If you want to avoid flying on a Boeing aircraft, there are a few ways to check which type of plane you’ll be traveling on before booking.

1. When searching for a plane ticket, look for the aircraft type used for the flight. This is generally displayed right below the flight details for almost every airline. If you search on Google Flights, you can see the aircraft type right below the flight times.

2. To make it easier to find a flight on a non-Boeing plane, you can search on Kayak. Kayak has an aircraft filter that allows you to exclude certain aircraft models, such as the Boeing 737-8 Max.

If you’ve already booked your flight, you can find out what type of aircraft you’ll be flying on by logging into your reservation. Most airlines will display the aircraft model under your flight information.

If you can’t find this information on your reservation, you can go to SeatGuru and input your flight number to see what aircraft you’re flying on, along with a plane seat map. 

However, a schedule change, mechanical issue, or weather delay could all cause an airline to swap the plane that was originally scheduled to be used for a flight. This could result in a different type of aircraft being used than was listed when you booked your flight. 

Which Airlines Use the Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9?

Although there have been significant concerns around the entire Boeing brand lately, the two aircraft that have garnered the most bad press are the 737 Max 8 and the 737 Max 9.

The 737 Max 9 was recently grounded following the Alaska Air doorplug incident but is now back in service. The 737 Max 8 was grounded by the FAA a few years ago after it was involved in two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. However, it was recertified and returned to the air in November 2020. 

The airlines that use the 737 Max 8 and 737 Max 9 are:

• United Airlines
• Alaska Air
• Copa Airlines
• Aeromexico
• Turkish Airlines
• Icelandair
• Lion Air
• Flydubai
• SCAT Airlines

What Can You Do If You’re Already Booked on a Boeing Plane?

Contact your airline directly if you have concerns about the type of aircraft that will be used for your flight. If you’re booked on a Boeing 737 Max 9 and don’t want to fly on that aircraft, the airline may work with you to change your flight, even if you’re booked on a non-refundable ticket. A spokesperson for United Airlines told SmarterTravel, “We’ll work with customers directly to ensure they feel comfortable flying. If they wish to change their flight, we’ll move them onto the next available flight.”

Alaska Air has a similar policy, telling SmarterTravel that although they have “complete confidence in the safety of all our aircraft,” guests who are uncomfortable flying on a Max 9 can call the airline and be rebooked on a different flight without an additional charge. This policy applies even to Saver tickets. Alaska Air says they will not charge a difference in fare for the tickets.

The post How to Check if You’re Flying on a Boeing Plane appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The travel site Upgraded Points calculated the average legroom for each major US airline by analyzing the carriers’ aircraft used across its ten busiest domestic flight routes. Upgraded Points studied the average seat pitch (the distance between a point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it) of economy seats on those routes, and used to create a standard legroom score for each airline.

Not surprisingly, budget carriers Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines tied for last place in the average amount of legroom offered in economy, with an average seat pitch of just 28 inches. In comparison, the airline with the most amount of legroom, JetBlue Airways, had an average seat pitch of 32.3 inches in economy class on domestic flights. 

The US Airlines With the Most Amount of Legroom

You’ll get more legroom flying on these airlines.

1. JetBlue Airways: 32.3”
2. Southwest Airlines: 31.8”
3. TIE: Alaska Airlines & Delta Airlines: 31.0”

The US Airlines With the Least Amount of Legroom

Prepare for a very cramped flight if you fly any of these airlines. 

1. American Airlines: 30.2”
2. United Airlines: 30.1” 
3. Hawaiian Airlines: 29.0”
4. TIE: Frontier Airlines & Spirit Airlines: 28.0″

Tips for Getting More Legroom in Economy

Want to get more legroom in economy? Here are a few ways to do it:

1. Check the aircraft model before buying your ticket. If you’re shopping for a flight, check SeatGuru before purchasing to find the pitch and width on the specific type of plane that will be flying on your route. You can compare it to flights at other times or on different airlines to find which ones will give you the most legroom for free.

2. Gamble on checking in late. If you go to check-in for your flight and a number of extra legroom seats (like the emergency exit row) are available, but you don’t want to pay for them, you could wait to check-in and hope that the other standard economy seats get filled up first. If that happens, the airline will assign passengers to the extra legroom seats for free. Just be warned, this move could backfire and you could get stuck in a middle seat! 

1. Use your points to upgrade to a premium economy seat—an upgrade with points is often significantly cheaper than it would have cost to buy the seat with the extra legroom when booking.

