Key takeaways
- Inbound tracking is your best tool. If the plane hasn’t left its previous city, your boarding time is nearly guaranteed to slip.
- Blue-sky delays are real. Your flight can be delayed by weather hundreds of miles away because the aircraft or crew is coming from an affected city.
- Crew regulations are nonnegotiable. Federal safety laws mandate strict rest periods; once a crew times out, the airline must find a replacement team, which takes time.
- Air traffic controllers manage the flow. They issue ground stops to manage congestion, holding your plane at its departure gate until a landing slot opens at your destination.
It’s happened to anyone who’s a frequent flyer. You’re sitting at the gate when you hear the dreaded announcement: Your flight has been delayed. You might look out the airport window and see blue skies or a shiny plane awaiting passengers and wonder how a delay could even be happening. Well, it’s not always weather-related. Air travel is a massive, interconnected system full of domino effects and safety requirements.
Common causes of a delay
Understanding the common culprits behind a flight delay can help you travel with more confidence. When all else fails, remember: The payoff of your trip is worth a temporary inconvenience.
- Weather: Bad weather is the primary cause of most flight delays. Thunderstorms, snow, ice, fog and high winds can all cause your flight to be delayed or diverted. But it’s not just the obvious types of bad weather — extreme heat can also cause delays.
- Congestion management: Air traffic control acts like a highway ramp meter. For example, if Newark is busy, planes may be held on the ground in Dallas or Chicago. So, if your flight would cause your arrival or departure airport to be over capacity, that means you’re going to have to wait. It’s a traffic jam, not an airline error. Airports typically get congested due to weather, staffing shortages or high demand during peak travel times.
- Mechanical issues: Just like any other type of vehicle, planes need maintenance. And typically if your flight is delayed for a maintenance issue, it’s nothing serious. The more common type is a system error, which requires the crew to complete a time-consuming, mandatory sensor checklist to be legally cleared for takeoff.
- Crew breaks: Sometimes you’ll see your plane sitting outside your gate, looking perfectly ready for takeoff. But if the crew members have been working longer shifts because of previous delays and reached their maximum hours worked, they are legally required to take a break. That means the airline needs to find another crew — which is often easier said than done.
- Cascading effects: Because planes fly multiple legs a day, a delay at 8 a.m. in New York can turn into a delay at 5 p.m. in Los Angeles when schedules become out of sync. This causes a ripple effect that lasts the entire day — or even longer in severe cases like snowstorms.
What to consider when booking
While you can’t prevent a delay, you can take some precautions to help make your trip more delay-resistant. Smart planning goes a long way in helping your trip run as smoothly as possible.
- Avoid tight connections: In general, you’ll want to avoid any connection that’s under an hour for domestic flights, and under two hours for international flights (unless you enjoy the intense cardio of an unplanned airport sprint).
- Check on-time stats: When booking, you can typically look at the on-time performance of a specific flight. That way, you can see how often a delay happens and use that information to choose a connection length you’re comfortable with.
- Add travel insurance: If you miss a connection because of a delay, that’s not your fault. Your airline is legally required to put you on another flight. But adding travel insurance can offer some much-needed peace of mind that you won’t have to pay out of pocket for a new flight if you miss a flight for any other reason besides a delay.
What to consider while you’re at the airport
If you find out your flight is delayed and will affect a connection before you’ve left for the airport, you can call support and deal with it in the comfort of your home or hotel. However, if you’re already at the airport, a delay can feel more intense. Here are some things you can do to make the most out of your waiting time to help ease stress and prepare for the next steps of your journey.
- Minimize the impact: If the delay means you’re going to miss your connection, you can work with the airline to rebook it before you take off. And if you reserved transportation from the airport ahead of time, make sure to let the rental car company know your change of plans. If you’re arriving at a hotel late at night, don’t forget to give them a call too and ask for a late check-in. Or, if you’re flying home and have kids or pets waiting for you, contact your sitter and keep them in the loop.
- Check the map: If you need to take a flight with a tight connection, look at a map of the airport you're going to ahead of time to see if you need to change terminals and how to get where you need to be. An airport will typically have an interactive map on its website.
- Fill the time: Instead of sitting and twiddling your thumbs, you can walk around and explore the amenities your airport has to offer. Many larger airports have a variety of tasty bites and local shops so you can get a feel for the city you’re in and pick out souvenirs.
- Frequently check the status: When flights get delayed, gate changes often follow. Consider downloading your airline’s mobile app and turning on notifications to stay up to date. Or you can find a spot next to your current gate, where the gate agent will announce any changes. Another reason to check your flight status is to be on top of cancellations, which can cause long lines at support kiosks.
- Track the inbound flight: Websites like FlightAware let you channel your inner detective and track your plane before it even arrives at your airport. For example, you can check whether your plane’s previous departure was late. If that’s the case, chances are your departure will be late too. And by looking at when the plane departed, you can see how delayed it is and be in the know before the flight attendants even update anybody.
Book your stay with Citi Travel
Another thing to do when things slow down at the airport? Plan for your next opportunity to do the same. When you book your stay with Citi Travel, you may be eligible to earn ThankYou® Points to use toward future travel. Apply to become a Citi® cardmember today or log in to your account to plan the perfect getaway.
Disclosure: This article is for educational purposes. It is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and is not a substitute for professional advice. It does not indicate the availability of any Citi product or service. For advice about your specific circumstances, you should consult a qualified professional.
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