National Travel & Tourism Week: One of my Favorite Trips

Submitted by Joe Cortez

(Ed. Note: I originally wrote this blog about a month ago, when I came back from my annual trip to Temecula, California, to raise money for a local breast cancer resource center. In light of my last major trip, and considering that it's National Travel and Tourism Week, I thought it would be fitting to write about the good that travel can do. Enjoy!)

It had been too long since I set foot on an airplane. But I’d say that even if I just got off an airplane last week. My thanks go out to the citizens of the Temecula Valley, who were gracious to host me in April. I always look forward to my annual visit, and already can’t wait to visit next year.

Why do I go back to Temecula every year? Three years ago, I got involved in a fundraiser for a local breast cancer resource center that does so much great work in the community. Their work encompassases more than just research: they provide counseling, prosthesis support, and much more. Which is why I'm more than happy to get on an airplane and go back to my home state every year to help out.

This got me thinking about the greater good that travel does in our communities. Did you know that travel and tourism is one of America's largest industries? In addition to raising money for a great cause, my travel generated great revenue for the local area. In fact, travel in America generates $129 billion in tax revenue annually for local, state, and federal governments. And travel supports 14.6 million jobs around the country - including 6.9 million not directly involved in travel!

It seems that my travels did more than just help a great cause - it also helped growth in the communities I visit, and create jobs. Multiply that by everyone coming into the city for the event, and we're talking about a major impact!  

What made this trip rather strange for me (among things) was the fact that, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t suffer with a single trip delay! No mechanical failures, late airplanes or sick crews this time. The feeling of being on time was absolutely foreign to me – because I had already packed enough gear to be prepared for a nice set of trip delays. In this case, it was all dumb luck and circumstance. But, in looking back at my itinerary, there were some things that diminished my odds of suffering a trip delay. Here’s what I did right (entirely by accident):

1: Fly on subprime routes
My home airport only connects to a handful of places before I get to my final destination. Some of them are the bigger airports in the world that I shudder at the prospect of traveling to: Newark, Chicago and Denver, to name a few. But in this situation, I planned to travel to a non-impacted hub (Cleveland) that connected directly to my final destination. Additionally, I flew in subprime hours: before 9 AM heading out and after 9 PM heading back. By flying through less-impacted hubs and at non-prime hours, I was able to get to my destination, and then home without any problems whatsoever.

2: It’s good to have status
Remember earlier this year when I earned Silver Status across Star Alliance via Aegean Airlines? Coming through LAX, it really helped out. I had priority baggage handling from the airport and was able to use the priority security line once I got there. It was also nice to be able to board in the first two boarding groups as well and not have to wonder where I was going to stow my bags in the overhead compartment. This made getting in and out a breeze! Now if only they hadn’t lost my lucky bag tag…

3: Pack early, pack often
This time, considering it was a five-day trip with plenty of costume changes, I was forced to pack a checked bag. But with my free bag perk thanks to Silver Status (see above), packing was a breeze.  I threw everything I didn’t want to carry with me on a regular basis in the checked bag (including my liquids and toiletries) and everything else went in the carry-on garment bag. This worked perfectly in my favor – and allowed me to get on with my plans not worrying about having a baggage loss or trip delay.

Sometimes when you travel, things work in your favor when you need them to. And every once in a while, when you plan things just right, they all work out better than you could ever expect - not only for you, but for the greater global community you serve. When was the last time your travels aligned to work out perfect for you? Where are your favorite places to go? Let me know in the comments below!

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and doing the greater good in his travels. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

The Sequester and Trip Delay: The Good News Is…

Submitted by Joe Cortez

Personally, I think this title is a bit misleading. Writing headlines was always my weakness back in my newspaper days. But I digress – there really is good news to be had! The good news is that last week, Congress approved a bill that would end the furloughs of air traffic controllers across the United States. The official bill, without type-o's, was signed into law on Wednesday.

For the thousands of travelers that cross the United States, this news is so nice! It means the end of summer trip delay, right? In the eternal words of that scholar of college football, Lee Corso: not so fast, my friends.