The post The Airlines With the Most and Least Amount of Legroom appeared first on SmarterTravel.

In some cases, this is a mistake that can be easily rectified if you know what to do. In other situations, there’s nothing you can do to get expedited screening. Here’s what you need to know if you don’t get PreCheck on your boarding pass despite being a Trusted Traveler program member. 

Why Didn’t I Get TSA PreCheck on My Boarding Pass if I’m a PreCheck Member?

There are five reasons reasons that your boarding pass won’t show the PreCheck symbol if you’re a PreCheck/Global Entry member:

Your Known Traveler Number Isn’t Attached to Your Booking

The first reason is that the airline may not have received your known traveler number. This is the number that you’re issued when you become a member of a Trusted Traveler Program (like TSA PreCheck or Global Entry). Sometimes, the airline doesn’t ask you to input this number when buying a ticket, or there was an error and the number didn’t transfer from your frequent flyer profile to the reservation.

You can fix this by calling the airline and asking them to add your known traveler number to your reservation and reissue the ticket. You can also try adding the number yourself online and re-downloading your boarding pass, but you might have to call the airline in order to get the ticket reissued so the TSA PreCheck logo populates. 

You’re Flying an Airline That Doesn’t Participate in TSA PreCheck

Not all airlines participate in the TSA PreCheck program, so if you’re flying with a carrier not on this list, you won’t be eligible for PreCheck despite being a member. 

Your Membership Has Expired

Before you get mad about your lack of PreCheck, double check that your membership has not expired. You can look up your membership status here.

There’s an Error on Your Booking

A typo in your name, date of birth, or Known Traveler Number will throw off the system and prevent you from being issued TSA PreCheck. Carefully review the information on your boarding pass and airline profile and make sure it exactly matches your Trusted Traveler profile. Even something as small as a hyphen can trigger an error. 

You’ve Been Randomly Selected for Extra Screening

As an extra security precaution, the TSA does not guarantee that trusted travelers will receive PreCheck every time they fly. According to the agency, “TSA uses unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen, throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual is guaranteed expedited screening.”

What Should I Do if I Didn’t Get TSA PreCheck on My Boarding Pass?

If you’ve checked that your reservation has your correct Known Traveler Number, date of birth, and name—and your membership is still valid—you can submit an online form asking the TSA to look into why you didn’t get PreCheck on your boarding pass.

The TSA asks that flyers complete the form three days before travel so that they have time to troubleshoot the issue, but this can be challenging since you generally can’t check-in online more than 24 hours before your flight. If you need urgent help, try contacting @AskTSA on Twitter (X) or Facebook Messenger. 

The post Why Didn’t I Get TSA PreCheck on My Boarding Pass if I’m a PreCheck Member? appeared first on SmarterTravel.

What Are Airplane Seatbelt Extenders?

Airplane seatbelt extenders, sometimes called seatbelt extensions, are longer seatbelt straps provided by airlines to give passengers more room. They attach to the built-in seatbelts to make them longer and looser. Standard airplane seatbelts are between 39 and 51 inches and vary by aircraft. Seatbelt extenders generally provide an extra 25 inches of length. 

How Do You Request an Airplane Seatbelt Extender?

Airlines stock seatbelt extenders on every flight. To request one, simply ask a flight attendant. If you want to request an airplane seatbelt extender discreetly, here are a few tips:

• Ask for one as you board the plane (the flight attendant can drop it off at your seat)
• Ask the flight attendant for one as they are walking around and checking the overhead bins
• Ring the call button after taking your seat and ask for one

Flight attendants hand out airplane seatbelt extenders on a daily basis, so don’t be embarrassed to ask for one. It’s mandatory that you be buckled in before takeoff, so proactively requesting one will help speed up the process. 

How Do Airplane Seatbelt Extenders Work?

Using an airline seatbelt extender is very easy. Simply click the extender into the plane’s seat belt and adjust the belt to be the correct length. It should fit snugly but not too tight. 

Can You Bring Your Own Seatbelt Extender on a Plane?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strictly prohibits passengers from using their own seatbelt extenders. The seatbelt extenders provided by the airlines have been tested to meet stringent safety standards, and ones purchased online could break or fail in case of an accident.

If a flight attendant sees a passenger attempting to use their own seatbelt extender, they will require them to swap it out for the airline’s. 

Does Requesting a Seatbelt Extender Cost Extra or Require Pre-Booking?

All passengers deserve to fly safely, so there are absolutely no fees or costs associated with using a seatbelt extender. There’s also no need to prebook or reserve one—just ask for it when you board. 

