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Current Advisories

Typhoon bebinca.

Due to forecasted gusty winds, travel to/from/through the Shanghai area may be impacted. Sep 13, 2024 at 03:51 PM ET

Japan Fuel Surcharge

Check the one-way per-person fuel surcharge amounts for Delta flights from Japan to North America and South America. Sep 01, 2024 at 09:14 PM ET

July 2024 Outage Travel Disruption

Find details on the Global IT Outage and Delta’s travel disruption support, including refunds, rebooking options and expanded reimbursement eligibility. Aug 21, 2024 at 03:40 PM ET

Israel Security Situation

Our hearts are with all who are impacted as we work to find safe alternatives for customers trying to travel to/from Tel Aviv. Check waiver options here. Aug 21, 2024 at 03:25 PM ET

CDC Issues Suspension Into the U.S. for Dogs from High-Risk Countries

Learn more about the restrictions on animal travel from high-risk countries. Aug 15, 2024 at 09:55 AM ET

REAL ID Update

Starting May 7, 2025, you'll need a state-issued REAL ID-compliant license or identification card, or another acceptable form of ID, to fly within the U.S. Aug 01, 2024 at 03:32 PM ET

Restricted Hazardous Items

Keep up to date with what is allowed, and what is not allowed, in carry-on and checked baggage. Jul 31, 2024 at 01:34 PM ET

New York, NY (JFK) Airport Update

Due to ongoing construction, please plan ahead for your departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4. Jun 27, 2024 at 03:56 PM ET

Porto Alegre, Brazil Airport Update

Salgado Filho Porto Alegre Intl Airport (POA) is temporarily closed due to flooding. Air travel will now occur to and from military base Canoas Airport (QNS) Jun 25, 2024 at 01:20 PM ET

Philippines - Passenger Service Charge

Customers eligible for Passenger Service Charge (PSC) refunds may make a claim during check-in at Manila International Airport or at MIAA refund counters. Jun 17, 2024 at 12:38 PM ET

Boston, MA (BOS) Airport Update

All international flights at BOS will now depart and land in Terminal E with domestic Delta flights operating out of Terminal A. May 31, 2024 at 11:30 AM ET

Naples, Italy (NAP) Airport Update

The check-in and baggage drop counter at NAP will close 75 minutes prior to your flight time. We recommend arriving early and checking in online in advance. May 22, 2024 at 11:19 PM ET

Long Passport Processing Time

Passport processing can take as long as 11 weeks for routine requests and 7 weeks for expedited service. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get a valid passport before you travel internationally. May 08, 2024 at 06:16 AM ET

Updated U.S. Entry Requirements

Effective for flights to the U.S. Sunday, June 12, 2022, COVID-19 testing is no longer required for all travelers entering or connecting through the U.S. Foreign nationals are still required to complete an attestation confirming they are fully vaccinated and contact tracing will remain in place for everyone. May 08, 2024 at 05:35 AM ET

Testing and Travel Requirements

Easily find everything you need to know around testing and travel requirements for your next trip. May 08, 2024 at 05:34 AM ET

Change Cancel Waiver: Flying From Asia/Oceania and Select Additional Origins

Change or cancel your flight with no change or cancellation fee if you are flying from Asia, Oceania or Israel. May 08, 2024 at 05:32 AM ET

U.S. Restrictions on Cuba Travel

Learn specifics about Cuba travel restrictions from the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control. May 08, 2024 at 05:31 AM ET

FAA Unruly Passenger Policy

For everyone’s safety, federal regulations require that customers follow all crewmember instructions and prohibits the interference with crew duties. Such actions are strictly prohibited and may result in civil or criminal penalties for interfering, assaulting or intimidating crewmembers or any other individuals. May 08, 2024 at 05:27 AM ET

Protect Your Data

Delta Air Lines works tirelessly to protect the privacy and integrity of personal information. We encourage customers to report any unusual account activity. May 08, 2024 at 05:24 AM ET

Password Security

Protect your SkyMiles account with a password that meets our character specifications and recommendations. May 08, 2024 at 05:22 AM ET