Congress taking a step forward to once again allow air traffic controllers to keep eyes on the skies is a good start to ending the trip delay. But there are also bigger systematic problems that still exist, which could create some major frustrations around your summer travel plans. For example: both the FAA and the TSA – two key players in the air travel world – have announced hiring freezes that will at least last the summer. If turnover ends up being as bad as expected (projected to be over 1,000 by the end of May for the TSA alone), travelers could end up waiting even longer in line. This is compounded by the constant threats of summer storms, equipment breakdowns and anything else that could cause a trip delay for an airplane.

While this is good news that airplanes can now take off and land on their regular schedules again (within reason), the bad news is that the chance for trip delay is more on the front end for the traveler. This news is not so nice – but will be part of the flying experience that we all go through every time we want to fly.

So what happens now? How do we try to minimize the possibility for trip delay? While we can’t control the weather, hiring freezes and other ground delays, we can control our process through the airport. Here’s how I plan to get through the airport and, hopefully, avoid having to rethink my travel plans altogether:

• Arrive early. Seriously.
  This should go without saying – but it’s a reminder for me as well because I’m notorious for getting to the airport with just enough time to do what I must. Anytime you’re flying somewhere, it’s important to get there early – at least one hour for domestic travels and more for international travels. While you may have more time in the terminal, I use this time to get a coffee, catch up on my reading list or raid the airline lounge for free cheese.  
• TSA Pre-Check, Airline Status, or both.
  I’ve previously written about how Pre-Check may be the greatest thing that has ever happened to airport security. And if you’re a regular international traveler (or really want to be one), it is easy enough to get when you apply for Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI. If you’re a regular domestic traveler, it’s also possible to get Pre-Check through your frequent flyer program but that’s not necessarily guaranteed. I also included Airline Status in the same category here, because having the right status can help you jump the line. For instance: I have Star Alliance Silver status – so anytime I fly United or US Airways (for the time being), I get to use the shorter preferred line.
• Have a contingency plan if things get pear-shaped.
  So you’ve done everything right – but the outside factors cause you to have a trip delay. Always have a backup plan for when you’re traveling. If your flight gets delayed, have an idea of what other routes can still get you where you're going. If you can't get there on time, know who you can call to create alternate plans. It may seem redundant, but it will help you figure out how to be a part of that meeting, get the project done on time or help facilitate alternative arrangements to get you where you’re going. Remember: just because you don’t control the travel schedule doesn’t mean you can’t plan around everything else.

This summer is not going to be pleasant when it comes to trip delay – but with the right attitude, a little luck and by taking matters into your own hands, we might just get through this after all. How do you plan on escaping the travel woes this summer and minimizing trip delay? I’d like to hear your thoughts – leave a comment below!

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and not letting outside factors dictate when and how he travels. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

Trip Delay from the Sequester: The New Normal?

Submitted by Joe Cortez

May could quite possibly be one of the wildest months in the history of air travel.

Let’s forget about the confusion that the TSA’s new regulations on carry-on items is going to create in the already wildly inconsistent system (that won't be implimented anyways - but that's a blog for another time). This week, furloughs created by the sequester are going to take full effect on airports across the United States. This will force unpaid time off to most of the 47,000 Federal Aviation Administration’s full-time employees – including air traffic controllers. Broken down, this means that air traffic controllers will have to take one unpaid day off every other week until the end of summer.

Already, the loss of the additional help in the air traffic control tower has resulted in trip delays for many travelers:

• NBC San Diego reports that flights were, on average, delayed three hours on Sunday.
• CBS New York reports that delays of anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes are expected in the Big Apple’s three airports, with LaGuardia expected to be hit the hardest.
• The Dallas Morning News reports that a trade group for U.S. based air carriers may be taking the FAA to court over the budget cuts.

Taking a look at the FAA’s Flight Delay Information website on Monday morning, the only airports showing significant delays are those in the New York Area: LaGuardia and Newark. By the afternoon, the delay warnings expanded to Baltimore and Charlotte as well. And United started warning their customers to expect long delays for those travelers going to Los Angeles.

For the frequent traveler, this creates a major problem. Not only do you have to arrive early for your flight to check baggage and find a way to manage through the security checkpoint, but now trip delay or trip cancellation are almost a certainty. How can you make arrangements at your end destination if you have no idea when you’ll be getting there? What’s worse, how do you tell loved ones or business associates that your plans are in flux because of items out of your control?

