Preparing for Winter Travel
By Sheldon Smith
During this holiday season, many of us are planning trips to go see family or spend time with friends. The winter weather outlook predicts a wetter south and a warmer north, and there will be plenty of opportunities for severe weather. That’s why we encourage our travelers to plan extra time into your itinerary to accommodate canceled or delayed flights.
Make sure to book your travel with a credit card that offers trip delay, or cancellation and interruption insurance. Trip delay insurance will protect you from expenses incurred because of flight delays. The benefit of trip cancellation and interruption insurance is its ability to cover non-refundable expenses that result from unforeseen circumstances that impact your travel plans. When booking cruises or resort destinations, we highly recommend that you use travel insurance benefits available through your card or purchase travel insurance.
Monitor the weather forecast. Severe weather that impacts your travel will likely result in ground stops which could lead to delays. Significant weather impacts can have devastating effects on aircraft and crew schedules, and often result in cancellations.
If you plan to drive, weather forecasts should play an important role in your routes and timing. A couple of years ago, when returning from Texas with my family, my original plan was to leave my point of origin and stop in Mississippi for the night. The next day, I planned to take a route through Tennessee into Western Virginia. But, during our overnight stop in Mississippi, I saw a weather forecast that had winter storm warnings along our planned route of travel. That provided an opportunity to shift our route south and east.
We made it home a day before a historic ice storm hit our area that resulted in significant downed trees and a catastrophic impact on our power system that took weeks to repair. In fact, trees came down across my driveway that took days to clear. So, being informed of the weather allowed me to make some smart decisions that kept my family and me safe.
Here are some preparedness tips from Ready.gov to consider.
• From blizzards, to avalanches, to ice storms, be aware of the winter risks in places you visit. Check the local weather forecasts and warnings before heading out. Visit National Weather Service for up to date forecasts and download the FEMA App for alerts in up to five locations.
• Check your local weather and traffic reports before heading out.
• If your roads are not in good shape, consider postponing non-essential travel until the roads are cleared. If you do have to go out, make sure you are prepared in case you become delayed while traveling.
• Tell others your route and anticipated arrival time.
• Want more tips on travel safety? Watch this PSA, made in partnership with FEMA and the TSA, for additional tips on travel safety.
I know this post was rather long but hope it will benefit some of you in your holiday journeys.
Happy holidays and safe travels!
During this holiday season, many of us are planning trips to go see family or spend time with friends. The winter weather outlook predicts a wetter south and a warmer north, and there will be plenty of opportunities for severe weather. That’s why we encourage our travelers to plan extra time into your itinerary to accommodate canceled or delayed flights.
Make sure to book your travel with a credit card that offers trip delay, or cancellation and interruption insurance. Trip delay insurance will protect you from expenses incurred because of flight delays. The benefit of trip cancellation and interruption insurance is its ability to cover non-refundable expenses that result from unforeseen circumstances that impact your travel plans. When booking cruises or resort destinations, we highly recommend that you use travel insurance benefits available through your card or purchase travel insurance.
Monitor the weather forecast. Severe weather that impacts your travel will likely result in ground stops which could lead to delays. Significant weather impacts can have devastating effects on aircraft and crew schedules, and often result in cancellations.
If you plan to drive, weather forecasts should play an important role in your routes and timing. A couple of years ago, when returning from Texas with my family, my original plan was to leave my point of origin and stop in Mississippi for the night. The next day, I planned to take a route through Tennessee into Western Virginia. But, during our overnight stop in Mississippi, I saw a weather forecast that had winter storm warnings along our planned route of travel. That provided an opportunity to shift our route south and east.
We made it home a day before a historic ice storm hit our area that resulted in significant downed trees and a catastrophic impact on our power system that took weeks to repair. In fact, trees came down across my driveway that took days to clear. So, being informed of the weather allowed me to make some smart decisions that kept my family and me safe.
Here are some preparedness tips from Ready.gov to consider.
• From blizzards, to avalanches, to ice storms, be aware of the winter risks in places you visit. Check the local weather forecasts and warnings before heading out. Visit National Weather Service for up to date forecasts and download the FEMA App for alerts in up to five locations.
• Check your local weather and traffic reports before heading out.
• If your roads are not in good shape, consider postponing non-essential travel until the roads are cleared. If you do have to go out, make sure you are prepared in case you become delayed while traveling.
• Tell others your route and anticipated arrival time.
• Want more tips on travel safety? Watch this PSA, made in partnership with FEMA and the TSA, for additional tips on travel safety.
I know this post was rather long but hope it will benefit some of you in your holiday journeys.
Happy holidays and safe travels!