This holiday season, severe thunderstorms — rather than snow or ice — have proven to be the main obstacle for millions of travelers heading to the airport.

More trouble may be brewing.

Stormy weather disrupted air traffic at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the second busiest airport in the United States, on Thursday and caused increased flight delays at nearby Dallas Love Field (DAL) and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to the south. ).

At Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, nearly half of all departing flights Thursday were delayed. More than a fifth of flights were canceled as the slow-moving storm system caused multiple ground stops throughout the day.

help! If your flight is canceled or delayed, here’s what you need to do

DFW-based American Airlines was severely affected by severe weather, causing more than 1,000 flight delays and more than 300 flight cancellations on Thursday, according to FlightAware data.

Southwest Airlines had more than 1,600 flight delays Thursday, with its Dallas and Houston bases affected by stormy weather. United Airlines, which hubs at IAH, also had more than 1,000 flights delayed Thursday.

The disruption comes on what is expected to be one of the busiest days for U.S. airports this holiday season. The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 2.7 million travelers on Thursday, with more likely to pass through security on Friday and Sunday.

With crowds, bad weather and American Airlines’ technical outages on Christmas Eve, it’s shaping up to be a much more tumultuous Christmas travel week for travelers than the relatively smooth Thanksgiving holiday.

While American Airlines quickly recovered from Tuesday morning’s third-party technical glitch and didn’t cancel a single mainline flight (although there were delays), bad weather on Christmas Eve and Thursday made it a big DFW this week. The operation of aviation hubs has become complex.

So far Friday, operations for the airline and others across the country appear to be generally back on track.

However, the National Weather Service warned that conditions could become hazardous again this weekend. Severe storms are possible in parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday, and chaotic weather could affect travel along the East Coast later this weekend.

“Sunday’s weather will likely have its worst impact on weekend travelers, with significant disruptions to traffic along the East Coast possible,” NOAA National Aviation Meteorologist Wes Adkins told TPG on Friday. Thunderstorms on the heavily used air corridor from Florida to Virginia may cause route deviations.

Overall, airline operations have been much smoother this year than in 2022, leaving travelers with too many memories of the airline’s collapse — Southwest Airlines’ holiday operation debacle that year.

Airlines often point to staffing levels that are the highest in two years, along with other operational improvements, as key to getting schedules back on track if problems arise.

But as this week has shown, mother nature has a way of disrupting travelers’ best-laid plans — and with more than 20 million travelers passing through airports this holiday season since last year, some of them are sure to be affected by Mother Nature .

Now, with tens of millions of passengers expected at airports between now and next weekend, here’s what you should know if you’re traveling.

Know your refund rights

According to U.S. Department of Transportation policy, if your flight is canceled or severely delayed and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a refund for the portion of your trip that was not flown, even if the flight was disrupted due to weather.

However, remember that the “opt-out” part is key: if you accept a rebooking or alternative accommodation, you may not be eligible for a refund.

However, a refund may come in handy if a flight disruption affects your travel plans to the point where you’d rather stay where you are or take a different mode of transportation, including flying with another airline.

Learn more: Flight canceled or delayed? This is what to do next

What about food stamps or other compensation?

Airlines offer extensive coverage for stranded passengers’ meal, hotel and ground transportation expenses. You can find these commitments at FlightRights.gov.

The caveat here: these commitments are for “controllable” disruptions that are ultimately the airline’s responsibility. Generally speaking, severe weather does not fall into this category.

Credit cards with travel insurance can help

Therefore, a credit card with travel insurance can help you recoup unexpected expenses incurred due to flight troubles. Remember: in most cases, to successfully file a claim, you must use the card to book your trip.

Read more: 10 Best Credit Cards with Travel Insurance for December 2024

Keep an eye on airline apps

Finally, if you expect your flight to be delayed or especially troubled, keep an eye on your airline’s apps.

Often, airlines will give you a rebooking option through their apps, allowing you to change your reservation with just a few taps of your fingers instead of having to wait in long lines or on the phone.

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