Atlanta, GA (ATL) Construction Update

Arrive three hours early for domestic and international flights to provide ample time to navigate the airport. Apr 18, 2024 at 05:21 PM ET

Enhanced Security

Delta works closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to implement the new security measures and will work to minimize any potential impact to our customers. Jan 08, 2024 at 02:56 AM ET

TSA Powder Restrictions

Powders in carry-on bags may require secondary screening for passengers traveling on international flights to the U.S. Learn more here Dec 08, 2023 at 08:08 AM ET

[24/7].AI Response

Delta will be working diligently to directly contact customers, including by first-class postal mail, who may have been impacted by the [24]7.ai cyber incident. Nov 08, 2023 at 04:35 PM ET

Canada Entry

Starting March 15, 2016, Canada is introducing a new entry requirement, known as an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to or through Canada by air. Nov 08, 2023 at 04:32 PM ET

Brussels, Belgium (BRU) Travel Update

Due to delays at security checkpoints, plan to arrive at least four hours prior to your scheduled departure time at Brussels Airport (BRU) to limit travel impacts. Oct 26, 2023 at 05:45 PM ET

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Travel alerts

When severe weather or other uncontrollable events impact your flight and travel dates, you may be able to change your trip with no change fee.

We understand you may have questions about your upcoming travel. We’re working around the clock to care for you on your travel journey.

Current travel alerts

Information current as of September 10, 2024

If you're traveling to / through / from:

• Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV)

Your change fee is waived if you:

• Are traveling on an American Airlines flight
• Are booked in any fare class, including Basic Economy
• Bought your ticket by February 11, 2024
• Are scheduled to travel October 7, 2023 - March 29, 2025
• Can travel October 26, 2024 - April 29, 2025
• Don't change your origin or destination city
• Rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference
• Cancel your trip and request a refund

Keep in mind:

• Changes must be booked by March 29, 2025
• Travel must be completed within 1 year of original ticket date; difference in fare may apply

Change your trip

If your trip is eligible, you can make a one-time change online. Here's how:

Find your trip

• If your trip is eligible, you'll see the option to 'change trip' in the toolbar

Contact Reservations

If you can't change your trip online, call Reservations for help.

• Caxias do Sul, Brazil (CXJ)
• Chapeco, Brazil (XAP)
• Passo Fundo, Brazil (PFB)
• Pelotas, Brazil (PET)
• Porto Alegre, Brazil (POA)
• Santo Angelo, Brazil (GEL)
• Bought your ticket by May 6, 2024
• Are scheduled to travel May 6 - October 21, 2024
• Can travel May 12 - November 11, 2024
• Change your origin and destination to: Canoas Air Force Base, Brazil - Alternative for Porto Alegre (QNS), Caxias do Sul (CXJ), Chapeco (XAP), Florianopolis (FLN), Navegantes (NVT) Passo Fundo (PFB), Pelotas (PET) or Santo Angelo (GEL); difference in fare may apply
• Your ticket must be issued by American (ticket number starts with 001)
• Changes must be booked by October 21, 2024

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Flight disruptions continue with thousands more cancellations as Omicron thins airline crews.

At least 2,600 more flights were canceled globally on Monday, including about 1,000 U.S. flights.

By Marc Tracy Daniel Victor Adeel Hassan and Ana Ley

• Published Dec. 26, 2021 Updated Dec. 27, 2021

Flight disruptions in the United States continued on Monday as many people embarked on their first trips in almost two years, and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, again raised the possibility of a vaccination requirement for air travel.

At least 2,600 more flights were canceled Monday, including about 1,000 U.S. flights, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus is sending daily caseloads in parts of the United States soaring to levels higher than last winter’s pandemic peak.

While the cancellations were only a small percentage of overall flights, the problem threatened to extend into the holiday week.

“When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated,” Dr. Fauci said on MSNBC on Monday. “If you want to do that with domestic flights, I think that’s something that seriously should be considered.”

