Holiday travel: 200,000 passengers expected to pass through LAX today alone

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's another big day for holiday travel at the Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday with Christmas only six days away.

The airport says 200,000 travelers are expected to use the airport on Sunday alone.

So what are the peak travel days this month?

Wednesday, Dec. 15, was the first peak day for LAX.

After Sunday, the day after Christmas and Jan. 2 follow in the ranks. If you're not traveling on a plane, you'll soon start seeing heavy traffic out on the roads.

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New worries are looming over the holiday travel season as the omicron variant of COVID-19 takes hold in California and around the country.

About 8.8 million Southern California residents are expected to make a road trip between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, according to the American Automobile Association.

Hundreds of flights have already been canceled last-minute due to pandemic-related staffing shortages. Perhaps a coronavirus variant surge forces you to cancel your trip. Or what if a winter snowstorm prevents you from taking off?

No matter the reason, be prepared for last-minute flight changes or cancellations this year.

Finding last-minute flights

If your flight is delayed or canceled, here's how to quickly get on another:

Look to other airports

Many major cities are served by multiple airports, so broaden your airport search. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City might be backed up from a blizzard, but that doesn't necessarily mean nearby airports Newark Liberty International or LaGuardia are out of commission.

And look beyond the major airlines. JSX is a semiprivate jet service, but fares often aren't much more than commercial airfares.

Use booking tools

Even if you're accustomed to booking via an individual airline's website, tools like Google Flights will allow you to quickly compare routes across multiple airlines, nearby airports and selected dates. Booking tools may help surface an available route you'd otherwise miss.

Search for one-way, individual tickets and direct flights

Don't limit your options by searching for round-trip tickets. In a pinch, book a one-way ticket and find the return flight later.

And, if you're traveling with others, rather than searching for group tickets, consider searching for individual ones - especially if your group is comfortable splitting up. If one flight has only four seats left but another flight has two, then a search for your party of six wouldn't show any available tickets. But if some folks are OK being left behind and catching up later, you improve your odds of getting to your destination, period.

Fly direct when possible. If it isn't, try to connect through destinations that are less likely to be affected by bad winter weather (San Diego over Chicago, for example). While the flight with the layover might be cheaper, it might not be worth it if weather issues in the layover city are the reason you can't take off.

How to get your money back

Here are ways to improve your chances of getting a refund for flights interrupted by winter storms or COVID-19:

Use a credit card with travel insurance

One of the best ways to get money back for canceled flights (or to get reimbursed for additional costs incurred during delays) is booking with a credit card that offers travel insurance.

Exact terms vary by card, but you can typically expect coverage for flights affected by severe weather. And usually, this type of insurance will cover not just the flight itself, but ancillary expenses, such as an additional hotel night to take a next-day flight.

Purchase travel insurance

If your credit card doesn't include travel insurance as a benefit, consider purchasing coverage separately. Look closely at the terms and conditions as they vary significantly between plans.

Turn to social media

Technology can help you. Many airlines are embracing social media as a customer service tool, and account managers may even be equipped to directly help passengers rebook, issue flight credits and more.

If the delay is an airline's fault, you might get compensation. For example, Southwest Airlines' October 2021 meltdown cost the company $75 million, according to its third quarter 2021 earnings report. Much of that figure was attributed to customer refunds and "gestures of goodwill," as Southwest offered vouchers to many customers who were affected.

Other tips for traveling during winter storm season

• Be prepared to stay longer than you intended. Search budget-friendly lodging near the airport before your trip. If your flight gets delayed and you need to stay an extra night, you don't want to be scrambling to find a room that fits your standards and budget.

• Pack small snacks. Protein bars or nuts are great backups in case you're stuck in an airport overnight and the restaurants and stores are closed.

• Avoid checking luggage. If there's an opportunity to board another last-minute flight, you don't want your luggage packed on a delayed flight to be the one thing holding you back. Carry-on travel allows you to be more nimble. If you do need to check luggage, keep items you can't go without - like phone chargers and medications - with you.

• Set up flight alerts. Check your flight status before leaving for the airport or, better yet, set up automatic flight updates via text alerts. An early alert might help you avoid arriving at the airport for a canceled flight or give you a jump-start on booking a new flight before other passengers.

The bottom line

You might not think the scramble to make a last-minute flight change will happen to you - until it does. And given the challenges of travel this holiday season, you should be more prepared than ever.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.