Can You Use a Seatbelt Extender in an Exit Row?

Unfortunately, seatbelt extenders are not allowed in the exit row. Seatbelt extenders could become an obstruction or trip hazard in an emergency, hindering access to the exit.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Airplane Seatbelt Extenders appeared first on SmarterTravel.

In addition to the option of booking directly with your airline, there are dozens of flight booking websites, also known as online travel agencies (OTAs), to choose from. The uncomfortable truth is that no one flight search engine can guarantee the best price 100 percent of the time, but using a mix of the right resources can help ensure you’re not overpaying.

The Best Flight Booking Sites

One important thing to remember about booking sites/OTAs is that Southwest fares are not sold on them. Some other airlines have also pulled their fares from some booking sites, but most airlines do make their fares available.

Here’s why these 14 are the best flight booking sites and metasearch options out there, and the best defining feature of each. Since it’s impossible to know which site will provide the best price for your particular trip, you should always compare fares from a few sources before you book.

Best Flight Search Site for Comparing Flight Types: Travelocity

It should be noted that Expedia owns Travelocity, so this flight booking site basically gives you Expedia price results with a different color scheme and organizational preferences. Travelocity’s homepage is streamlined but doesn’t offer a flexible-dates search. On the results page, bag fees are revealed by a pop-up screen that activates when clicking each fare, which makes it a little difficult to compare fees (you will likely have to scroll a bit). Travelocity charges booking fees for some but not all flights.

Best Feature: Travelocity displays all fares for a selected flight in a convenient pop-out window, allowing you to compare fares on a given itinerary while still scrolling through options from the search results on the same screen.

Best Flight Search Site for Comparison Shopping: BookingBuddy

Editor’s note: BookingBuddy is owned by SmarterTravel Media, SmarterTravel.com’s parent company.

Compare multiple airfare sites with one click to find the best flight deals on BookingBuddy. This metasearch site lets you easily compare prices from other sites (like Priceline) without having to do a bunch of different searches. You can choose which flight search sites you want to compare, and BookingBuddy opens up a new tab with your selected flight dates and destinations already filled in.

Looking for a flight and hotel? BookingBuddy offers a combination flight and hotel search that can save you some decent money by bundling.

Best Feature: Sign up for a price drop alert, and BookingBuddy will email you when costs drop on your route.

Best Flight Search Site for Transparency: Expedia

As previously mentioned, Expedia is nearly identical to Travelocity, but fares did vary between the two sites on some of my searches. As with Travelocity (and to be fair, a number of other OTAs), Expedia will try to up-sell you on adding a hotel to your itinerary. This can save you money, but be sure to compare prices before you book. Expedia charges variable booking fees (and they are not always the same fees that Travelocity charges). When you select your fare from the list of options, there’s an interstitial step that displays what is and isn’t covered in the fare, including seat selection, cancellations, changes, and baggage rules.

Best Feature: Like its subsidiary Travelocity, Expedia basically double-checks that you understand what sort of fare you’re choosing before you click “select” again. It’s a helpful bit of transparency in today’s cluttered airfare landscape.

Best Flight Search Site for Nonstop Flights: CheapOair

Much like Travelocity and Expedia, flight search sites CheapOair and OneTravel (discussed later in this article) are versions of the same product, owned by Fareportal Inc. Though the sites are owned by the same company, the fare results are not always identical, so it’s worth checking both. CheapOair shows some “Super Saver Fares” for which you don’t find out the airline you’ll be flying until after you book—which means you also don’t find out what baggage fees apply until after you book. However, the savings might be worth it. CheapOair charges a service fee on air travel transactions, from $0 to $35 per ticket.

Best Feature: CheapOair prioritizes nonstop prices over itineraries with stops, organized in an easy-to-read chart that’s organized by airline.

Best Flight Search Site with Flight Reviews: Tripadvisor Flights

Tripadvisor is known for its hotel reviews, and now travelers can apply their ratings to airlines, plus search for airfare on Tripadvisor Flights. On testing this flight booking site it’s clear that Tripadvisor doesn’t always serve up the cheapest fares, but sometimes it did. It always, however, gives you the option to surface Expedia, Travelocity, and other flight booking sites’ results, so you can compare right away with one click. Tripadvisor Flights also has some helpful search options up front, like a checkbox for prioritizing nonstop flights.

Best Feature: Tripadvisor’s flight search tool is unique from others in that it offers review-based FlyScores of airlines alongside their fares, so you’re less likely to book with an obscure, poorly rated airline without realizing it.