Over the holiday weekend, airlines canceled thousands of flights as the Omicron variant hit flight crews. In all, about 2,300 U.S. flights were canceled on Saturday and Sunday of Christmas weekend, with more than 3,500 more grounded globally, according to FlightAware , which provides aviation data. On Sunday alone, more than 1,300 U.S. flights and nearly 1,700 additional ones worldwide were canceled.

While some of the groundings were caused by bad weather and maintenance issues, several airlines acknowledged that the current wave of coronavirus cases had contributed significantly. A JetBlue spokesman said the airline had “seen an increasing number of sick calls from Omicron.”

Twelve percent of JetBlue flights, 6 percent of Delta Air Lines flights, 5 percent of United Airlines flights and 2 percent of American Airlines flights on Sunday were canceled, according to FlightAware.

The stock prices of United, Delta, American and Southwest — the four largest U.S. carriers — were slightly lower on Monday.

Traveling rebounded sharply this year, making the situation at airports worse: Roughly two million people passed through screening checkpoints each day last week, according to the Transportation Security Administration , and on Sunday. The numbers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were much higher than last year, and some figures even exceeded those of the same days two years ago, when virtually no Americans were aware of a virus beginning to circulate halfway around the world.

The Omicron variant, which is now responsible for more than 70 percent of the new coronavirus cases in the United States, has already helped push daily case averages in the United States above 200,000 for the first time in nearly 12 months, according to The New York Times’s coronavirus tracker .

An airline trade group has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to shorten the recommended isolation period for fully vaccinated employees who test positive to a maximum of five days, from 10 days, before they can return with a negative test.

“Swift and safe adjustments by the C.D.C. would alleviate at least some of the staffing pressures and set up airlines to help millions of travelers returning from their holidays,” said Derek Dombrowski, a JetBlue spokesman.

The flight attendants’ union, however, has argued that reductions in recommended isolation times should be decided on “by public health professionals, not airlines.”

Some of this weekend’s delays had little to do with the pandemic. Alaska Airlines had only a few cancellations related to crew exposures to the coronavirus, said a spokeswoman, Alexa Rudin. Yet it canceled 170 flights those two days, according to FlightAware, including 21 percent of its Sunday flights, because of unusually cold and snowy weather in the Pacific Northwest, which affected its hub, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The pandemic has also caused a shortage of train and bus workers nationwide. In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is also dealing with an uptick in positive cases among its staff, which is 80 percent vaccinated. It said subway service on Monday was running on a normal schedule, with scattered exceptions.

“Whatever we can do as riders to help minimize the risk to transit workers will help to reduce the spread,” said Lisa Daglian, the executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the M.T.A., a watchdog group. “The M.T.A. is doing what it can with the resources it has available.”

Danny Pearlstein, a spokesman for the Riders Alliance, an advocacy group, said: “My sense is the M.T.A. is once again making the best of a bad situation.”

Marc Tracy covers print and digital media. He previously covered college sports. More about Marc Tracy

Daniel Victor is a general assignment reporter based in London after stints in Hong Kong and New York. He joined The Times in 2012. More about Daniel Victor

Adeel Hassan is a reporter and editor on the National Desk. He is a founding member of Race/Related , and much of his work focuses on identity and discrimination. He started the Morning Briefing for NYT Now and was its inaugural writer. He also served as an editor on the International Desk.  More about Adeel Hassan

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Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard

The U.S. Department of Transportation has created a dashboard to ensure the traveling public has easy access to information about services that U.S. airlines provide to mitigate passenger inconveniences when the cause of a cancellation or delay was due to circumstances within the airline’s control. A green check mark on the dashboard means an airline has committed to providing that service or amenity to its customers. A red “x” means the airline has not made that commitment. However, airlines with a red “x” may provide these services and amenities in some instances in their discretion.

Commitments for Controllable Cancellations

Commitments for controllable delays.

Please click this link for an alternative text version of the dashboard . 

These ten large U.S. airlines and their regional operating partners, which operate flights for them but do not sell tickets, account for approximately 96 percent of the domestic scheduled passenger air traffic.