So how do you plan for the sequester cuts? And how do you make the most of getting through one of the most difficult travel situations in a while? Here’s how I plan on managing my travel:

1) Alternate Routes – Alternate Destinations
To every destination, there is an equal and opposite destination. Okay, so maybe that’s not exactly the rule, but the logic still applies. For every place that we want to go, there are alternate ways and routes to get there. Let’s say you’re flying to Southern California and you don’t want to get stuck behind a trip delay, try looking at the airports in greater LA, such as Ontario, Long Beach, and Santa Ana. Subsequently, there are other ways to get around New York as well. For instance, flying to Philadelphia or Washington, DC, and taking a train into the big city.

2) Off-Peak Travel Makes Easier Routes
The main times people plan to travel are through the weekends and surrounding them. If your plans are flexible, then it’s entirely possible to escape trip delay by traveling off-peak hours – such as mid-week (Tuesday through Thursday), and overnight. By planning your travels around lower-traffic times, you can better control your itinerary.

3) Skip the Airplane Entirely
In some situations, it may make more sense to skip the airplane entirely and find a different way to get to where you’re going. Is a three-hour trip delay worth it if you can get there directly on a six-hour car ride? Is train service an option instead of a flight? While it may take you longer to get there, you can skip problems out of your control.

This coming season of trip delay will not be a fun one. But with some planning and forethought about your travels, I have faith that you will be able to make it through. How do you plan on managing your travel this summer? Let me know how you plan on getting through in the comments below!

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and avoiding sleeping in airports if it is all possible. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

Saving Cash While Traveling Abroad

Submitted by Joe Cortez

Congratulations! If you’re reading this you’ve more than likely made the decision to go outside your home country, and experience another culture and way of life. I do this about four to five times a year – and all it requires is five hours in a car to Canada. But later this year, I’m hoping to finally get out of my comfort zone entirely and make it out to Europe again. Because frankly, I very much miss Europe.

So outside of my routine planning – where I’ll be staying, what to see, preparing for trip delay, etc., I’m also looking towards another equally sensitive issue. Once I get to where I’m going, I’ve got the distinctive problem of having to spend money once I’m there. It’s not the worst problem to have, by any means. But it does make me wonder where and how I’m going to get the best value while I’m abroad.

After looking into several different options on how to spend my money while not in my home country (in this case, the United States), below is my rationale when traveling to another country. When it comes to spending my money abroad, there is one surefire answer…with many other options available to me if I need them:

(Local) Cash is King

Ask any small business and they will tell you they would much rather have cash rather than process credit cards. Why? Processing a credit card incurs a fee for the merchant, meaning they don’t get all of the $20 you just spent with them. Plus, not all places may accept credit or debit cards – meaning cash guarantees you can get what you want when you want it. While cash is more susceptible to loss (by theft or otherwise), it does serve as the most direct way to purchase the products you want. I always recommend carrying a small sum of local cash wherever you go (at least $100), just in case you need it. If you’re not comfortable carrying more than that, there are alternatives you can consider.

Travel with a Travelers Cheque

While Travelers Cheques have been in decline since the turn of the millennium, they still remain available for purchase in many banks across the United States. The great thing about carrying Travelers Cheques are the fact that they are available in several currencies (including Canadian Dollars, British Pounds Sterling, Euros, and Japanese Yen), and are more secure than carrying cash. If lost or stolen, all one has to do is call the local number for replacement of cheques. However, because of their decline or lack of use, Travelers Cheques may not necessarily be accepted by merchants and would have to be taken to banks for processing and trading. If you don’t mind the inconvenience, this could be a great way to set (and keep) a budget while traveling. But for those who don’t want the hassle, another alternative could be…

Credit Cards are your Friend

So, you’ve decided you’re going to go with credit cards. This can be a very easy choice that requires little more than having an internationally recognized and valid credit card (like Visa, Mastercard, or American Express). The good news: with a credit card you get the flexibility of cash and a level of security in case your card gets lost or stolen. The bad news: most will charge you a fee for using it abroad – which generally hover around 3%. Even with “no international fee” cards, you may still have at least a 1% service charge from the card payment system. Not to mention the conversion rate of the day. Still, if you don’t mind paying the additional fee, this could be a very easy way for you to pay while you’re abroad.

