Daylight Saving Time Confusion — Reader Mistake Story
One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about all the positive ways award travel has affected their lives. That being said, while I love hearing about your successes, I think there's also a lot we can learn by sharing our mistakes, and I'm calling on readers to send in your most egregious and woeful travel failures.
From time to time I'll pick one that catches my eye and post it for everybody to enjoy (and commiserate with). If you're interested, email your story to info@thepointsguy.com, and put "Reader Mistake Story" in the subject line. Include details of exactly how your trip went wrong, and (where applicable) how you made it right. Please offer any wisdom you gained from the experience, and explain what precautions the rest of us can take to avoid the same pitfalls. If we publish your story, I'll send you a gift to help jump-start your next adventure (or make up for any blunders from the last one).
Recently, I posted a story from Renee, who had a bad experience with an exit row seat. Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Chris, who missed a flight due to an unexpected time change. Here's what he had to say:
I was flying from Pittsburgh to Santa Barbara with a connection in Phoenix. It was a Sunday in the fall, and happened to be the end of daylight saving time — the day the clocks are set back one hour. Upon landing, my phone told me I had 90 minutes until my next departure, so I grabbed some food and took my time getting to the gate.
To my horror, I arrived at the gate only to find that I had already missed my flight. I had no idea that Phoenix doesn't observe daylight saving time, so they don't change their clocks with the rest of us. That meant the actual time was an hour later, and my 90-minute connection was really only 30 minutes. For whatever reason, my phone didn't update to the actual time, so it was a complete surprise to me.
Since that was the last connecting flight to Santa Barbara for the day, I ended up having to pay for a hotel to stay the night and catch the first flight out in the morning. It was an expensive mistake, but I learned my lesson: be sure to understand how daylight saving rules in Phoenix. I know I won't forget them!
Chris's experience was unusual (since it occurred on the day of a time change), but it's pretty common to not know the time upon arrival, especially in a foreign destination. Don't assume the clock on your phone or other device is accurate, since it may fail to update or you might not have service. If you have a connection or an appointment to keep, it pays to check clocks in the airport, or listen for announcements about the time zone and current local time that are broadcast periodically in some major airports.
Getting the time wrong is one of many common scheduling errors you can fix by simply double-checking your itinerary. We all make mistakes, but reviewing your tickets once or twice after you buy them will help you avoid turning small mistakes into large ones. It's especially helpful to do this within 24 hours of purchase, since you can then take advantage of the favorable hold and cancellation rules imposed by the US Department of Transportation.
Finally, note that Arizona isn't the only place that doesn't observe daylight saving time. Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are all exceptions, along with plenty of international destinations. Also note that the start and end dates are inconsistent across the world; for example, in 2017 DST will run from March 12 to November 5 in the US, while it only runs from March 26 to October 29 in Europe. If you're traveling in the spring or fall, pay attention to the local time changes!
I appreciate this story, and I hope it can help other readers avoid making the same mistake. To thank Chris for sharing his experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I'm sending him a $200 Visa gift card to enjoy on his travels.
I'd like to do the same for you! If you've ever arrived at the airport without ID, booked a hotel room in the wrong city, missed out on a credit card sign-up bonus, or made another memorable travel or rewards mistake, I want to hear about it. Please indulge me and the whole TPG team by sending us your own stories (see instructions above). I look forward to hearing from you, and until then, I wish you a safe and mistake-free journey!
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees