Winter is Coming: What the Colder Weather Could Mean for Your Travel Plans

Depending on what region of the country you live in, you might take a glance up at your window right now to see a cold, grey winter sky looking back at you.  Yep, it’s that time of the year again and although it might be ideal conditions for a Netflix binge on the couch, it’s not exactly optimal for traveling. The colder weather brings about a number of challenges for airports and travelers alike. We spoke to some of our AmTrav travel experts to uncover what the cold weather could mean for your business travel plans and how to beat it with some helpful suggestions.

• During the winter months, clients need to check directly with an airline’s website to confirm if their flight is on-time, cancelled or delayed.
• Clients should expect (and plan for) delays due to weather around the country. This is because even though, for example, the weather might be fine in Miami, your flight may have been coming from Dallas which had snow and now flights are delayed across the country.
• Do not depend on flight delay times. Even if it states that there is a 2-hour delay, that flight can leave anytime from the original flight departure time. I have seen many people show up at the airport just to find that the flight ended up leaving prior to the 2-hour delay as posted.
• Check your seat assignment on the way to the airport. Once winter weather hits and there are delays/cancellations, airlines often change equipment, thus changing your seat assignment. The flight will be under airport control, but at least you would have time to either stop at the check-in desk or at the gate to try and re-assign your seat.
• Always try to book non-stop flights to avoid getting stranded at a connecting point.
• Book flights in the morning. This is because if there are delays or cancellations, you may still be able to get out on the next flight or a flight later in the day since you will be on the wait list before other travelers (whose flights were cancelled later in the day).
• Bring a carry-on with essentials, snacks, toiletries, etc. just in case you are stranded at the airport for a prolonged period of time.
• Make sure you have extra cash or a credit card for an unexpected hotel stay due to any cancellations or overnight delays.

Jon Snow said it best: Winter is coming. So be prepared, stay diligent, and be ready for just about anything. Here’s to hoping this winter brings only a minimum amount of travel chaos and absolutely no White Walkers.