Best Flight Booking Site for Environmentally-Conscious Flyers: Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a popular metasearch site that works with hundreds of other travel providers to find the best fares. You can specify nonstop-flights-only right from the homepage, and there’s also a handy “everywhere” option if you don’t have a particular destination in mind and want to see what’s available. Search results show the “best” option (based on a combination of price and speed) as well as the fastest and cheapest, and you can filter by airline, alliance, number of stops, and flight times. When you select a result, you’ll see a variety of places to book that particular flight. Skyscanner casts a wide net, so you’ll often see very cheap fares from booking sites you’ve never heard of; to help you figure out how trustworthy they are, Skyscanner shows user star ratings for each.

Best Feature: For flyers concerned about the environmental impact of their travel, Skyscanner has a unique “Greener flights” filter, which shows only itineraries with lower-than-average CO2 emissions based on your search. The site also highlights certain itineraries in your results as a “greener choice.”

Best Flight Booking Site for Flexible Travel: OneTravel

OneTravel has a similar interface to CheapOAir, with a convenient chart prioritizing the best nonstop flight options at the top of the results page. The search results automatically populate similar but cheaper flights on alternate dates close to the user’s original search date, which is great if there is flexibility in your plans. If you are committed to your arrival and departure dates, however, you can toggle off alternate dates in the filters section. One major drawback: OneTravel charges a steep service fee of up to $50 per ticket.

Best Feature: The search results page is subdivided into Recommended, Cheapest, Shortest, and Alternate Date tabs, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for at a high-level and continue to filter down from there.

Best Flight Booking Site for People on a Budget: Travelzoo

Travelzoo is quite different from the other sites listed here. Instead of booking specific itineraries, you can search broad timelines (this week, next month, this summer, etc.) for deals in your desired destination by either month or season. This makes Travelzoo a good fit for people with a budget and time frame, but no firm idea of when or even where they want to go. The downside is that if you do have specific plans in mind—for example, you need a flight to Omaha in March—Travelzoo is not likely to be helpful.

Best Feature: Travelzoo’s flexibility requirement can afford some great deals you won’t find elsewhere, like cheap business-class flights and multi-city itineraries that will make a dream trip a lot more affordable than you’d think.

Best For Where You Don’t Care Where You Go, You Just Want a Good Price: Google Flights

Google Flights is a powerful, simple metasearch site that comes free of ads and distractions. After you enter your departure and arrival airports, the calendar pre-populates with prices so you can target dates with lower fares. Once you have your results, you can track fares on your selected dates and receive updates by email. You can also view fares over various dates using the “Price Graph,” which shows you a bar graph that makes it easy to see when the lowest fares are available.

Best Feature: Instead of putting in a certain city as a destination, you can put in a larger region such as Europe or South Africa. You’ll then see fares to various cities within that region displayed all at once on a map. This can be helpful if you want to go to Europe in April, for example, but don’t have a particular destination in mind.

Best Flight Booking Site for Filtering: Kayak

Often imitated and frequently duplicated, Kayak was a game-changer when it launched back in the mid-2000s. And it’s still one of the most powerful metasearch tools available. You can also set up fares alerts to track prices over time. The interface is noisier than Google Flights thanks to a preponderance of ads, but still easy to use. Like Google, it has a flexible search feature that lets you search for good deals to a region like Europe or even simply put in “anywhere.” Another handy feature available on many itineraries: an “Our Advice” box that lets you know whether you should buy now or wait, depending on whether Kayak thinks fares will go up or down over the next seven days.

Best Feature: Its Hacker Fares claim to piece together separate one-way tickets, potentially saving you money compared to similar itineraries, and its wide range of filters, sorting options, and predictive technologies put a lot of tools at travelers’ disposal.

Best Flight Booking Site That Included Southwest: Momondo

Like Kayak, Momondo is a metasearch site that takes you to other sites to make your purchase. One plus: Momondo surfaces results from Southwest, including flight times and other details from the carrier … but no prices. Only by clicking through to Southwest could I see the fare. Still, it’s nice to have a reminder that Southwest is an unlisted option. Another plus: Momondo searches for fares from a ton of smaller OTAs, which could lead to a deal that other metasearch tools miss.

Best Feature: The mention of Southwest is unique to Momondo.

