Strikes, Delays and Lost Luggage: How to Survive Air Travel This Summer

“It’s about being flexible on one of the parameters of booking,” said Laura Lindsay, a global travel trends expert at Skyscanner, an airfare search site. “If you are flexible on when or where you want to go and even how you want to go, perhaps flying out of one airport and returning to a different one or on a different carrier, there’s a deal. If you’re rigid, you’ll be fenced into a more expensive fare.”

When you fly can be easiest to adjust. Skyscanner lets users look at prices for a route within a month’s time, letting them find the lowest fares. Google Flights sends price alerts for good fares on any dates on a specified route, and Kayak allows searches using flexible dates.

When it comes to where to go, consider 2023 a summer of spontaneity.

“Let the deal dictate the destination if you can,” said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate, a personal finance website. “So often people get their hearts set on a place and that limits their options. If you don’t care which beach, shop around.”

If you haven’t booked summer flights, do it now. Hopper generally recommends monitoring domestic fares three to four months in advance of travel — many search engines will track specified routes — and buying one to two months out. In summer, it says the best deals are often available three to four months in advance.

Another potential money saver, a practice called skiplagging, allows fliers to book a ticket with an intermediate stop in their intended destination and then skip the final leg of their trip, which can sometimes be cheaper than flying direct. The website Skiplagged assembles available deals based on your preferred airport. For example, it recently flagged a flight from San Francisco to Jacksonville, Fla., with a stop in Miami for $134. A direct flight between San Francisco and Miami was $158. The method, which the airlines hate, requires fliers to book outbound and return tickets separately and forgo checked bags.

Alternatively, look for airfare and hotel packages assembled for less than the sum of their parts. The online travel agency Priceline said its packages save an average of $240 per booking. JetBlue Vacations, a branch of the airline, said its hotel and airfare deals are better than booking separately 90 percent of the time. Shoppers can use the “Best Vacation Finder” tool to compare offers in a variety of beach destinations, mountain getaways and cities.

Finally, don’t overlook points accrued by flying or spending on credit cards as payment.

“It’s all the more important now,” Mr. Rossman said, noting that many consumers amassed stockpiles of points during the pandemic, caches at risk of devaluation by airlines, which can change the requirements at will, charging 60,000 points for a flight that was 50,000 yesterday. “Providers are recovering from the pandemic, and they want paid customers, not freebies.”

Airlines in the U.S. are not required to compensate travelers for delays and cancellations. But all 10 major carriers will rebook passengers on another flight if the situation was under the airline’s control and will pay for meals when travelers have waited for three hours or more.

The Department of Transportation tracks delays and lays out refund and cancellation policies for controllable circumstances on its airline customer service dashboard.

Airlines might soon be required to offer cash payments, meals and hotel accommodations for carrier-caused slowdowns of three hours or more, if a rule recently proposed by President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg takes effect.

Travel advisers recommended considering trip insurance, which usually covers flight delays, and checking credit card policies on reimbursements for travel mishaps. Monitoring airline apps and opting in for text updates is also a good idea, they said. And if your flight is delayed, best to stay close to the gate.

If you’ve reached frequent flier status or purchased premium tickets or priority status, there is a priority line at the check-in counter, or a phone number, where service will be faster, said James Ferrara, the founder of InteleTravel, a global travel adviser network.

Many airlines offer robust and speedy customer service through Twitter. But it’s not the only way to reach them. Call the airline’s international phone line, which won’t be as slammed in a slowdown, said Scott Keyes, the founder of Going.com, a website that sends alerts for travel deals. Delta also has a dedicated hotline for travelers with flights within the next 48 hours, Mr. Keyes added.

Self-rebooking online or through the airline’s app has also gotten easier, experts said.

Mr. McCormick advised travelers to have a backup plan should flights go awry and to select flights “wisely” by assessing your options for connecting flights. He advises avoiding routes that require you to change planes in airports where summer weather like thunderstorms and hurricanes routinely causes cancellations and delays. “Pick different flights,” he said.

One general rule of thumb for summer travel is to book flights departing before 3 p.m., Mr. Ferrara said, adding that cancellations and delays tend to occur later in the day. It’s also always an option to stay home on the holidays, when cancellations and delays tend to cluster, Mr. Ferrara said, or “consider driving.”

If possible, get a nonstop flight and don’t check a bag, Mr. Keyes said.

Whether these airports will again be the culprits of outsize travel misery is difficult to know. Some are taking preventive measures to try to head off the summer surge.

At Toronto Pearson, limits are being placed on the number of flights arriving and departing from the airport this summer, and improvements like contactless check-in and bolstered staffing are being put in place. Amsterdam Schiphol has no plans for a summer cap, nor does Heathrow.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration published a note saying that there would be increased delays in the Northeast this summer compared with 2022, and so the agency is loosening restrictions on airlines operating in Washington, D.C., and New York to mitigate disruptions.

