Latest news with #travelstress
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Travel + Leisure
30-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
What to Do If Your Flight Is Canceled, According to Air Travel Experts
There are few travel moments more deflating than racing through security, grabbing overpriced snacks, and hustling to your gate—only to find your flight has been canceled and the line to speak with an agent is already snaking around the concourse. (Although let's be frank: Getting that dreaded cancellation alert while you're en route to the airport isn't much better.) Whether it's due to weather, crew shortages, or an unexpected mechanical issue, flight cancellations can throw even the most carefully planned trip into chaos. The silver lining? With a few savvy strategies—and the right information—you can skip (some of) the stress by staying one step ahead. According to Dollar Flight Club founder Jesse Neugarten, the easiest and fastest way to find out if your flight has been canceled is by checking your airline's app or website. For the most up-to-date information, he recommends setting up email or text alerts as soon as you book; airlines usually send updates there instantly if your itinerary is impacted. Additionally, says Neugarten, tools like FlightAware "give you an extra layer of visibility." Simply enter your flight number, and you'll see real-time updates from the FAA and airline data systems. The platform also lets you track the aircraft's inbound journey, offering real-time insights on whether your plane is arriving on time—or if it's already delayed. As Neugarten explains, "If the plane that's supposed to become your flight is delayed in another city, you'll often see the writing on the wall before the airline officially tells you." He suggests checking FlightAware both the night before and the morning of your flight for early warning of delays or cancellations "well before they hit the airport monitors." A passenger checks flight information on an information board at the it comes to rebooking a canceled flight, time is of the essence. As soon as you receive word of a cancellation, Neugarten advises pulling up the airline's app or website to review rebooking options—even before getting in line at the gate. "Airlines usually load alternate flight options right into the app when a cancellation happens, and sometimes you'll even get rebooking offers without asking," he says. Options tend to fill up fast with everyone scrambling to get on the next flight, which is why it's imperative to act fast. In the event of a cancellation, you can also try dialing the airline's customer service line. "Here's a pro tip," says Neugarten. "If the U.S. line has long wait times, try calling their help desk in another country like Canada or the U.K." Per the pro, these representatives can often help, and the hold times are usually shorter. If you booked through a third-party platform—such as Expedia or Kayak—or a travel agent, Neugarten recommends reaching out to them as well, since they "may have access to different rebooking systems or waivers." Finally, don't rule out switching airlines. "Sometimes," says Neugarten, "It's smarter to take the refund and book a new flight on a different airline, especially if your original airline is having a larger meltdown." "Under new federal regulation, when a flight is canceled (or significantly delayed), you are entitled to either a refund or a rebooking," says Katy Nastro, travel expert at Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights). This applies to any airline as long as the flight is departing, arriving, or traveling within the U.S. The reason for the disruption—whether it's within the airline's control or due to external factors like severe weather—doesn't matter; the same rule still applies. (More information can be found and verified on the U.S. Department of Transportation website.) Before requesting your refund through the airline's website, app, or customer service team, you'll need to decline any alternative transportation or travel credits offered. If the airline still refuses to issue the refund, it's recommended to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Keep in mind that the above information applies only to domestic flights. Rules and regulations regarding international flight cancellations are a little murky. However, passengers flying to or from Europe may be entitled to up to roughly $700 under EU air passenger protections if their flight is delayed by more than three hours. In these cases, Neugarten suggests utilizing tools like AirHelp and Compensair, which 'make it easy to file claims and only take a cut if you get paid.' While no one can predict with certainty whether a flight will be canceled, there are smart strategies you can use to mitigate your risk. Here's how to set yourself up for better outcomes should your travel plans get disrupted. You know what they say: The early bird gets the worm—or, in this case, the on-time takeoff. Both Nastro and Neugarten tell T+L that early departures are more likely to leave on schedule. As Neugarten explains, that's because "they haven't been affected by delays building throughout the day." While flying nonstop may not always be feasible—especially if you're headed somewhere remote—it's almost always the safer bet when it comes to avoiding cancellations. The reasoning is simple: "Fewer legs mean fewer chances for something to go wrong," says Neugarten. While they may come with more crowds, larger airports often have more resources—extra gates, spare aircraft, larger crews, and more frequent flights on similar routes. That means if something goes wrong, you're more likely to be rebooked quickly or accommodated with alternate options. On the other hand, smaller regional airports may have fewer flights per day, limited ground staff, and longer wait times for assistance. Before booking your flight, Neugarten recommends using tools like Google Flights or FlightAware to see if your flight is frequently delayed and/or canceled. This provides a clearer picture of which routes or airlines are more prone to disruptions, helping you make a more informed decision prior to purchasing a ticket. Similarly, airlines are required to report their percentage of canceled flights to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. This data offers valuable insight into an airline's overall reliability—and can help you choose a carrier with minimal canceled flights.
