How to minimize the pain of travel disruptions

The first three months of the year brought significant disruptions for travelers.

The Iran war, cartel violence in Mexico, a U.S. military operation in Venezuela, and a powerful snowstorm on the East Coast, among other things, have collectively disrupted tens of thousands of flights and wreaked havoc on the travel plans of many Americans since the beginning of 2026.

There is always a level of unpredictability when it comes to travel. But recent events underscore steps Americans can take to ease or bypass the pain of travel and ease the accompanying financial headaches, according to travel advisors and other experts.

“If you think about the worst-case scenario, this is the worst-case scenario,” Sofia Markovich, a travel consultant and founder of Sofia’s Travel, said of disruptions linked to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

But he and other travel advisors said travelers could learn from the situation.

Advisors noted that increased travel volatility could continue in the near to medium term.

For example, it is not clear how long the war in Iran will last and how intense the operation will be. President Donald Trump has also threatened military intervention in Cuba and expressed interest in controlling Greenland earlier this year. The ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown could also cause further delays and bottlenecks at airport security checkpoints.

“You gotta be ready ’cause you don’t know where you are [the disruption] “It’s the future,” said Amalia Lazarov, Travelicious’ travel consultant specializing in Middle East trips.

“We will probably see more,” Lazarov said. “But we can be ready to deal with any situation.”

Here are some ways travelers can best isolate themselves, according to travel experts:

Many of the tips add cost to the itinerary. But for those who can afford it, they said the acts are often worth the higher price tag by bringing peace of mind.

Booking a connecting flight instead of flying non-stop to a destination saves travelers approximately 22% on average in ticket price, according to a Google Flights analysis published in September.

However, most travel experts recommend flying non-stop if possible.

This is because a delay on a passenger’s first flight could mean they miss their second flight. And a problem with the second flight could mean you get temporarily stranded in a random city.

“My motto is always nonstop flights,” Markovich said. “Avoid links like the plague.

“If you can avoid a hookup, it’s worth paying extra instead of hooking up,” he said.

For example, instead of flying from the local airport and embarking on a multi-stage road trip, Markovich often opts for the 2.5-hour drive from Birmingham, Alabama, to fly nonstop from Atlanta, a major transit hub with a relatively large list of nonstop flights.

This doesn’t mean that nonstop flights are problem-free; Markovich said airlines may also cancel these if there is a significant disruption. But he said they reduce the overall risk of delays.

Experts said some people have no choice depending on their departure airport or where they are traveling.

If a break is necessary, make sure you leave plenty of time in between, Markovich said. For international flights, for example, he recommends a wait time of at least three to four hours so that there is enough time lag if something goes wrong.

Also try to ensure that the connecting airport carries more than one flight to your final destination, Markovich said. He said this could help travelers find a new same-day flight to their destination if there’s a problem with their travel schedule.

For example, passengers who purchase a basic economy ticket and then wish to cancel their flight will typically receive only a partial credit towards a future trip with the airline. According to The Points Guy. Passengers who purchased a refundable fare can usually cancel and receive a full refund back to their original payment method.

But even refundable fees can have caveats. For example, some airlines charge a fee to issue a refund, while others may give passengers a short period of time to request a refund. According to Kayak.

One potential workaround: NerdWallet travel expert Sally French said travelers who buy flights using points generally don’t need to book a more expensive fare class to get a refund. In such cases, it may be easier to have the points re-deposited into the passenger’s account rather than receive a cash refund, French said, but such policies vary by airline.

Regardless of fare type, travelers are entitled to a full refund if they cancel the flight within 24 hours of purchase and if the ticket was purchased at least one week before departure. according to federal law. This also applies, for example, if the airline cancels a flight and the passenger chooses not to accept alternative flights or other compensation from the airline.

Hotels and listings offered through sites like AirBnb often have different refund policies, and travelers should consider this, experts said.

“Refundable [airline] “Tickets always help,” said Lazarov. “We recommend in difficult times.”

Sometimes, he said, purchasing a refundable airline ticket is even cheaper than purchasing travel insurance, and if a large portion of the traveler’s cost comes from the airfare, it may be worth the effort.

The “easiest and most obvious” way for travelers to protect themselves financially is to purchase a travel insurance policy, Hand said. Travel insurance can cover policyholders for non-refundable travel expenses beyond airline tickets, including hotels and tours.

But most travel policies Hand said it does not cover policyholders for acts of war.