But there are some strategies that passengers can use to increase the chance of pain-free travel. For one, avoiding the airports with the highest levels of delays and cancellations last summer may be a good idea. And flying nonstop eliminates the risk of something going wrong with the connection. But since the worst airports are also some of the biggest hubs for major airlines, it’s not always realistic to avoid them, and depending on where you are flying from, you may be forced to connect.

But passengers can avoid traveling at peak times, such as when long-haul flights arrive, which can cause overcrowding. Most overnight long-haul flights from the United States to Europe arrive at their destination cities between 6 a.m. and noon local time. The Customs and Border Protection wait times website can give a sense of the busiest times for international flights to arrive in the United States, so you can plan around them.

Booking the first flight of the day can also be a savvy move, because if the flight is canceled, you have a better chance of getting on another flight the same day. Building in some connection cushion time is an easy way to avoid headaches.

Staying apprised as to what complications the summer weather may bring can also help. In the past, the smoke from wildfires in the Western United States has affected airports in San Francisco, Denver, Seattle and Reno, Nev. The hurricane season can cause delays at Gulf Coast and Atlantic airports like Houston, New Orleans, Miami and Atlanta. Even the heat itself can cause problems: Last summer London’s Luton airport had to shut down after scorching temperatures caused the runway to buckle, and Phoenix has faced similar issues.

New scanners that expedite security by allowing liquids and laptops to stay inside the bags are on the way as well, but “it’s going to be years before this becomes a reality,” said the T.S.A. press secretary, R. Carter Langston.

To speed your way, it can help to sign up for one of the programs offered by the government or Clear, a private company. But time is running out.

T.S.A.’s PreCheck program permits travelers departing from U.S. airports to go through screening without removing their shoes, belts or laptops, which can speed the process so significantly that in April, the T.S.A. said, 89 percent of PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes in line. Many credit cards reimburse for PreCheck enrollment, which normally costs $78. And once approved, PreCheck lasts for five years. Although approval can be quick, it could take up to 60 days.

For $22 more, passengers can apply for Global Entry, which includes PreCheck, is also valid for five years and expedites entry into the U.S. from international destinations. Many credit cards also reimburse for Global Entry. The big drawback is that approval requires an interview, and the current average wait time is four to six months, Rhonda Lawson, a Customs and Border Protection public affairs specialist, said in an email. According to C.B.P., the number of travelers arriving at U.S. airports is almost 30 percent higher than last year.

If you can’t wait for PreCheck or Global Entry approval, the privately run Clear Plus offers a five-minute application and approval process. Members have their identities verified by Clear representatives and then are escorted to the front of security lines. Because users still undergo the airport’s physical screening, Clear offers maximum efficiency when used in tandem with PreCheck. Of course, the V.I.P. treatment comes at a cost: Clear runs $189 each year. But family members can be added for $60 each, and some credit cards and airlines offer discounts.

If you don’t want to pay for these programs, or don’t have the time to wait for approval, you’ve still got some digital resources at your disposal for predicting airport lines.

T.S.A. has its own app, MyTSA, that shows security wait times. Some commercial apps, like MiFlight and App in the Air, offer crowdsourced information on the current wait times at various airports.

If you’re re-entering the U.S. from abroad, the Global Entry passport-scanning kiosks now are paperless — no more receipts. Instead, your face will be scanned and then double-checked by a C.B.P. officer.

You’ll go through a similar process even without Global Entry. In the majority of U.S. airports, the passport-scanning kiosks are gone and instead a facial biometrics system is being used, said Ms. Lawson, adding that travelers can opt out and go through the traditional process by notifying a C.B.P. officer.

To get a sense of how long it might take to get through, consult the C.B.P.’s airport wait time website, which tracks the average and maximum wait times in immigration lines for both U.S. citizens and noncitizens. Although it doesn’t have real-time data, by checking the previous week’s waits on the same day and at the same time as your arrival, you can get a good sense of what kind of a line you could be facing.

In Italy, baggage handlers, pilots and flight attendants have been striking regularly over pay; a nationwide strike has been planned for June 4 that will affect buses, trams and metro lines. Train strikes across Germany have also been causing widespread disruption.

The U.S. State Department advises travelers to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for advisories about labor actions and other events in international destinations.

Even though the days for planned strikes are known in advance, travel agents are advising their clients to budget a few extra days in their itineraries in case they are affected by disruptions. Travelers should also familiarize themselves with their rights before embarking on their trips. Under European Union rules, travelers flying into, out of or within the bloc are eligible for a refund or a replacement flight if their flight is canceled or delayed for more than three hours. Travelers delayed overnight may also be entitled to reimbursement for personal costs, such as food and accommodations.