Use the above dashboard to learn about the amenities that the U.S. airline that you are flying on has promised to provide should there be a controllable flight cancellation or delay. You can also use the dashboard to compare amenities that the airlines commit to provide in the event of a controllable flight cancellation or delay when deciding which airline to fly.

A controllable flight cancellation or delay is essentially a delay or cancellation caused by the airline. Examples include: maintenance or crew problems; cabin cleaning; baggage loading; and fueling.

Airlines are required to adhere to the promises that they make in their customer service plan, including commitments to care for customers in the event of controllable delays or cancellations. The Department will hold airlines accountable if they fail to do so.

Remember these commitments do not impact your entitlement to a refund. If an airline cancels a passenger’s flight or makes a significant change in the flight, regardless of the reason , airlines are required to provide a prompt refund to a ticketed passenger, including those with non-refundable tickets, should the passenger choose not to accept the alternative offered, such as rebooking on another flight. Learn more about your right to a refund . If you have a problem obtaining a refund that you believe that you are entitled to receive, you may file a complaint with the DOT . If you are an airline passenger with a disability looking for more information regarding your rights during air travel,  please follow this link to our disability webpage .

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I entitled to money or other compensation beyond a refund from an airline if my flight is significantly delayed or cancelled?

• Each airline has its own policies about what it will do for delayed or cancelled passengers. If an airline has made a commitment to provide a particular service or compensation, then the Department can hold the airline accountable. The Airline Customer Service Dashboard provides a summary of the commitments made by U.S. airlines to mitigate passenger inconveniences for controllable delays and cancellations.
• If your flight is experiencing a long delay or is cancelled, ask airline staff if they will pay for meals or a hotel room or compensate you for your time. While some airlines offer these amenities to passengers, others may not provide amenities to stranded passengers. The Department has initiated a rulemaking that would require airlines to provide compensation and cover certain expenses such as meals and hotels when the airline causes the flight disruption.

When and how do I find out how long my flight will be delayed or cancelled?

• Airlines are required to provide passengers with information about a change in the status of the flight in various ways in a timely manner.
• If the flight is scheduled to depart within 7 days, airlines are required to provide status updates 30 minutes (or sooner) after the airline becomes aware of a status change. The flight status information must, at a minimum, be provided on the airline's website and by the airline's telephone reservation system. Also, the airline must update all flight status displays and other sources of flight information at U.S. airports that are under the airline's control within 30 minutes after the airline becomes aware of the problem.
• For travel itinerary changes involving passengers whose flights are scheduled more than a week in the future, notification should be provided to the passengers as soon as practical. A specific timeframe or method for providing that information has not been set forth in law.

Why are flights sometimes delayed for several hours or cancelled?

• While airlines want to get passengers to their destinations on time, problems like bad weather and mechanical issues can and sometimes do make it difficult for flights to arrive on time or result in flights being cancelled.
• When there are delays, it is sometimes difficult for an airline to estimate how long a delay will be during its early stages. When a flight delay unexpectedly becomes longer and longer, this is called a “creeping delay.” During “creeping delays,” unexpected developments can cause a delay to be longer than anticipated. For example, weather that was supposed to improve can instead become worse, or a mechanical problem can turn out to be more complex than the airline originally thought.

See below for detailed information about airline customer service commitment plans.

Airlines' Customer Service Plans

• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines

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Summer travel season off to rough start amid widespread flight delays

The feared repeat of last year's summer travel woes began to materialize this week , with thousands of flights delayed or canceled amid inclement weather and staffing shortages.

The troubles began last weekend, with nearly 2,000 U.S. flights canceled, according to FlightAware. Disruptions continued into Monday, when more than 11,000 U.S. flights were delayed or canceled. At least 7,300 were affected Tuesday.

By Wednesday, the delays and cancellations had begun to level off to about 2,000 U.S. flights, according to FlightAware.

The delays come as the U.S. faces an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. It's an issue that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby highlighted in a letter to employees Monday, attributing the shortage to potentially more headaches in the coming weeks.

