Should you really be traveling in this economy?

Key Concepts

• Government Shutdown Impact on Travel
• Rethinking Travel Plans
• Travel Insurance Limitations
• Refundable Bookings
• Holiday Travel Booking Strategies
• TSA Lines and Mitigation

Impact of Government Shutdown on Travel

The current government shutdown is significantly impacting thousands of flights, prompting a reconsideration of travel plans. Travel expert Clint Henderson advises that, in the current economic climate, it is prudent to "really think through whether this trip is worth it." He anticipates that if the shutdown extends into Thanksgiving, many individuals will opt to "skip going home for Thanksgiving this year and maybe go for Christmas or I'm going to take the train or I'm going to drive." Henderson emphasizes that the situation is already "pretty gnarly out there" and will likely worsen daily, making it a "good time to reconsider or at least have a plan B."

Mitigating Flight Disruptions

Henderson illustrates a strategy for dealing with potential flight cancellations, particularly for regional routes. Using his father's ranch as an example, he explains that a flight from New York to Salt Lake City might be unaffected, but a subsequent regional flight from Salt Lake City to Butte, Montana, could be canceled. To counter this, he suggests "rent[ing] a rental car in Salt Lake City as a backup so that if that regional flight gets canceled, I still have a way to get to the ranch without, you know, sort of just canceling the trip outright." This highlights the need for proactive contingency planning.

Travel Protection and Insurance

Contrary to what some might assume, Henderson states that "Most travel insurance won't cover situations like this." He notes that even premium credit card trip delay and cancellation/interruption insurance has been confirmed by most credit card companies to not cover the current reduction in flights. Therefore, he does not believe "it's worth it getting getting extra insurance." "Cancel for any reason insurance is really expensive and not even all those policies will cover it."

Instead of relying on insurance, Henderson recommends booking "refundable tickets and hotel rooms and rental cars." He points out that airlines are currently "very flexible right now with allowing people to cancel, get their money back, uh especially if they cancel the flight." The key is to ensure that "you can get your money back for any reservations you're making right now just because we don't know how this is going to play out."

Holiday Travel Booking Advice

For those planning holiday travel, Henderson offers specific guidance:

• Thanksgiving: If travel for Thanksgiving has not yet been booked, prices are expected to "jump from here." Henderson advises, "I would scrap Thanksgiving at this point."
• Christmas: The "prime booking window" for Christmas flights is currently open. He believes it is "safe still to book Christmas flights" and that booking now will secure "better prices now than you will if you wait even a couple more weeks." He warns that "pretty much uh every day from mid- November till Christmas, it's going to get more and more expensive," so it's crucial to "lock in those prices. Now."

Navigating TSA Lines

While the transcript mentions "massive lines at TSA checkpoints," Henderson notes that his recent travel experiences have been "pretty good at most of the airports I've been traveling through lately." To minimize wait times, he suggests:

• "Travel midweek, travel early in the morning."
• "Check what's going on at your airport you're departing from before you go to the airport."

He references an instance of "insane 5-hour lines at Houston for security" seen on social media. In such situations, he advises, "if you see that happening at the airport you're leaving from, you might just call the airline and say, 'Hey, can I move my flight to tomorrow because I don't want to deal with that.'" This underscores the importance of being an "informed consumer right now" with "situational awareness."

Conclusion

The current government shutdown necessitates a cautious approach to travel, particularly flights. While traditional travel insurance is unlikely to cover disruptions, booking refundable options for flights, hotels, and rental cars is a recommended strategy. For holiday travel, immediate booking for Christmas is advised to secure better prices, while Thanksgiving travel may be best avoided if not already booked. Proactive monitoring of airport conditions and flexible communication with airlines are crucial for navigating potential TSA delays. The overarching theme is to be an informed and prepared traveler.