Should you change your travel plans? 'Bomb cyclone' storm threatens Christmas travel
How early should you get to the airport?
It’s a question most travelers know to ask during busy holiday travel periods. Throngs of travelers, long check-in queues, jam-packed roadways and snaking security lines are among the reasons holiday flyers should give themselves and extra hour or two to get to their gate.
This Christmas, however, travelers may want to consider heading to the airport not just an hour or so earlier than normal – but perhaps by a full day or two.
Winter weather may impact holiday travel
That’s thanks to a massive winter storm winding up now that’s threatening to bring treacherous weather to airports across a wide swath of the nation – including many of the nation’s busiest airline hubs.
The storm — a potential "bomb cyclone," according to The Weather Channel — already was bringing poor weather to the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, where cancellations and delays were above normal at busy airports like Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA) and Portland International (PDX) in Oregon.
Travel disruptions will only likely worsen this week as the storm treks east in the days leading up to Christmas.
Snow is forecast for much of the Great Plains and Midwest from Wednesday into Thursday, with blizzard conditions and more than two feet of snowfall expected in some locations. The East Coast is also expected to get hit with a mix of snow, ice and rain. Heavy rain and strong winds could snarl busy Northeast airports.
Unusually cold weather also will complicate travel on the back end of the storm, with temperatures dropping into the teens as far south as places like Houston and Atlanta. Even New Orleans and Jacksonville, Florida, are expected to see temperatures in the low 20s later in the week. That could lead to icy conditions on roadways or deicing delays at airports that don’t frequently encounter extreme cold.
And with the worst of the storm hitting the Midwest and East Coast just two days before Christmas this coming Sunday, there will likely be few options for stranded travelers to find new itineraries to get home before the holiday.
But, there are possible alternatives to just hoping for the best, as the big U.S. airlines have rolled out flexible rebooking waivers to let flexible travelers change their plans to avoid the storm.
When and where will travelers be affected?
The storm is already ashore in the Pacific Northwest, where some cancellations and delays are being tracked in the region. Nearly one out of five flights at Seattle was canceled Tuesday, and a similar number were delayed, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware.
Forecasts called for the storm to move east, bringing snow to the Great Plains and Upper Midwest by Wednesday night before expanding into the Great Lakes by Thursday and lasting into Friday. Heavy rain and wind were forecast along much of the East Coast on Thursday and Friday, including at the Northeast’s delay-prone airports in New York and Philadelphia. Freezing temperatures in the Deep South are expected by Thursday and into Friday.
And while flight delays and cancellations are possible outcomes of this weather system, the impacts likely won't just be limited to air travel as drivers across the impacted regions also should prepare for difficult conditions.
Should you fly out early?
Whether you should change your travel plans this holiday week to depart a day or two earlier than planned will depend on your travel plans and when and what type of weather is expected for your precise location(s).
Drivers will face particularly difficult conditions in many areas this week, leading the National Weather Service to warn travelers to consider adjusting their plans in light of the weather.
“The best Christmas gift you can give this year is to be around for another Christmas,” the National Weather Service said in an advisory about the storm. “Plan now to delay, alter or cancel travel plans.”
Air travelers also face complications, especially if their holiday plans call for them to fly through an airport in the storm’s path.
Those with the flexibility to change planes might want to consider leaving early to get to their destinations before the storm snarls travel in the Midwest and East.
Flights are already full this time of year, and passengers displaced by cancellations or missed connections will likely find few empty seats on other flights. In other words, if you can be proactive and adjust your plans before many flights full of would-be travelers try to do the same, you may have more options.
What about those airline weather waivers?
Most of these waivers let customers make one change to their itinerary without paying any additional fee or fare difference. For example, United currently has well over 100 airports currently under waivers stretching all across the country with a rebooking window spanning from Dec. 19 - Dec. 28, 2022.
The dates and airports covered vary by airline, so check out the details for your carrier to see if a change makes sense for your itinerary.
Bottom line
Santa may still arrive right on time on Christmas Eve, but for flights that aren't reindeer-equipped, this may be the year you need to check the weather reports twice and think long and hard about changing your flight plans if your current itinerary puts you in a location with an unfavorable weather forecast.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.