Personally, I carry a combination of some cash and a no international fee points-earning card. I use the cash for small transactions (day events, cab fare, tips, etc.) and my card for larger transactions (gifts, expensive meals, and the lot). By doing both, I’m able to keep flexible on my ability to spend, while having access to money wherever (and whenever) I need it.

How  do you make your spending work while traveling abroad? Let me know in the comments below – I’d really like to hear your tips! 

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and expediting his run through security as best as he can. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

How To Get Away in the Spring (without really trying)

Submitted by Joe Cortez

The winter blues seems to have it’s grip on us all about this time of year. I am no exception to that. If you’re a regular reader of the Travel Insure blog, you’ll know that I need to get away to help preserve my own sanity – to the extent that I took a trip from Columbus to Cleveland, via Denver and Charlotte, all for fun (and miles)! (Mostly for fun.)

But because the leaves are brown and the skies are gray doesn’t mean that we can’t dream for warmer destinations. I’m planning my next escape already, to Temecula, California in April. And if I do it right, I’ll be able to take advantage of excellent pricing with the help of diligent planning, as well as some assistance from my cache of miles and points.

So how can you position yourself to take advantage of the best fares, and even get away with some cheap deals in the coming year? With a little planning and flight preparation, you too can get to your destination with some spending money left in your pocket.

1) Set up fare alerts for your destination
In many situations (unless the fare is really good), buying today may not be the best move. Because one website says they have the “best available fare,” doesn’t mean that it’s the best for you – it could be the best for them. One of my favorite search tools available is Hipmunk. It shows flights based on total travel time, connecting locations, and price. Plus, you can set up fare alerts and get an e-mail anytime the price of airfare changes. (To get a good idea IF airfare is going to change, I also like to search on Bing Travel – their price indicator serves as a barometer to the direction of prices.)

2) Compare at alternate airports
Another easy tool for looking for good prices is Google Flights, as their map view gives me a good look at all the available airports. I’m hoping to fly into LAX for my trip to California in April, but they may not have the best price for flying in the area. This is where Google Flights comes in – as they can show me where and how to get to where I’m going:

In this case, for the dates that I’m planning to travel, it appears that flying into Los Angeles International Airport is a cheaper option than any of the surrounding airports. This is okay for me, because it’s I have friends I want to see before I go to Temecula, and I also happen to have family in that part of the world. So, all’s well that ends well. When you’re not sure of a fare, Google Flights is a great way look at other ways to get to your ideal destination. (Ed. Note: The screenshot above reflect the prices on Feb. 19, 2013. Your pricing may vary based on many factors.)

3) Consider a play on points
Do you have an idea of how you’re getting to your destination? Have you already decided what airline you plan on flying, or which hotel you would like to stay at? With that planning behind you, are you still stressed that you won’t be able to get the price you want to pay? This is where you can consider making a run at using points, or a combination of points and cash to make your travels as cheap as possible. In the event that you don’t have the points, many credit cards offer high points bonuses for signing up – which can, in turn, be used to offset costs of your trip. My only caution is to be careful when taking this approach.  Credit card sign-ups and spending isn’t for everyone, especially if you like to carry balances on your cards. Additionally, having many cards open at a time can open up channels for fraud. Which is where a product like USI Affinity's ID Recovery comes in pretty handy.

Making your springtime getaway affordable is easier than it looks. And with all the right planning, you can get there for little more than a song. Where do you go when you’re getting away for the spring? Let me know your ideas in the comments below!

(Ed. Note: No incentive was given to mention any product or service in this blog. Travel Insurance Services and its affiliated companies do not endorse nor guarantee any product or service mentioned in this or any blog. However, we sure would love to hear about your experiences with them!)

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and planning the next great escape to keep his sanity. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

An Important Lesson About Baggage Loss

Submitted by Joe Cortez

Linda in Customer Service and I chat on a daily basis. With the intertwining of our tasks at Travel Insurance Services, it’s a necessity. And please don’t think that I’m complaining about it — I truly enjoy our daily banter back and forth. But today, she completely disarmed me with a true story about her family.