Best Flight Booking Site for Multi-Stop Itineraries: Nomad from Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is an OTA like many others; you book directly on the site (as you would on Expedia) rather than being linked off to a different site (as you would on Kayak or Momondo). But what sets it apart is its Nomad search engine, which lets you find cheap itineraries for multi-destination trips. You enter the starting and ending places of your journey as well as the cities where you want to stop along the way, including how many nights you want to spend in each place. Hit “find routes,” and the site will put together an itinerary that mixes and matches airlines and routes for the lowest possible price. (For example, I was quoted a route involving four flights—New York City to Rome to Moscow to Tokyo and back to New York—for a measly $1,031 round-trip.) You can filter your results to weed out routes with multiple layovers or flights that don’t include checked baggage.

Best Feature: This is by far the easiest tool I’ve used to research around-the-world and multi-stop itineraries.

Best Flight Booking Site for Fare Alerts: Airfarewatchdog

Full disclosure, airfarewatchdog is a sister site to SmarterTravel, so we are slightly biased with this one, but promise it is worth your while. Airfarewatchdog is the best for flexible travelers who are just looking for a great deal on airfare. Search fares from a city, to a city, or you can “choose an adventure,” which will show you fares from your city to various hotspots depending on what you are looking for – castles, caves, coffee, you name it, airfarewatchdog will point you in the right direction. Their blog features great travel tips, and one of the best features is the fare alerts you can sign up for. If you know you want to travel somewhere, but all you want is a cheap price, sign up for an alert, and you’ll find out as soon as the price dips so you can book it right away.

Best Feature: The fare alert—it allows you to stop searching daily for that perfect price! Let airfarewatchdog do the work for you.

Best Mobile-Friendly Flight Booking Site: Hopper

Hopper is primarily an app for your phone (although it can be used as a website) but it is worth putting on here just the same. Have you ever been scared to book a flight because it might go down, or afraid to not book it in case it goes up? One of the features of Hopper that makes it shine is its price predictor, which means you never have to worry about making the wrong booking decision. Another bonus is it shows you the price with all of the fees and taxes included, so there is no sticker shock when you finally go to book. After you search, if you aren’t ready to book, you can set up an alert to watch that trip, dates and all. 

Best Feature: Hands down the price predictor. 

Which Flight Booking Site is Best for Me?

In determining which of these sites are the best ones for you to compare prices with, it’s helpful to determine which sites meet your trip-booking needs. Do you want to clearly see bag fees up front? Do you want an easy “flexible dates” function, or are your dates firm? If your travel plans are loose, do you want to see prices for multiple destinations? Different flight booking sites have different capabilities.

Once you determine which site is worth your time depending on the trip, compare prices with a few to make sure you’re getting the best deal. And always check the airline’s own site: OTAs are good at displaying fees associated with an individual flight, but it’s trickier to compare fare options (classes like basic economy vs. economy) on that flight.

Lastly, it’s important to remember that this list can be separated into two main types: booking sites (also called OTAs) that you book directly with as a third party, and aggregators otherwise known as metasearch sites that’ll send you to a booking site to make your transaction. The latter are better if you want to use any frequent flyer programs you might belong to and acquire points.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Sarah Schlichter and Megan Johnson  contributed to this story. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The post The 14 Best Flight Search Sites for Booking Cheap Airfare appeared first on SmarterTravel.

With cancellations, your rights derive solely from the airlines’ contracts of carriage, plus relevant principles of general contract law. And because no federal regulations apply, those rights are not uniform but instead vary from airline to airline.

All airline contracts go to extremes to make sure you understand that, one, airlines do not guarantee schedules, and two, airlines are never responsible for consequential damages—losses you might suffer because you don’t arrive at your destination on time or at all.

But in a routine cancellation, you have two basic contractual rights on any airline, subject to minor variations: either one, a seat on your original airline’s next available flight or two, a refund of the unused portion of your ticket. Some lines go beyond those bare-bones rights. In addition, most airlines promise various forms of assistance if they cancel your flight for a reason within the line’s control, but not when they cancel the flight because of bad weather or some other force majeure factor.

Although 2023 saw the lowest flight cancellation rate in the last decade—just 1.2%—many people are still feeling the unease of the past three years of unpredictable pandemic travel.

Though your odds of being canceled are slight, you can face some real hassles if you should get caught.

Download Our Ultimate Flight-Cancellation Rights Guide

Print this handy, downloadable guide to find out what your rights are in the event of flight cancellation for thirteen major airlines.

Flight Cancellation Definition

In general, airlines define cancellation pretty much as you’d expect. Some, however, limit cancellation procedures to cases where the airline can’t get you to your destination without a delay—either a “reasonable time,” in some contracts, or a specific time, such as 90 minutes, in others.