“I’m ... frustrated that the FAA frankly failed us this weekend,” Kirby said, adding that he estimated more than 150,000 United customers had experienced disruptions “because of FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic.”

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said, “We will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem.”

The shortages are unlikely to be resolved quickly, Zach Griff at The Points Guy travel website said. Staffing problems are also likely to be compounded by a number of issues.

"When thunderstorms hit, it's up to controllers to recalibrate the air network, and it’s taking longer because they're understaffed," Griff said. "And some of that staff are not the experienced types who’ve been through this before. This is not something that can be solved overnight."

Griff said it is somewhat unusual for storm activity to linger in the way it has in recent days over the Northeast, and current weather forecasts suggest more storms for the area are likely this weekend. The situation could also be compounded by ongoing visibility issues caused by smoke emanating from wildfires in Canada.

The travel year had started off relatively smoothly until the most recent troubles, FlightAware spokesperson Kathleen Bangs said. But she said she'd be surprised if the summer travel blues did not linger, especially in the Northeast, where air traffic controller shortages are most acute.

"It would be a pleasant surprise if we don’t continue to see bottleneck traffic," she said.

Tips for rebooking a flight

To avoid being trapped in an endless line to rebook at your airline’s terminal, get on the internet immediately and start looking for alternative forms of travel. Experts say Google’s flight search option is the best bet for finding the most up-to-date choices when it comes to getting a new flight, which are also searchable by a number of criteria, including price.

If you’re strapped for cash and are looking to rebook, you’ll still want to attempt to call the airline before or as you wait in line with an in-person rebooking agent. Of note: Not all major airlines have rebooking agreements with other carriers. The ones that do are: Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue and United. That ones that do not are: Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest and Spirit.

Unfortunately, you have few rights if your flight is delayed or canceled for reasons outside of an airline’s control

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation website, only factors like maintenance or crew problems, cabin cleaning, baggage loading, and fueling count as within an airline’s control.

If your flight was delayed for longer than three hours, or canceled for any of those reasons and it takes longer than three hours to rebook your travel, you are entitled to a meal or meal cash/voucher.

For an overnight delay or overnight cancellation, you are entitled to complimentary hotel accommodations and complimentary ground transport to and from a hotel. Overnight hotel accommodations and travel to and from a hotel do not apply to Frontier Airlines . Click here for more information.

If your flight is delayed for any other reason, like weather, you are not entitled to any compensation or refund. 

What your rights are if your flight was significantly delayed or canceled

In this situation, you are only entitled to a refund if you don’t take an offer to be rebooked on another flight. That also means you don’t have to accept an airline’s offer of a voucher.

According to the Transportation Department : “If an airline cancels a passenger’s flight or makes a significant change in the flight, regardless of the reason, airlines are required to provide a prompt refund to a ticketed passenger, including those with non-refundable tickets, should the passenger choose not to accept the alternative offered, such as rebooking on another flight.”

Rob Wile is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering breaking business stories for NBCNews.com.

What a summer of hellish flights taught us about flying now

Easy air travel is a thing of the past.

by Whizy Kim

More than 240 million people in the US flew somewhere between June and Labor Day, according to the Transportation Security Administration — about 7 million more than in summer 2019.

Air travel is back. But it’s most definitely not back to normal.

Horror stories of interminable delays and vacation-wrecking cancellations came from every corner of the country this summer — caused not just by storms and extreme heat, but also labor shortages. Befuddlement at how much pricier it has become to fly mounted, too.

For travelers, taking to the skies feels like it has reached a nadir. Not only were there bigger crowds and more delays to contend with at airports, but when delays happened, they caused more stress than usual. A recent Forbes Advisor survey of 2,000 travelers found that 61 percent had experienced a flight delay or cancellation this summer, and most of that 61 percent lost some money due to the delay — cash lost on prepaid hotel rooms, missed cruises, parking fees, and even kenneling pets.

Some of the problems are a temporary bump in the runway as the industry gets used to high numbers of travelers again, but some of the most deep-seated causes of passenger disgruntlement might be here to stay.