Her family hails from a small town, where life moves a little bit slower. But they find ways to entertain themselves — like planning a church trip to Israel in the winter. All year they saved, made the deposits, and planned for the trip of a lifetime. Part of that trip included getting passports, preparing medication, and carrying currency with them.

Being the planning folks that they are, Linda’s parents carefully packed all of their medication and cash on their rolling carry-on bag — which seems like a logical place to put it while traveling. The only problem was that their first connection was on regional jets, which are not world-renowned for their overhead space. With this dilemma, they were asked by the airline to gate-check their bag through to their final destination. With no lock on their rolling bag, it was checked to Newark, and ultimately Jerusalem with cash and medication enclosed. Ten hours in Newark is a long time for those things to be sitting around unsecured. And offers the prime opprotunity for baggage loss or baggage theft, considerting all the valuables they kept inside. 

Lucky for Linda’s parents, this story has a happy ending to it as their bag arrived at its destination without the problems of baggage loss or baggage theft. And they throughly enjoyed their trip as they had intended to. But the experienced traveler in me has to ask: what if they had experienced a baggage loss?

It isn’t uncommon for airlines to ask passengers to gate-check items, especially when there’s little room in the overhead compartments. And while baggage loss is becoming a less frequent  problem across common air carriers in the United States, baggage theft and loss are still problems for American travelers overseas.

So knowing that baggage loss and theft are problems for travelers going to foreign countries, how could Linda’s parents have taken better care of their luggage to make sure nothing happened to their items? Here’s how I would have approached the pre-flight packing:

Eggs in Many Baskets

• First, when carrying valuables, I never pack them all in one bag. My passport usually goes in my insdie coat pocket or my personal item I carry onto the plane at the very least.
• Second, cash is always secured on my person or on something that I can easily wear underneath my clothes — like a neck wallet or personal item belt.
• Lastly, in the rare occasion that I need to go somewhere with medication, I always carry what I need in my personal item. In fact, the 3-1-1 rule works perfectly for what medications I need to carry on. If I need more than that, then the remainder gets checked through to my final destination. In a locked and secured bag.

Safe and Secure

• I’ve already locked my checked luggage with a TSA approved lock — so why am I not doing the same thing with my carry-on bags? In the event that I do have to check a carry-on rolling bag, I can rest assured that it will arrive safe and untouched. And if that check turns into a baggage delay or baggage loss, I’ll be less worried about the contents of my bag. The small price of a lock is better to pay than the real cost of replacing all my goods.
• Travel insurance for baggage loss. This is just one of its major selling points and situations like these are the reason to purchase insurance — especially when traveling internationally. If they had suffered a baggage loss, how would they replace that medication? How would they recoup their entire loss? A prime case for how travel insurance can help keep travelers moving forward, regardless of where they go.

My personal thanks goes out to Linda for letting me share this story with all you lovely readers out there. How do you make sure all your personal items get to where they’re going securely? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and making sure he doesn't lose any of his goodies when he makes an intercontinental run. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

Preparation lessons from the Carnival Triumph

Submitted by Joe Cortez

Photo by: Seth J/Flickr

I’ve been reading all about the situation with the Carnival Triumph this past weekend. My thoughts are sincerely with them as they wait for assistance. According to the Carnival Cruise Lines website, they are expected to get back into port Thursday – making for several days without basic accommodations such as functioning toilets throughout the ship, hot food, and air conditioning in the core of the ship. While Carnival has pledged to refund the cost of the trip as well as a credit on a future cruise, I don’t know how far that would go.

In this situation, I agree with blogger Marshall Jackson and what he wrote on his blog. Cruise ships, just like airplanes, are machines that are prone to malfunction. But when malfunction happens, you have to deal with it and make the best of the situation.

The lithium battery issue on the 787 Dreamliner is an example of this: it’s entirely unfortunate that a malfunction happens that can totally mess up an otherwise great vacation. The important thing to remember is that everyone is safe and secure, and that no injuries have been reported as a result. Just like the battery malfunction is not going to stop me from getting on a Dreamliner once they get back in the air this year (I hope), this incident will not prevent me from going on a cruise sometime this year.

