By: Sarah McWilliams Guerra
Sitting here during Winter Storm Fern in the Delta Sky Club, I realized I have… strong feelings about navigating weather chaos. As a former flight attendant and long-time traveler, here are my best, most practical moves to protect your time, money, and sanity.
Delta (and basically every airline) is operating reduced/adjusted schedules right now because of Fern, and cancellations/delays are widespread.
1) Don’t go to the airport without a real plan
This sounds obvious until you see people doing the exact opposite.
If your first leg is likely to get you stuck in a hub that’s melting down, don’t take it.
Example: If your itinerary is TPA → ATL → (somewhere snowy) and ATL is canceling flights all day, getting to ATL doesn’t “move you forward.” It just traps you in a worse line situation with fewer hotel options.
Your decision rule:
- If your connection airport is having mass cancellations, pause before you board the first leg.
- Rebook before you check bags, before you clear security, before you’re committed.
2) Always, always carry travel insurance
If you take one thing from this post, make it this: weather disruption is expensive, and airlines often won’t make you whole.
Here’s the key nuance:
- In the U.S., airlines must provide refunds in certain cases (like cancellations), but they generally are not legally required to cover your meals/hotel for many disruptions.
- The DOT even has a dashboard showing what airlines commit to provide for controllable delays/cancellations (mechanical/crew). Weather typically isn’t “controllable,” so those perks often don’t apply.
So when weather blows up your trip, your travel insurance is what can cover:
- trip interruption
- extra hotel nights
- meals during delays
- transportation to/from the hotel
That coverage is the difference between “annoying” and “financially painful.”
3) Use chat in the app instead of calling
Calling customer service during a storm is a hobby for people who enjoy hold music.
During major irregular ops, in-app chat (or messaging through the airline) is often faster because:
- you can keep doing other things while you wait
- you can paste details cleanly (flight numbers, preferred reroutes)
- it’s easier to screenshot/confirm changes
Also: if the agent offers a bad reroute, you can respond instantly with better options you found (more on that next).
4) Rebook yourself first, then ask an agent to “make it happen”
When storms hit, the best seats disappear in minutes.
Do this:
- Search alternate routes yourself (same destination, different hubs, earlier/later departures)
- Screenshot the best option(s)
- Then message/chat: “Can you move me to Flight X on Date Y? It shows available.”
Agents can often place you on itineraries faster if you come prepared with specific flights.
5) Know what you’re actually entitled to (so you don’t waste time arguing)
There’s a lot of misinformation at gates.
Reality check:
- Airlines aren’t generally required to compensate you for delays/cancellations on domestic trips (outside specific situations like involuntary bumping).
- Hotels/meals are usually tied to controllable disruptions (mechanical/crew), not weather.
What is always worth doing:
- Ask politely if there are any accommodations available anyway (sometimes they’ll help even when they don’t have to)
- If not, stop burning energy and switch to your insurance plan.
6) Lounges aren’t a luxury during storms — they’re a strategy
I’m not saying lounges solve everything. I am saying they keep you from hemorrhaging money and patience.
During Fern, clubs are a lifeline:
- reliable Wi-Fi + outlets
- comfortable seating when the terminal is packed
- food and drinks so you’re not buying $22 lunches repeatedly
- a calmer environment to rebook and regroup
And you don’t have to take my word on “airport pricing.” Even a couple meals and drinks during a prolonged delay adds up fast.
7) Pack like delays are guaranteed (because they are)
My storm-day essentials:
- portable charger (fully charged, plus cable)
- a hoodie or wrap (airports are arctic)
- empty water bottle (fill after security)
- snacks (protein bar, nuts)
- meds + one day of toiletries in your personal item
- change of underwear (trust me)
If you check a bag and get stuck overnight, you’ll be glad your basics are with you.
8) If you’re going to get stranded, pick where
If you can control it, choose the airport you’re stranded in.
How:
- Ask to reroute through hubs with more flights out (more rebooking options)
- Avoid airports with limited hotels near-by (or where weather shuts down transport)
- If you’re traveling with kids, prioritize airports with more space + services
9) Give yourself a “walk-away” line
Storm travel can become sunk-cost chaos. Decide in advance:
- “If I’m not moving by X pm, I’m getting a hotel.”
- “If the rebook puts me arriving 24+ hours late, I’m refunding and starting over.”
Having a line prevents you from spending 10 hours “hoping” at a gate.
10) Quick scripts that work (gate, chat, counter)
Copy/paste friendly firmness:
- “Hi! I’m flexible — can you please rebook me on the earliest arrival to ___ today or tomorrow? I’m open to alternate airports within 90 minutes.”
- “I see Flight ___ has seats available. Can you move me to that itinerary?”
- “If no same-day options, can you confirm my refund eligibility and cancel the remaining segments?”
Final thought from the Sky Club
Storms like Fern make one thing clear: you can’t control the weather, but you can control your preparation. Delta has waivers in place and schedules are shifting quickly, so the people who win are the ones who stay proactive.