“Things that may not have upended the entire system in the past — thunderstorms on the East Coast in the afternoon — now seem to have ripple effects throughout the entire system,” says John Breyault, who is the vice president of fraud policy at the National Consumers League and leads its airline advocacy program. “I think that’s symptomatic of a system that is really overtaxed in every way.”

Here’s what we learned from this summer’s travel debacles:

Climate change is straining a fragile industry

Mass flight delays and cancellations happen because of bad weather. Thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or even extreme heat aren’t new, but record-breaking temperatures and more frequent weather disasters in the past year added stress on the air travel industry. In December 2022 and July 2023, a series of storms across the country caused a torrent of flight delays that stranded thousands of passengers during busy holiday seasons. Last month, as Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida, more than 1,000 flights were delayed across the South.

The weather this summer did more than create delays; it laid bare just how unprepared the aviation industry is for handling any shocks. Weaknesses that might have gone unnoticed by passengers before — like aging, sparse fleets, or difficult conditions for workers, such as extreme heat — suddenly became glaringly obvious, adding to the cascading effects of bad weather and creating disruptions lasting for days. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics says that consumer complaints against airlines have soared by more than 300 percent since 2019. (The most common type of complaint was not getting the refund for canceled flights, which airlines are required to give. The second most common was flight delays and cancellations.)

A single hour-long delay might not seem like a huge deal, but the problem is amplified when airlines are overscheduled — one late flight bumps all the others after it — and when there aren’t enough planes or staff across various airports to accommodate a sudden change in plans. In its most recent earnings call , United Airlines said that its thousands of delays and cancellations in the leadup to the Fourth of July holiday had cost the company 1 point of profit margin for the entire quarter. According to trade association Airlines for America , flight delays in 2022 likely cost the industry billions of dollars.

“We are getting a very real preview of what our new normal will be like for summer travel,” says Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. “The first storm tosses Humpty Dumpty off the wall, but sequential storms make it harder to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”

The labor shortage is sky high

There’s still a widespread shortage of workers in the industry, including pilots, flight attendants, airport workers, and air traffic controllers. Airline employment data from June 2023 shows higher numbers than June 2019, but the industry is still clamoring for more workers. Currently, according to one estimate, US airlines need 8,000 more pilots to fulfill demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be more than 16,000 job openings for pilots and flight attendants each year between now and 2032.

A labor shortfall becomes especially apparent when something goes wrong: When there aren’t enough people to fill crucial jobs, everything has to slow down, or else risk disaster. A recent New York Times report revealed that near-crashes between planes taking off and landing have become more common because of mistakes by air traffic controllers, who are overstrained amid chronic staff shortages. The Federal Aviation Administration has hired 1,500 air traffic controllers this year, but still wants to hire 1,800 more next year.

Flight delays weren’t just more common. They were more irritating.

While there have been more delays this year than usual, cancellations are actually down. According to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (which currently only has numbers through May), 20.8 percent of flights were delayed so far in 2023, compared to 18.8 percent in 2019. The average length of delay in 2023 is 53 minutes, just 3 minutes longer than in 2019, according to flight tracking site Flight Aware.

So what’s creating such horrid air travel vibes? One possibility is that there are more travelers now than in 2019, but fewer commercial aircraft are flying , meaning passengers have fewer chances to reroute or get on the next flight when delays happen, leaving them stuck in limbo longer. When over 15,000 flights were axed during the infamous Southwest cancellations last winter , not only outdated tech, but also aggressive overscheduling created a huge domino effect on the system. Delays can have serious consequences for travelers, not just causing people to miss important life events, but in some cases limiting their access to food and water while they’re stuck on a plane for hours. American Airlines was recently fined a record $4 million for hours-long tarmac delays during which it did not allow passengers to deplane.