But this incident is going to make me consider how I prepare for my cruise vacation, and prepare for a situation like this. In this worst case scenario, there are several things that can be done in order to make life easier in an unforeseen event:

1. Travel First Aid Kit
   A small first aid kit doesn’t take a lot of room and can be invaluable when it comes to surviving the trip. It can be as simple as a small bottle of pain relievers, bandages of various sizes, antibiotic ointment, and information to give to a doctor in case of emergency. With this small package, you would be surprised how far it will get you. Just make sure all of your medicine and ointment are less than 3 ounces and can fit in a 1-quart bag.
2. Water Treatment System or Tablets
   This might sound a little extreme but when you’re stuck in a place with non-potable water, this can help you get a drink in a hurry. A small, UV light emitting device (like SteriPEN) can treat as small as a single glass of water, and kill viruses and bacteria in the water instantly. If you’re not planning to be in a remote place for long, water treating tablets are also a convenient way to make sure that you’ve got access to water wherever you go. But keep in mind that tablets have a waiting time for treatment and are meant to treat larger quantities of water (a liter or more). To get rid of the weird taste left behind, use a liquid water flavoring to drop in.
3. Battery-Powered USB Charger
   In the event that you can’t charge your phone somewhere, a battery-powered backup charger can certainly save the day for your electronics. Just plug it in before your trip and use it as your regular charger while away. In the event that power is lost, the internal battery will give your phones and tablets the charge it needs to stay on when the lights go off.
4. Emergency Contact Information and Travel Insurance Contacts
   In the event that you’re stuck somewhere – do people know how to get a hold of you? More importantly, do you know who to contact while you’re away? Can you remember the phone numbers for the five most important people in your life off the top of your head? Wherever you go, keep a list of emergency numbers on hand. Be sure to include: important family contacts, your carriers (air, land, or sea) and hotels, people who need to be contacted in the event of an emergency, and the nearest American Consulate (if you’re away from home). Also remember to keep the phone number of your travel insurance provider nearby – as they can assist you in the event of an emergency, such as making alternate arrangements when your travels are delayed or contacting family and employers when you’re stuck. I always keep this information written down in case my phone dies. It’s easy to remember when your phone has plenty of battery life. But if there’s no power in the phone…you can forget about accessing that information, and easily forget the numbers in the first place.

By being prepared for the worst, you can make the best of any situation. How do you make sure you’re prepared for a trip? Let me know how you get ready for the worst in the comments below!

(Ed. Note: No incentive was given to mention any product or service in this blog. Travel Insurance Services and its affiliated companies do not endorse nor guarantee any product or service mentioned in this or any blog. However, we sure would love to hear about your experiences with them!)

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and living up to the Boy Scouts motto: "Be Prepared." He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

Avoiding Trip Delay at the Security Checkpoint

Time flies when you’re incredibly busy. I’ve learned that the hard way at the end of this year, while working with our team to increase the benefits of our products: Study USA-HealthCare, Visit USA-HealthCare, InterMedical Insurance, and WorldMed Insurance. It seems like just yesterday, I was writing about my own travel goals for 2013, and how avoiding trip delay was one of the major ones. One month later, I’ve made movement on each of those resolutions – except for the one about avoiding trip delay.

Granted, there are many times where trip delay is completely out of my hands. Due to mechanical failure, irregular operations, or general obstinance, I’m not always guaranteed to get to where I want to go on time. But the one place where it is in my hands is during the TSA Checkpoint at every airport in America.

To begin with, there are plenty of things that I do already in order to make sure that my pathway through is simple and efficient, and not have security be the cause of my trip delay.

1. Arrive at the airport with plenty of time.
2. Have my shoes off before I get to the conveyor belt.
3. Adhere to the 3-1-1 rule when taking liquids in my carry-on bags.
4. Empty all my pockets and place all loose items together in a small bin. 

One of the apps that stays on my smartphone is the My TSA Mobile App – which can help navigate what I can and can’t take, and give a general idea of how fast security is moving at any airport in America.  Even with the assistance of the application, I know that it’s going to be between a 10 to 45-minute process getting through the security lane.

So my speed and timing are good now. But there has to be a better way to get through and avoid the danger of trip delay, right? In fact, there are a couple of ways to do just that.

