Before finalizing your holiday travel plans after athorough review of your cheaptravel options, including cheap airplane tickets, cheapdeals, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, youshould consider your chances of departing and arriving on time.
Depending on the airline and airport, you may not get toyour scheduled destination as planned. The differences between the best and worst airlines and airports for ontime performance can be meaningful, according to a forecast by RewardExpert.
After reviewing major airlines five-year track record,RewardExpert ranked those airlines as follows, according to their averageon-time records during holiday travel periods:
Hawaiian 94%on-time
Delta 88% on-time
Alaska 86% on-time
United83% on-time
American 83%on-time
JetBlue 81% on-time
Skywest 81% on-time
Southwest 80%on-time
Frontier 79% on-time
On time performance varies not only by airline but also byairport. Variables including weather,infrastructure, and other factors make certain airports significantly more orless likely to host timely arrivals and departures than other airports.
The following are the top 10 on time airports during holidayperiods:
1. Honolulu 91% on-time
2. Hartsfield-JacksonAtlanta 87% on-time
3. Charlotte 87% on-time
4. MeyersSouthwest Florida 86% on-time
5. SaltLake City 85% on-time
6. ReaganNational 85% on-time
7. PhoenixSky Harbor 85% on-time
8. Tampa 85% on-time
9. NewOrleans 85% on-time
10.Portland 85% on-time
Atthe other extreme, the following are the historically worst on time airportsduring holidays:
1. SanFrancisco 75% on-time
2. NewarkLiberty 79% on-time
3. Oakland 79% on-time
4. HoustonHobby 80% on-time
5. Sacramento 80% on-time
Basedon past data the best (as in less busy) travel days on holidays are on theactual holidays (i.e. on Thanksgiving and Christmas).
Onthe busier holiday travel days, planes will be operating at close to 100percent capacity, particularly on their more popular routes. Security screening at the busiest airportwill result in long lines. Travelers whohave flexible schedules should trying to avoid flying on the days immediatelyprior and after holidays.
Forthose who do not have the luxury of contrarian timing, they should do whateverpossible to maintain their sanity while flying. Some of the tactics that can help such fliers include the following,according to Tim Winship:
Sign up for PreCheckfor expedited security clearance.
Get to the airportearly, particularly if you are planning to park at an airport lot.
Reserve flights earlyin the day to increase your odds of being placed on a later flight the same dayin the event of a cancellation.
Whenever possibletravel to and from secondary (less popular) airports.
Avoid checkingbags. This can be accomplished byemploying one or more of the following tactics: pack light, travel with acarry-on bag that allows you to pack the maximum amount of clothes, and/or packefficiently (such as rolling vs. folding your clothes) to maximize how much youcan carry on.
To avoid the tightsqueeze in coach, redeem miles to upgrade or pay extra for premium economy.
Have phone numbersfor your airline, hotel, and rental car company easily accessible.
Fully charge yoursmartphone before leaving home.
Bring a fullycharged, back up external battery source that can recharge your digital devicesif needed.
Consider purchasing aday pass to your airlines airport lounge to minimize your contact with thegate crowd.
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