Stormy Weather Travel Tips

There’s nothing like these major storms to make us think, “What would I do if?”  And since storms that shut down air space and lay waste to entire regions can happen any time of the year, here’s my checklist to consider when the next big storm comes around.

The Most Important Tip

If you forget everything else, remember this. You need to avoid at all costs becoming stranded at an airport as a major storm approaches. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, you need to plan. Really  you need as many potential plans as possible. Once you hear that first major (travel impacting) storm advisory, start making preparations for plans B and C.

How to Safely Get to Your Destination in a Storm

Always try to get out ahead of the storm.  

With an impending weather event, airlines will waive any fees associated with changing your trip.  For instance American Airlines once announced three days before a recent threatening storm that they would re-book people for free.  Only for the dates effected of course, but take them up on it.

I know a lot of people, once they’re on vacation, don’t want to cut things short. But trust me, just cut your vacation short and get out. Don’t be the family that’s stranded somewhere unfamiliar!

Follow your airline on social media.  

I can’t stress enough how important it is when you travel to have either Instagram, Threads, or X (formerly Twitter) for updates and alerts as well as getting answers to your direct questions.  Airlines have pulled a lot of their customer service from their phone banks to social media but not everyone is on social media, and so you could receive a much faster response than if you call.

This is even more important if you’re already at the airport and your flight is cancelled.  It’s sometimes possible to get re-booked via social media faster than if you wait in line with the 150 other people whose flights are cancelled or called the airlines’ toll-free number.

Use Gethuman.com

 Gethuman.com  is a handy website to visit when plugging in those toll-free contact numbers in your phone.  Enter the company and it will tell you what number to keep pressing to get a representative.  There’s nothing worse than seeing you cell phone battery drop as you navigate through ten minutes of prompts.

Book an airport hotel as a safety net

If you chanced it and chosen to stay put, make a hotel reservation near your hotel as a safety net in case flights get cancelled. At the very least have the nearby hotel numbers ready to go so you can call immediately if you need to. And be sure to note their local number, not the 800 number.  If you make your flight than CONGRATULATIONS!  Many hotels will likely waive the 24-hour cancellation fee since they will have about two hundred other people begging for a room.

Plan C: If it’s safe and makes sense to drive, stay out of what will be a storm zone, then book a car rental.. There’s no cancellation fee and that could be your last chance out of the area. You may want to book online or have a pending reservation to ensure you have access to a car.

Note that I meant it when I say “makes sense.” Seeing people stranded in their cars in this recent Brooklyn flood was terrifying. Do not let yourself get stuck in a car with water levels up to the windows!

Always stay calm

As stressful as this situation can be, it won’t be any better if everyone is venting their frustrations at each other or at the airline and airport workers. No one sits around hoping for a major storm to come impact vacations or work days, and you’re all on the same side even if it doesn’t feel like it. If you need to, walk away for a bit to just breathe before pushing forward.

Know when to stay put

All that said, sometimes the safest option is to stay exactly where you are and wait out a storm. If you’ve weighed out all your plans and back-up plans for getting home and things still seem unsafe, stay put!

Supplies to Keep With You

It’s very important to keep some supplies with you.

• Water and simple food staples like granola bars, trail mix or peanut butter.
• Cash.  Make sure you visit an ATM and withdraw enough cash for a few days, just in case the electricity goes down or the machine runs out.
• If you’re checking bags remember to transfer your medications, toiletries, underwear and a change of clothes to your carry-on bag just in case.

Unfortunately there’s just no way to guarantee or have every angle covered when you travel.  Just do your best and have a plan to deal with a major weather problem.  Nightmares happen and extra money has to be spent–but as long as you are safe from harm, honestly that’s what’s most important.

Have you been impacted by a major storm while traveling?  Share your story below.

Read more:

• My Airport Survival Guide
• 10 Travel Mistakes I Always Make
• 6 Things I Always Bring on a Plane

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