At many major airports in the United States and around the world, most air carriers have special lines dedicated to their status-holding frequent flyers. It’s a subtle way to say “Thank you” for flying their airlines. But what they don’t tell you is that many of those are also open to their partner’s frequent flyers as well. For instance: at the US Airways terminal in Cleveland, a dedicated line is setup for Dividend Miles Preferred flyers, as well as Star Alliance Gold members. Once I have that status, I plan on making that my exclusive security line.

Additionally, many airports now have dedicated lines for TSA Pre-Check trusted travelers. Last year, I wrote about the Pre-Check system, and how I was hesitant about it until it was more widely adopted. This year, I’m planning on getting my NEXUS Card which will allow me easier border passage from the United States to Canada. Both NEXUS and Global Entry (the trusted traveler program for international travelers) provide you with a trusted traveler number that gives you access to the TSA Pre-Check program. Using Pre-Check seems to be much less trouble than going through the standard security line since you get to keep your shoes, belt, and jacket on, thus potentially preventing a trip delay. But, that’s not an easy process either. Both NEXUS and Global Entry require travelers to have an in-person interview for approval, which involves additional drive and appointment time.

That being said, it is possible to get Pre-Check status through your airline. The only downside through that route is that the Pre-Check status is seemingly assigned on a random basis, unlike the trusted traveler program.

If the drive is out of the question for you and you want a consistent security experience, another option would be CLEAR. For a nominal fee you can enroll in CLEAR, which requires nothing more than your passport and several questions. CLEAR lanes are available in several different major airports across the United States. The only difficulty is that, once again, you have to enroll in-person and wait 7-10 business days before you can get your CLEAR card and use the lanes. This is great if you live near a supporting airport, and can enroll and receive your next card before your next trip, and a great way to skip trip delay.

By some combination of those three strategies, I’m hoping to eliminate trip delays at TSA Checkpoints this year. What are your strategies to make the security checkpoint a lesser obstacle this year? I’d love to hear in the comments below and, perhaps, adopt a few!

(Ed. Note: No incentive was given to mention any product or service in this blog. Travel Insurance Services and its affiliated companies do not endorse nor guarantee any product or service mentioned in this or any blog. However, we sure would love to hear about your experiences with them!)

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the Marketing Specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and finding the best way to get through security with the least amount of friction possible. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

Know Your Rights Under a Trip Delay

Submitted by Joe Cortez

In our year-end editorial meeting, my boss/executive editor commented about the amount of writing I've done about the various trip delays I've had this year. "People are going to start to think you're the unluckiest traveler in the world," she told me. And looking back at all my travels in 2012, I'm starting to agree with her. Out of all the flights I took, I was forced into a trip delay on at least four of them - and outright missed my connections twice. Based on those numbers, I might be pretty unlucky this year. But in the same stroke, I've also been pretty lucky in the fact that I've turned a lot of those delays into bonus points and credits. 

 Non-frequent travelers may not know that there are several laws out there to protect you and help get you to your destination - all depending on where you're going to or from, or how you're getting there. As a result of all of my travels, delays, and cancellations this year, I've made myself learn about what rights are available to me. It also helps that, as a result of all the hurricanes and winter storms this year, the media has done a better job of bringing attention to flyer's rights.

So what can you do if you're behind a trip delay or a trip cancellation? Traveler advocate FlyersRights.org offers the following tips: 

• Know when you can and can't get off the airplane
  Once the doors to the airplane are closed, you're stuck on the plane, right? Yes and no. Once the doors are closed, you are under the control of the airline and are obligated to follow the directions of the pilot and flight crew. But if the flight is delayed for three hours or more, the airplane must return to the gate and allow passengers to deplane - unless doing so would disrupt regular airport operations, or create a security problem.
• Know when you can and can't get information
  If your going to have a trip delay on your flight, your airline is obligated to give information about the delay every 30 minutes after the scheduled take off, and continue to do so until your flight is departed. This allows you to be in control and understand the situation at hand, and allow you to make reasonable accomodations to get where you're going. If you're not getting this information on a regular basis, its okay to ask - just be polite when you do so, and understand that the gate agents are possibly just as stressed as you are. 
• Know when you can ask to take another flight
  Before airline deregulation in 1978, all airlines operating in the United States had to comply with FAA Rule 240. What was Rule 240?  If a flight went under a trip delay or trip cancellation, the airline you flew was obligated to transfer passengers to another carrier if that other carrier could get you to your destination faster. Since airline deregulation, this rule has become obsolete - however, under the conditions of carriage that every airline files with the FAA, many airlines still have a variation of this rule. If you're worried that you may be under a trip delay, check with your airline to see their version of this rule, and under what options you can elect to exercise that right. 

