Holiday Travel Report: Most Stressful US Airports

Flight data obtained by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. National Aviation System cancellations can also be due to weather.

Flight Cancellation Policies

Flight cancellation policies vary by airline and circumstance. When an airline cancels a flight, most will try to rebook passengers on the next available flight.

Airlines are also not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a canceled flight, such as prepaid, non-refundable:

Hotel room

All-inclusive vacation or resort

A cruise

A tour or safari

Concert or entertainment tickets

Travelers concerned about protecting any trip expenses should buy travel insurance.

Dealing with Flight Delays

Each airline has its own flight delay policy for passengers waiting at the airport; there are no federal requirements.

Travelers concerned about delays should be aware of the following:

Generally, early departures are less likely to be delayed.

Book a non-stop flight (no stops).

When booking, ask the airline about the on-time performance percentage for an individual flight.

Closer to departure, check . This will provide timely information on weather concerns or air traffic delays.

Be aware of "creeping delays." When an airline continues to push back a departure time it can sometimes be extended for hours or lead to a cancellation.

If a flight is delayed, try to learn the reason why to better gauge if the flight is in jeopardy of being canceled. Reasons for delays may include maintenance, fueling, crew issues, weather, previous flight with same aircraft arrived late, causing the present flight to depart late, or security issues.

Some flights will be delayed on the tarmac before or after take-off. As , DOT prohibits flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours.

Passengers with departing flights at busier airports should consider travel insurance for travel delay protection. "If travelers are made aware of the possibility of flight delays, they can then use that data to help them compare travel delay benefits during a travel insurance purchase," says InsureMyTrip Intelligence Analyst Danny DeMello.

Travel delay benefits vary with each travel insurance provider, generally between a 5 and 24-hour window. The benefit is designed to provide reimbursement for reasonable meals and accommodations while unable to travel.

Tip: Travelers must be delayed for a certain number of hours before this benefit can be applied. When comparing travel insurance, look for the minimum delay time (typically, starting at 5 hours) to start qualifying for coverage as soon as possible.

To schedule an interview with an expert or to request specific research data, please contact .

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SOURCE InsureMyTrip