Refunds

The almost universal policy is that regardless of cause when an airline cancels your flight, you have a right to a full refund of the remaining value of your ticket. Refunds are in the same form as ticket purchase: cash or credit to a credit card.

A few airlines go beyond this basic requirement to include a provision that if your onward connecting flight from a hub airport is canceled on an outbound trip, and you no longer want to continue the trip, the airline will return you to your original airport at no charge and refund the entire value of the ticket.

A few lines’ contracts do not specifically promise a refund, but in practice, a refund is almost always an option.

Next Available Seat

Most airline cancellation policies are built on the assumption that you really want to get you to your final destination as quickly as possible. But the extent of assistance varies. Almost all airline contracts promise to get you a seat on that airline’s next available flight to the ticketed destination at no extra cost. Lines with two or more classes generally specify a seat in the same class as ticketed, but most also say that if no seat is available in the original class, they will accommodate you in a higher class with no additional fare or in a lower class with a refund of the fare difference. A few lines specifically allow you to reroute yourself to an alternative nearby destination, but most don’t address that subject; instead, it’s negotiable. But you see substantial differences in whether an airline will try to get you a seat on another airline that can get you to your destination more quickly:

• Some airlines offer only the next available seat on their own line.
• Some offer to transfer you to another line (or ground transport) that can get you to your destination before they can get you there, but only at their “sole discretion.”
• A few lines offer transfers at your request. This provision is the remaining trace of the former near-universal Rule 240 transfer procedure widely employed before deregulation.

All airlines consider airports they serve within a multi-airport region as equivalent destinations: Getting you to Newark, for example, is equivalent to getting you to JFK. Multi-airport regions in the U.S. are Chicago (O’Hare and Midway), Dallas-Ft Worth (International and Love Field), Houston (Bush and Hobby), Los Angeles (International, Burbank, Long Beach, Ontario, Orange County), New York (JFK, Newark, LaGuardia), San Francisco (International, Oakland, San Jose), and Washington (National, Dulles, and Baltimore). Some lines also conflate Ft Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach.

Contracts generally do not treat all the possible details, one way or another. If, for example, the next available seat is on a red-eye and you don’t want to endure a red-eye, contracts generally don’t say anything about finding a later seat on a better schedule. If the next seat to your original destination is not available within a reasonable time, most lines will agree to put you on an earlier available flight to a nearby destination: Philadelphia instead of New York/Newark, for example, or San Francisco rather than Sacramento. If you decide to abort a trip entirely, most contracts do not specify a limit to how far in the future they honor the “no fare change” provision. Sometimes you can negotiate something acceptable, sometimes not.

Delay Assistance

In general, if an airline cancels your flight because of some force majeure event outside the airlines’ control, your only rights are either a refund or the next available seat to your destination. Many airlines list force majeure events in their contracts; Delta’s list is typical:

Weather conditions or acts of God; riots, civil unrest, embargoes, war, hostilities, or unsettled international conditions; strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns, lockout, or any other labor-related dispute; government regulation, demand, directive or requirement; shortages of labor, fuel, or facilities; any other condition beyond Delta’s control or any fact not reasonably foreseen by Delta.

But when cancellation is due to a problem within an airline’s control—plane change, crew shortage, and such—most lines promise to tend to your needs in the event of an extended delay in finding an available seat. Typically, they offer:

• Meal vouchers for delays of four hours or more.
• Hotel accommodation for extended delays in finding an alternative seat. Some lines specify delay times of eight hours or more or for delays of four hours or more within the period of 10:00 pm to 6:00 am; others just say “significant” time. Some lines exclude hotel accommodations for delays at your home airport; others do not address this specifically but apply the principle in practice.
• Given today’s ubiquitous smartphones, the provision in many contracts that you get a free telephone call is an amusing anachronism. But it’s there in the remote case you don’t carry a mobile phone.

The table shows specific airline-by-airline variation in key provisions. Table data are based on contracts of carriage for domestic U.S. or Canadian travel as posted online in early 2024 and are subject to change. Policies vary in their degree of specificity; in general, where the contract does not address a situation, airline policies not subject to public inspection govern. And some situations are negotiable.

Flight Cancellation Rules Outside the U.S. and Canada

The European Union mandates more extensive traveler benefits in a cancellation than U.S. lines promise in their contracts. Travelers on flights within the European Union, on flights departing from any EU/EEA airport, or on flights to an EU/EEA airport on an airline based in the EU are entitled to:

• Alternative transport, including transport on other lines. or refund, including a full refund and no-charge return to the origin where appropriate.
• Except in cases of flight cancellation due to extraordinary conditions, financial compensation if a replacement seat delays you by three hours or more of if you get a refund, ranging from 250 to 600 euros depending on flight length (most flights to/from the U.S. and Canada fall into the top category).