Extra fees feel unavoidable, and they’re here to stay

Over 22 million more travelers crowded the airports this summer than last — some of them flying for the first time in years — and many were freshly reminded of what’s now the industry standard of nickel-and-diming passengers for checking bags and choosing seats. In the early 2000s, it was mostly ultra-low-cost carriers charging extra to check luggage. But since then, even full-service US carriers are creating basic economy fares that tack on bag and seat fees.

“Drip pricing” for services that used to be included with airfare only piles onto the exasperation travelers feel. According to an analysis by the airline consultancy IdeaWorks , top US airlines demand $33 on average for a preferred seat (which is usually closer to the front of the plane), $48 for an exit-row seat (where there’s more leg room) and $18 for a last-row seat. These are “junk fees” to consumers and the White House , but to airlines, they’re a cash cow. Take United, which made a record $1 billion in revenue just from bags and seats fees from April to June. Having multiple types of seat upgrades “is a key driver of our revenue growth,” United executive Andrew Nocella said in the company’s most recent earnings call . And just look at baggage fees : Last year, top airlines made about $6.7 billion in baggage fees, a spike from the $5.7 billion they made in 2019, despite more flyers that year.

Airline perks and deals were harder to come by

The race to the bottom isn’t going unnoticed by travelers. Flying is becoming more stratified; class divisions feel more heightened than ever, and having frequent flyer status with an airline is more valuable. Airlines know this too, and in response to an inundation of passengers attaining “elite” status , many have upped the threshold to join, limiting airport lounge access to higher membership levels or raising lounge fees.

“I have spoken with airline managers and executives who have said that part of the reason that the standard coach product is so bad is intentional,” says Harteveldt. “They want to get more people paying extra and trading up to a better product. America can claim to be egalitarian, but that claim ends at the airport door.”

Airfare has dropped since reaching new highs last summer, but is still elevated. “This has been one of the worst years I can ever remember for flight deals,” says Ben Mutzabaugh, senior aviation editor at The Points Guy, a popular travel site. Meanwhile, leisure travelers with disposable income have shown a surprising willingness to spend. “A lot of times they’re willing to just buy business-class tickets — we see much more of that now than we did before the pandemic.”

The stark contrast in travel experience between the haves and have-nots may be fomenting resentment on one end and arrogance on the other. Airports and even flights are becoming an all-too-common setting for viral videos of travelers losing their tempers.

Reports of “unruly passengers” — people airlines report for causing a disturbance on flights — skyrocketed amid mask mandates in 2021, almost reaching 6,000 reports , according to Federal Aviation Administration data. In 2019, there were just 1,161.

This is the new normal — unless airlines are forced to change

Some of the annoyances travelers experienced this summer will remain unavoidable in coming months. Increasingly frequent bad weather will keep walloping flights ; that’s the reality of the climate crisis.

Airlines have learned some lessons from this summer’s onslaught of demand. The biggest are to hire more workers and have more spare planes on the ground in case of emergencies, but also to leave more slack in scheduling flights. Airlines have been on a hiring spree, and experts say the worst of the pilot shortage will probably be over by next summer.

But some of the other bugbears of air travel — like airlines’ worst anti-consumer practices — aren’t likely to go away without antitrust action. Much of what we hate about taking to the skies today can be blamed on industry consolidation after the airlines were deregulated in the late 1970s. A handful of airlines — United, Delta, American, and Southwest — control about 80 percent of the domestic market. “Since the government let the industry become a permanent oligopoly, there is zero risk that competition will discipline fee increases,” Hubert Horan, a transportation analyst, told Vox in an email.

The Biden administration has signaled a desire to rein in airlines’ worst practices, voicing support for a policy requiring airlines to disclose all fees from the beginning of a fare search rather than showing a deceptive base fare that will significantly rise as seat and bag fees are added. The administration has also urged Congress to mandate airlines to seat families together for free. But these rules don’t actually exist yet. (A few airlines have voluntarily offered free family seating.)

Under Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Department of Transportation has revved up its enforcement actions; not only did it order American to pay up, the department has also been levying millions in fines to airlines that didn’t refund customers in a timely manner. Breyault, of the National Consumers League, says that these are steps in the right direction but that the DOT hasn’t used the full force of its authority. By the NCL’s accounting, the frequency of enforcement and the amount of money fined has decreased over the years. Breyault calls even the historic $4 million fine “a rounding error to a company the size of American.”