If informed about a cancellation less than 14 days before a scheduled departure date, passengers are entitled to up to $660 in compensation. The same rules apply to travelers to Britain.

“If your flight becomes disrupted due to an airline strike, airlines may owe you compensation ranging from $250 to $600 to make up for the inconvenience,” said Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a flight claim management firm based in Berlin.

The rules apply only when the workers taking action are employed by an airline, including pilots, cabin crew, airline engineers or others who work directly for the airline. Strikes by other airport staff, including air traffic control and security, are considered to be outside of the airline’s control.

BAGTAG, a Dutch company that makes electronic luggage tags, is working with carriers like Alaska Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa and Swiss to phase out paper tags in favor of e-tags, which could help reduce mishandled luggage because they’re made of durable plastic and are less likely to be mangled or torn off.

Alaska Airlines is introducing electronic tags to a group of 2,500 fliers now and plans to make them available for sale this fall.

The good news is nearly everyone is eventually reunited with checked luggage. Last year, the vast majority made it back to their owners without a hitch. Out of the 470 million total bags checked on U.S. carriers in 2022, about six out of every 1,000 were mishandled (lost, damaged, delayed or stolen), according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. And only a tiny fraction of luggage is never reunited with its owner, according to SITA — about one in 2,250 bags.

So what can you do to leave the baggage carousel with a smile on your face this summer?

Arrive early so your checked bag has plenty of time to make it to the plane. Fly nonstop when possible, because every transfer increases the chance of a mishap. If you do need to change planes, don’t book a tight connection. And make sure any previous bag tags and stickers are taken off.

Carefully choose the type of bag you check (if possible, avoid the ubiquitous little black rolling bag, which can easily get mixed up at baggage claim) and festoon it with ribbons, stickers or other flair to make it easy to identify. Pay close attention at the check-in counter: Make sure the tag the agent attaches to your bag has the correct airport code. Never check medication, jewelry, or other essentials or valuables.

Take advantage of your airline’s smartphone app, which may offer luggage tracking capabilities. You can also place an Apple AirTag and a card with your contact information inside the bag to help trace it in the event it gets lost.

But say the worst happens and your baggage does not arrive as expected: Make sure you fill out the claim form before you leave the airport. The Department of Transportation website lists the rules that airlines must follow when baggage is delayed or goes missing, capping compensation at $3,800 per bag. Each airline has its own specific policies and procedures. Check their websites.

But the options have increased as third-party operations have joined the fray. Methods of entry have expanded, too: fly a lot, book a first or business class seat on some flights, sign up for a premium credit card, or pay for access.

Some credit cards include lounge access as a perk. The American Express Platinum Card, which costs $695 a year (and includes $400 of total hotel and airline fee credits), grants entry to its 15 Centurion Lounges in the United States, London and Hong Kong and more than 1,400 affiliated lounges worldwide.

Other premium credit cards have followed with their own lounges. Holders of the Venture X card from Capital One ($395 annual fee with $300 in travel credits) and up to two guests have access to the Capital One Lounge in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

This month, JPMorgan Chase debuted its first Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club in Boston for holders of its Chase Sapphire Reserve card ($550 a year with benefits, including $300 in credits on travel purchases).

You can also gain access through a club consortium. Standard membership in Priority Pass, a network of 1,300 airport lounges, starts at $99 a year, with each visit costing $35 at that level. Other tiers include some or unlimited free visits. (Many premium credit cards include membership in Priority Pass.)

Plaza Premium Group, which operates lounges, hotels and restaurants in more than 70 airports worldwide, sells its PPL Pass Americas for $80. The pass entitles holders to two visits within 12 months to any of more than two dozen lounges in North, Central and South America, including locations in Dallas, Newark and Orlando, Fla.

Membership in the high-end travel club Fly Lyfe starts at $28 a month and offers access to more than 600 lounges globally at $35 a visit. The price goes up to about $50 a month for complimentary lounge access.

Among membership-free clubs, Escape Lounges charge $40 if a visit is booked online 24 hours in advance, $45 if not, at 15 clubs around the country. (Escape Lounges are free to American Express Platinum cardholders.) The Club charges $50 admission at its more than 20 lounges in U.S. airports and in London. And the website LoungeBuddy identifies pay-per-visit lounges around the world.

You can also buy your way into some airline lounges. American, for example, offers one-time passes for $59 or 5,900 AAdvantage miles.

So, once you’re in, who can accompany you? Rules vary. American allows immediate family (including children under 18) or up to two guests free. Delta and United have similar policies, but include children under 21.