EU regulations are vague about meals and accommodations.

Cancellation benefits in other countries vary, but tend to follow, at a minimum, the base formula of either a refund or the airline’s next seat.

Dealing with a Flight Cancellation

There is not a single easy solution to a cancellation. In these days of high load factors, the next available seat may entail a substantial delay. But you can help yourself a bit with these tips:

• When an airline cancels a flight well before scheduled departure time, it often automatically rebooks you and notifies you by e-mail or a text to your phone. In general, if the airline’s solution is at all reasonable, take it; arranging something else is almost always a major hassle. If not, suggest your own alternative.
• With a last-minute cancellation, if you used a travel agent, contact the agency or its 24/7 backup, and have the agency arrange a substitute.
• Otherwise, get online, identify possible solutions, and present one or more solutions to the airline, either to its call center or to the agent dealing with problems on the spot, depending on circumstances. Many details unspecified in the contract are negotiable, and most agents would rather respond to a specific suggestion than start looking at all alternatives.
• If you’re involved in a cancellation outside the U.S. or Canada, ask to see a copy of the airline’s contract of carriage or equivalent customer commitment document to see what the airline does and does not promise.
• Keep your cool: The agent dealing with you at a busy airport didn’t cause the cancellation and can’t offer seats that aren’t there. Getting aggressive is likely to gain you less assistance, not more.

Consumer advocate Ed Perkins has been writing about travel for more than three decades. The founding editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, he continues to inform travelers and fight consumer abuses every day at SmarterTravel.

Editor’s Note: The cancellations chart information was updated in January 2024.

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Fortunately, the experts at the travel booking app Hopper have crunched the numbers to determine exactly how far in advance to book flights for all your trips this year. 

How Far in Advance to Book Domestic Flights

If you don’t have specific dates in mind, the general guidance is to start watching prices for domestic flights at least 3-4 months before you depart. (Set up a flight deal alert on Airfarewatchdog, our sister site, to make it easy.) According to Hopper, “Prices will change frequently, but drop on average until about 1-2 months before departure. Expect to book 1-2 months ahead of your departure date.”

Don’t wait too long to book, as prices can nearly double in the last three weeks before departure.

How Far in Advance to Book International Flights

You’ll want to plan further ahead for an international trip, beginning to monitor flight prices 7-8 months before departure. Generally, flights to Asia and Oceania are the cheapest 5-7 months before departure. You’ll find the most affordable deals on international flights to other regions around 3-6 months in advance. 

When to Book Holiday Weekend Flights

Plan early for holiday travel to get the cheapest flights. Here’s when Hopper recommends booking flights for major holidays:

How Far in Advance to Book Hotels

Hotel prices fluctuate less than flights, but accommodations in popular vacation destinations can often sell out early. Hopper experts advise booking at least 1-2 months in advance for leisure hotspots like Miami Beach or Cancun, lest all the low-priced options sell out. 

You’ll want to book even earlier (3 months in advance) for all-inclusive resort stays.

However, if you’re willing to gamble or are traveling in the off-season, waiting to book your hotel can pay off. Hotels often lower room rates a few days before check-in to draw in travelers, as they don’t make money on an empty room.

The post How Far in Advance to Book Flights for 2024 Travel appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Read this list before your next flight, and remember to put them into practice every time you board a plane.

Keep Your Seatbelt Fastened at All Times

Just because the seatbelt sign is off doesn’t mean your seatbelt should be. Although pilots can often see when turbulence is approaching, “clear air turbulence” can occur unexpectedly, sending passengers flying if they aren’t belted in. 

Only unbuckle your seatbelt when you’re getting up to move about the cabin, and only do so when the captain has indicated that it’s safe to do so.

Always Listen to the Pre-Flight Safety Briefing

If you’re a frequent flyer, it’s easy to tune out the pre-flight safety briefing from the flight attendants. However, the safety briefing changes based on the type of plane you’re flying, and it’s important to learn the location of exits and other crucial safety information for every flight. 

Likewise, give the safety briefing card in your seatback a quick study, as it will present important safety tips in an easy-to-remember pictorial format. This is especially key if you’re seated in an emergency exit row and could be called upon to open the exit door—you don’t want to waste precious time in an emergency trying to read the directions and figure out how to do it.