A flight delay doesn’t have to entirely ruin a vacation, and maybe we don’t have to pay an arm and a leg just to have a pleasant flying experience. But if flying during the high season continues to be awful, that could turn off customers and ultimately dampen demand.

“I don’t think that this is sustainable,” says Breyault.

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Alaska airlines, hawaiian can close merger deal, dot says.

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Department said on Tuesday it had agreed to allow Alaska Airlines to close on its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, after the carriers agreed to maintain key Hawaiian routes and adopt consumer protections.

The Justice Department in August opted not to block the deal that was announced in December by Alaska, the fifth-largest domestic U.S. airline, to Hawaiian, the 10th-largest carrier. The carriers said that they expect to close the deal on Wednesday.

DOT said Alaska and Hawaiian agreed to protect the value of frequent flyer rewards, maintain existing service on key Hawaiian routes to the continental United States and inter-island regions, ensure competitive access at the Honolulu airport and provide travel credits or frequent flyer miles for disruptions that are the fault of the airline.

The agreement does not specify the value of the travel credit or miles. Hawaiian shares closed up 4% to $18.

The agreement came after weeks of discussions between Alaska and DOT, which had sought wide-ranging concessions that went beyond what is in the agreement announced on Tuesday.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the agreement secures "binding protections that maintain critical flight services for communities, ensure smaller airlines can access the Honolulu hub airport, lower costs for families and service members, and preserve the value of rewards miles against devaluation."

Alaska and Hawaiian can close but must remain separate and independently operated until the DOT has ruled on their transfer application. If approved, the consumer protections will remain in effect for six years.

Alaska said on Tuesday that the commitments align with plans it announced at the time it signed the transaction and "do not impact the synergies of the deal, which will enhance competition and expand choice for consumers."

The carriers must ensure customers can transfer miles without penalty and the combined carrier cannot devalue HawaiianMiles miles and must maintain, or increase status for HawaiianMiles members in Alaska’s Mileage Plan program.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis)

British Airways launches direct flights from London Heathrow to Tbilisi

British Airways has announced a direct flight from London Heathrow Airport to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. Tbilisi sits along the Mtkvari River, nestled among hills, with the Caucasus Mountains lying to the north. The new route network, which is set to launch on March 30, 2025, will operate four times a week.

Customers from Manchester, Belfast, Newcastle, Edinburgh and other airports in the United Kingdom will be able to travel to Tbilisi by connecting through Heathrow Airport on a single ticket. British Airways customers can choose either a business class cabin which comes with access to lounge, a full service meal, priority boarding and additional baggage allowance included in their ticket or an economy class with a complimentary drink and snack.

While return flights start from £275, customers looking to travel to Tbilisi for a holiday can explore British Airways Holiday packages which offer a two-night stay in a 4-star hotel from from £369pp.

In a statement sent to Travel Radar , British Airways Chief Planning and Strategy Officer Neil Chernoff said the new route is expected to be a “popular route with the leisure market” for those looking to enjoy direct flights to visit family and friends. He said “ We’re delighted to welcome Tbilisi back into our route network, after our last scheduled service in 2013. We look forward to improving the connectivity between our two capital cities next year.”

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Mariam Kvrivishvili, said:

“ We are proud that flagship carrier British Airways has decided to enter the Georgian market, which is important recognition for our country. This will significantly boost Georgia’s awareness within the UK market and improve connectivity with the USA, which is a strategic partner country of Georgia. ”

About British Airways

As the UK’s national flag carrier, British Airways serves more than 190 destinations across more than 65 countries, including routes with its partnership airlines. The airline proudly offers customers flights to more destination from London than any other carrier.

British Airways customers have access to one of the world’s most extensive flight networks, both domestically and internationally, offering flights to and from central airports at convenient times. It operates out of three major London airports: London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London City, and serves up to 26 cities in the US alone.

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