Flying for the holidays? Travel experts say book now and prepare for delays
With the government shutdown now lasting into November, the experts are weighing in on what you should you do if you’re planning on flying for Thanksgiving or the end of the year holidays.
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TSA and air traffic control shortages caused massive delays at many airports last week. With the government shutdown now lasting into November, the experts are weighing in on what you should you do if you’re planning on flying for Thanksgiving or the end of the year holidays.
Kelly Connor is an AAA travel advisor and helps people plan for the best travel experience possible.
“Book your flight as soon as possible. You want to make sure you have the best optional itineraries available to you,” she says.
Prices for these holiday travel days are literally soaring.
“Right now out of Philadelphia, I am seeing flights for somewhere around $700 but that’s for the holidays. You can also get something in the $400 range or so,” said Connor.
Call outs, shortages and possible air space restrictions all could make for a messy departure.
“We now recommend getting to the airport at least three hours before your travel, if possible, just to make sure you have plenty of time to get through security lines to the gate. Look for flights and if you get a price, you like grab it, book it and book it as soon as possible,” said Connor.
If you want to avoid a lot of that chaos and confusion, try booking your flight out of a smaller airport like at Trenton-Mercer or Atlantic City but pay attention to the fine print.
“A lot of flight options out of Trenton and Atlantic City are going through Philadelphia anyway. So, you have to look. You go to Atlantic City but fly through Philly,” she added.
And those traditional discounted fares on Tuesdays or Wednesdays?
“The airlines are able to monitor the flight prices of other airlines and prices are changing literally hourly.”
Connor says pick an early flight because that gives you same-day options, just in case you run into any kind of trouble. And if you just want that extra help, advisors like her are available to help guide you through the booking process.