Use an Approved Child Seat for Kids

You wouldn’t let your child ride in a car without a seatbelt, so why would you let them fly without one? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends buying kids their own seats and utilizing an approved safety device.

The FAA states, “The safest place for your child under the age of two on a U.S. airplane is in approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not in your lap. Your arms aren’t capable of holding your in-lap child securely, especially during unexpected turbulence, which is the number one cause of pediatric injuries on an airplane.” 

The FAA strongly recommends, “Buying a ticket for your child is the only way to guarantee that you will be able to use a CRS. It’s the smart and right thing to do so that everyone in your family arrives safely at your destination.”

To find an FAA-approved CRS device, visit KidsFlySafe.com, which has links to purchase these systems directly. 

Count the Rows to the Emergency Exit

Once you’ve taken your seat, take a moment and count the rows to the closest emergency exit, keeping in mind that it might be behind you. In the event of an emergency, the cabin could be dark and filled with smoke, making it hard to see where you can get out. 

If you know how many rows stand between you and the exit, you can feel your way out of the plane, even if visibility is nonexistent. 

Keep Your Shoes on

If you have to evacuate a plane in an emergency, you may have to run across a hot tarmac that’s littered with sharp objects. Keeping your shoes on during a flight helps you stay prepared in case you have to flee. 

When you fly, opt for slip-on or lace-up shoes that will remain securely on your feet if you’re running, and don’t wear high heels—sharp stilettos can puncture the inflatable slides. 

The post 5 Important Safety Tips for Flying appeared first on SmarterTravel.

According to AAA, a slight dip in average ticket prices contributes to the increased number of travelers. “This year-end holiday forecast, with an additional 2.5 million travelers compared to last year, mirrors what AAA Travel has been observing throughout 2023,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. 

If you’re flying for the holidays, follow these tips to make your airport experience easier.

Arrive Early

Everything from airport shuttles to TSA screening lines will be busier than normal over the holidays, so leave yourself plenty of extra time before your flight. If you need to check in at the airport or drop off your bag, we recommend leaving an hour or two earlier for the airport than you normally would. 

Even if you’ve checked in online and have TSA PreCheck, you should still leave about an hour earlier for the airport during the holidays, as all lines (even expedited screening ones) will be longer. According to the TSA, more than 17.6 million passengers are enrolled in TSA PreCheck, the highest amount ever recorded. That’s 3.9 million PreCheck passengers last year, which could mean longer wait times.

Avoid Checking a Bag if Possible

More passengers mean more changes for lost luggage. Especially if you’re traveling with important holiday gifts, you’ll want to minimize the odds of losing your bag, so travel carry-on only if possible. 

However, even if you manage to fit everything into a carry-on, you should still plan for the possibility that your flight will be full and overhead space limited—so prepare to be forced to gate-check your bag and pack your valuables and medications in your personal item and a luggage tracker in your suitcase in case it does get checked and go missing. 

Pack Airport Delay Supplies

In addition to long lines at check-in and security, you can expect extra wait times at airport eateries and shops. Save money and skip the lines by packing yourself supplies, like snacks, an empty water bottle (you can refill once you’re past security), and a portable battery charger so you don’t have to fight the crowds. 

The holiday period is notorious for airport delays, so pack more provisions than you think you might need in case you get stranded. 

Know the Rules

Traveling for the holidays can present packing challenges. If you’re unsure if you can bring a wrapped present or leftover cranberry sauce through security, check with the TSA before heading to the airport. The TSA has several holiday travel blog posts that cover a wide variety of packing conundrums.

Still unsure? Use the TSA’s What Can I Bring search tool.

Download Airline Apps

Before heading to the airport, download the app for the airline you’re traveling on. Having the app preloaded on your phone will help ensure you get notified in case of delays or cancellations and give you an easy way to rebook another flight if needed (without waiting to talk to a customer service representative.)

Plus, many airlines now offer free entertainment via their app, even on domestic flights.

The post 2024 Holidays Predicted to Be the Busiest Air Travel Period Ever: Here’s How to Prepare appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The Details

• The discounted price is good for domestic flights departing December 8 through December 25, with returns from December 8 through January 14. 

• Only one round-trip ticket per student will be bookable. 

• Prime Student memberships cost $69/year. 

• Itineraries over $500 will cost $25 plus the amount over $500.

If you’re a student who has waited til the last minute to figure out a way to get home, this may be your best chance at getting a fare that won’t cost you most of your savings. 

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