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Travel + Leisure
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
Exclusive: Amanda Seyfried on the New 'Mamma Mia'—and Why She's Going to Target for Her 40th Birthday
When it comes to family travel, Amanda Seyfried is not about sugarcoating reality. 'I literally try not to travel with my kids because it's stressful,' the actress told Travel + Leisure about her daughter Nina, 8, and son Thomas, 4. Case in point: While flying back home to New York after visiting her sister in Los Angeles, her son threw up for the first time in his life—in the middle of a flight. 'We were still two hours from landing and he had just eaten lasagna, so just imagine,' she said. He also vomited again on the car ride home, and to make matters worse, Seyfried caught the stomach bug herself once she was home. Seyfried said there's "literally no secret' to surviving a long flight with kids, and admits it's often all about keeping her youngest one occupied on a device. She opted for the Amazon Kindle Fire, which "you can throw around and [it] won't break.' Her first-hand experiences are exactly what inspired the Mamma Mia star to create the Make it Cute Playhouse Experience at Philadelphia's The Bellevue hotel. Designed for families with young ones, the suite stay includes a welcome kit, Levain cookies, valet parking, and most importantly, an assembled plastic-free playhouse from Make It Cute, the company Seyfried founded with her childhood friends in 2021. The best part? Families can take the playhouse home with them when they check out. 'Any good hotel makes you feel like there's a familiarity and coziness,' Seyfried said. 'Having these really cute playhouses is incredibly distracting for the kids, so the parents can unpack and have some semblance of peace—not to say that you don't have peace when you have kids, but it's harder to find.' She says the play houses don't just give kids something to do, but that it also gives little ones their own space since, "hotel rooms just aren't geared for kids to have fun.' Amanda with her daughter Nina while in Croatia in 2017. Seyfried grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a small city about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, and was excited to collaborate on a project with such an iconic property in her home state. Located in Philly's tony City Center neighborhood, The Bellevue was founded in 1904, and was once considered one of the most glamorous and luxurious hotels in the country. 'I love collaborating with something that's so Philly, born and bred," she said of The Bellvue. "It's such a beloved landmark." She hopes the hotel package will help ease the burdens of traveling with children—something she's been doing ever since becoming a mother. In fact, she filmed "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" on location right after her daughter was born. 'She doesn't remember any of it, but she turned six months when we were on the island of Vis in Croatia,' Seyfried said. 'It was just crazy to have a baby in a tiny village on an island—we had to bring all of our diapers beforehand!' Amanda in Greece. Aisle or window? Window. Must-visit in your hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania? You can't visit Allentown without going to Mary Ann Donut Kitchen and Yocco's hot dogs. You just can't. Favorite spot where you live in Upstate New York? Overlook Mountain in Woodstock, because you can hike to the top, and then go up the water tower, where you can see all of the Catskills—sometimes even further. You're just on top of the world up there. It's magic. There's also an abandoned hotel that's [made of only] stone halfway through the hike. Favorite place you've filmed? It's a hard one, but I think I have to say Skopelos, Greece, for "Mamma Mia." Verona for "Letters to Juliet" was also a really beautiful place to live, and I found it to be so welcoming and warm, and the food was epic. It's a very livable city, and every perfect little town in Italy has a river. Where do you hope the third 'Mamma Mia' will film? It's going to go back to Greece. I know that, not for a fact, but it will. We need to bring it home. But it would be so fun if "Mamma Mia 3" filmed on a new island in Greece or Croatia where I haven't been yet. Jet-setting has been a big part of Seyfried's daughter's life from an early age. They've mostly centered around Seyfried's work, plus occasional family trips. 'It's just so easy to travel with her now,' Seyfried admits. 'She's 8, but she's like a little adult.' Their first true family vacation was to Budapest, and they even brought their dog, who had to travel with 80 pounds of special JustFoodForDogs meals. They also considered taking their bearded dragon along, but ultimately decided against it. 'My second kid is a pandemic baby, and it was wild bringing him overseas last year,' she said. 'It was a pain to get there, but everything falls away once you land and you're like, 'We live in a crazy, beautiful world with a lot of amazing people.'' Once the family was there and settled in, Seyfried realized that the Hungarian capital was pretty kid-friendly, and she loved taking her children to its beautiful parks. Seeing her kids interact with other children was especially moving to her. "You realize that kids have the capacity to relate and can communicate with anybody," Seyfried said. "It was just the most beautiful thing in the world ... Kids need to see things, meet people, and swim in oceans and engage in things that aren't home.' When she was a child herself, Seyfried developed a deep love for travel, especially for trains. One time, after driving to Florida from Allentown, the Seyfried family took the Auto Train back. 'I just remember thinking, this is heaven on Earth, because we're just going so fast from south to north, with our big minivan on the train somewhere,' she said. She still loves trains and takes the Amtrak weekly from her upstate home to New York City. She enjoys watching the views along the Hudson River. 'If you get the right seat, getting into the city that way is just so romantic,' Seyfried said. She's also a fan of the 'beautiful' new Moynihan Train Hall, where she likes to pick up mini-cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery for her kids. Running around with her dog Finn in Upstate N.Y. But despite being a certified world traveler, when it comes to her 40th birthday, she's planning on keeping it local. 'I'm gonna travel 25 minutes to my local Target,' she said. 'My friends are coming in from the city, all girls—no offense, boys—and we're going to get brunch and get a little tipsy. I'm gonna have cash on hand for everybody, and they have to spend it all. That's my plan. Everybody who's invited knows about it!' Even though she's staying in town for her birthday, Seyfried knows the transformative power that travel can have—and she wants her kids to experience it as much as they can. 'I'm entering a period of my life where I am responsible for making sure my family travels, but I just feel like there's never a right time because of work,' she said. 'But I know once we land in the Serengeti, Tokyo, Oslo, or Buenos Aires, it'll be just epic. With kids, it doesn't ever feel like the right time. Just book the tickets and travel.'
