The U.S. government shutdown has ended, but that does not mean that the flight cancellations mandated by the U.S. government, because of the shortage of air traffic controllers, are over just yet. The flight cancellations will take a few days to unwind: The residual effects will linger until air traffic controller staffing levels stabilize and airline operations can return to normal.
Remember: The cancellations have had little effect on international flights and are not focused on flights between U.S. hubs either. Rather, the airlines have chosen to cancel flights between U.S. hubs and (typically smaller) non-hub cities; such cuts are least disruptive to their operations. Most airlines are allowing passengers to rebook with no fee or cancel for a refund.
Here’s how to cope with flight cancellations:
- Download your airline’s app. It’s typically the fastest way to get notifications from the airline, and to make changes.
- Fly early in the day. Early-morning flights are less likely to be delayed, and security lines are typically shorter. And if your morning flight is cancelled, you’ll have more options for getting to your destination that day rather than being stranded overnight.
- Book a refundable ticket on a different airline as a back-up. This may be a good time to use miles, as you can usually cancel without penalty and redeposit those miles in your account. (Just remember: If you don’t end up needing that back-up flight, cancel it before the flight’s departure in order to get a refund of your money or miles.)
- Build extra time into flight connections. Allow yourself a few hours for any domestic connection, so that a single delay doesn’t cascade into a missed trip.
- If you’re booking a hotel in the U.S. city where your flight lands or where your connection is, make it a refundable purchase. That way, if your flight is cancelled, you won’t lose what you paid. If a non-refundable booking is your only option, find out whether travel insurance will cover you if you don’t get there because your flight is cancelled.
- If you are booking an international flight that requires a connection, favor routes where your connecting point is outside the U.S. and closer to your final destination. Say you’re flying from Chicago to Sicily: Instead of connecting in New York or Washington, D.C., connect in Italy or elsewhere nearby in Europe. That’s because your flight from the U.S. across the Atlantic is likely to operate, and you’ll have many options in Europe (e.g., frequent low-fare flights and trains) for getting to your final destination, should you need them.
The travelers below are just back from late-October and early-November WOW trips that happened during the U.S. government shutdown but were not affected by it. Personally, I’m just back from a trip to Indonesia that involved nine flights, all of which operated on time, and it sure was a refreshing escape from all the shutdown news.
We’re here to help you have a snafu-free international trip, same as we’ve helped all these other travelers. If you could use a seamless trip that spares you all unnecessary logistics, we’re at the black button below.
CHINA: “Having traveled extensively around the world, we can say that they delivered a truly world-class experience…”
WOW trip travelers Giselle and Alan Weissman experienced vibrant local culture brought “vividly to life.”
“Mei and Fang Fang planned our incredible two-week adventure. Our only must-sees were the Terracotta Warriors and the giant pandas. Beyond that, we left the itinerary completely in their hands. They did a phenomenal job weaving together Xi’an (home of the Warriors) and Chengdu (home of the pandas) with breathtaking destinations across Yunnan Province.
We love to stay active, and the trip perfectly reflected that. We hiked, biked, and walked for miles while exploring Xi’an, Dali, Chengdu, Lijiang, and Kunming, taking in stunning scenery and vibrant local culture. The tour guides were outstanding—deeply knowledgeable, engaging, and able to bring both history and contemporary events vividly to life.
We also loved the hotels Mei and Fang Fang selected. From a historic diplomatic property to a charming boutique and several luxurious five-star stays, each accommodation had its own unique charm and unbeatable location.
Having traveled extensively around the world, we can confidently say that Mei and Fang Fang delivered a truly world-class experience. We couldn’t recommend them more highly!” —Giselle and Alan Weissman
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
FRANCE: “We really enjoyed the daily walks along the canal and time in ‘our’ living and dining rooms to reconnect with each other…”
Vandenesse-en-Auxois is a stop for barge cruises through Burgundy. Photo: Timothy Baker
“I’d heard about barge trips in France, but after reading Wendy’s account of her trip on the Canal de Bourgogne, I thought this was the trip for a small group of my friends. I contacted Caroline, who set up a very thorough introductory meeting. I threw out the idea to our group of eight—and everyone jumped on board. Caroline’s knowledge about the itineraries, and especially the boats and crew, were exceptional. She was spot-on with her recommendation of the Grand Cru, and its four identical (and luxurious) cabins were exactly right for our group.
WOW trip traveler Robyn Boehrer and friends appreciated the tastings aboard their private barge, the Grand Cru.
We could not have asked for a better barge or crew than the Grand Cru. Everyone in our group—even those who aren’t big wine drinkers—enjoyed the options for wine tasting and the food pairings. The daily excursions were fun! But as a group we really enjoyed the daily walks along the canal and time in ‘our’ living and dining rooms to reconnect with each other.
I’d highly recommend barge travel (and Caroline) for anyone looking to put together a trip for a group that wants to see new places—but also a wonderful setting to interact with each other. We hope to do it again.” —Robyn Boehrer
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
THE SILK ROAD: “They went above and beyond–even when I needed a dentist in off-hours…”
Bukhara, Uzbekistan, is a legendary city along the Silk Road in Central Asia. Photo: Timothy Baker
“Wow! and WOW! Zulya was amazing in planning our trip to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Every aspect was meticulously planned. We wanted to focus on Jewish culture, and that was great—especially in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and over Shabbat in Samarkand. The guides we had were personable and went above and beyond—even when I needed a dentist in off-hours.
One WOW experience that blew us away was a private fashion show in Bukhara. We both tried on many different outfits—what fun. These countries got me up to 126 countries I have visited, but the guides all made this trip especially memorable.” —Drs. Bonnie and Isaac Pollak
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
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