As I've written before, considering travel insurance is not a bad investment in this situation. To learn more about what travel insurance may cover during a winter storm, click here. 

By knowing your rights when flying, you can better prepare yourself to ride out a trip delay or trip cancellation. Preparation is always the best thing to pack when taking a major trip - and knowing these tips could be just as important as packing your lucky sweater.

Has knowing your rights helped you in the midst of a trip delay? I'd like to know about it - leave me a comment below with how you negotiate your way through a trip delay. 

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and knowing all the ways he can get to where he's going. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.

Trip Delay Blues

Contributed by Joe Cortez

One of the pains of living in the spoke of a spoke-and-hub travel world is that trip delays aren't an inconvenience - they are a way of life. I was reminded of that lesson the hard way this weekend, when taking my end-of-year mileage run from Columbus to San Francisco. Once again, I did everything right: I left work on time, plotted out a fast way to the airport, and arrived to check my bag 90 minutes ahead of schedule. My planning was so good, in fact, that I was able to swing through the TSA checkpoint without any trouble, and I was sitting in my gate with a good hour to spend doing whatever I wished to do.

It was a shame that I ended up spending that hour scrambling between two gates and five gate agents as the result of a trip delay that originated out of Newark, trying to make a connection in Chicago that was never meant to be. What's worse, is that I wasn't alone - at least five other people were stuck trying to make a connection to San Francisco, and the delay from was affecting people going to Newark as well.

I've blogged about surviving trip delay in the past. And in this case, it helped a little bit. But it didn't take away the frustration that I was stuck between either going home for the night and getting 12 hours less time to play in San Francisco on Saturday, or potentially being stuck at Chicago O'Hare airport all night (even though I do love that airport). Ultimately, I ended up forging on and risking the awkward overnight stay at O'Hare - just to be pleasantly greeted at the gate by an agent who already had a hotel and meal voucher waiting for me, as well as my rebooked tickets for the next morning. It's the little things that can make everything better. 

This was a situation that I was grateful for travel insurance - as it may have helped if I didn't have the assistance of the airline. But even without an extra ace in the hole, there are ways  that I could have used to get through the trip delay:

• Know the cause of your trip delay
  As we learned from the Q & A with United President & CEO Jeff Smisek, irregular operations are just that - irregular. But there are different reasons why the irregular operations are happening. Sometimes, it's weather - and sometimes, its operational error. By using flight tracking websites (and in some cases, the cargo website of the carrier), you can find out why the flight is delayed - and make an attempt to get some recompense as a result.
• Be aware of your surroundings
  Gate agents are worked very hard - especially in the midst of a trip delay, when they have a line of angry passengers. And sometimes, that gate agent in the middle of the mix isn't the best one to deal with. It's ok to seek another gate agent that isn't busy with another group, or in the best case scenario, a customer service center. By stepping out of the storm, you've got a fresh set of eyes that might be more willing to help you in the event of a bad situation.
• Know all your options
  There's no way around it - the trip delay has left you stuck, and there's nothing left to do but figure out your next move. What's worse, you don't have a voucher from the airline to help you out. In many cases, you can ask your airline to help with a "distressed traveler rate" at a local hotel. The "distressed traveler" situation allows for a discount on a hotel room that you can use to at least get some sleep and freshen up before your next leg. And hopefully not get stuck again.

After all was said and done, my end-of-year mileage run was a fantastic success, despite the trip delay bringing it to a rough start. I got to see family, accidentally reconnected with old friends, and once again got bonus points for making it through the situation. All to get back on the plane 25 hours later, and come back to my life already in progress. Now I can't wait for my next one in January - crossing my fingers that there won't be another trip delay there as well.

Do you know of any better ways to get through a trip delay, or try and get some assistance as a result of one? I'd really like to hear them - let me know in the comments below!

About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying, and eating well before his scheduled departure. He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com.