid. Thankfully, he used a premium card from Chase. That was huge.
He called them and confirmed that he and each of his kids could receive up to $500 per person per day for reasonable expenses during the delay. That includes hotels, meals, toiletries, transportation and even medication. The key is saving every receipt. Tip: Speaking of medication… always pack more than you need just in case of unforeseen delays.
Document everything
I also told him to take screenshots (like the above) showing flights were sold out until Thursday. That documentation proves he couldn’t reasonably leave earlier, which helps with insurance claims.
Grab seats and hotels quickly
Once he found seats, I told him to book them immediately. Waiting even an hour during a major disruption can cost you another day. The same goes for hotels. If your current hotel is full, book somewhere else right away so you’re not scrambling on your original departure day.
He followed the advice, secured seats and locked in a hotel. Stressful, yes, but very manageable.
The big takeaway
Storms don’t have to ruin your trip if you prepare. Monitor waivers, move fast, use airline apps, pay with the right credit card and document everything. Those steps can save you thousands of dollars and a lot of headaches when the weather turns ugly. Heck, you might even come out ahead.
