Three Apps You Need When Traveling in the US
- Jace Wyatt
- Oct 18, 2019
- 4 min read
Over the summer I flew home to Chicago and my best friend agreed to pick me up. I told her I was flying American and my scheduled arrival time. When I landed I texted her that I'd be out shortly and she confirmed she was in the cell phone lot and would be around shortly. After waiting for a bit, my friend called to say she must've passed me. She asked, "Are you near Southwest?" And immediately I realized she went to the wrong airport. Chicago has two airports, but American only operates out of one of them, O'Hare. It never occurred to me to tell her the airport because, in my head, everyone knows which airlines operate out of which airports. (And for the record, she still came to get me from O'Hare. And anyone familiar with Chicago knows that's a true friend!).
I’ve always been a bit of an airline geek. I'm overly familiar with airport codes, which airlines partner with one another, hubs and routings. And that's been my entire life, not when I started working for an airline. But that interaction with my friend made me realize that the average person isn't as familiar. So here are just a few things I recommend you know before traveling, and a few helpful apps to guide you along the way.
Download Your Airline’s App
Even if you are not a frequent flyer, you should have your air carrier’s app. It’s a quick download and you can remove it after your travel. This is one of the best resources when you experience a disruption in your air travel. It’s such a great resource that even I use every time I’m at work. I check for the inbound aircraft, gate changes, and flight time. As a passenger, you’ll find the app helpful for rebooking options if your flight delays well beyond enough time for you to connect or if your connecting flight cancels. Have the app so you don’t have to rely on a person for updates. Not all airline apps are created equally, so download the app before your trip and get a feel for what the app can do for you.
MyRadar
While any weather app is useful when traveling, MyRadar tends to be the choice for flight crews. It’s simple to use, isn’t bombarded with ads, and my favorite: it shows areas of possible turbulence. Use the weather app to see if a major system is moving through any airport you’ll travel through and be prepared. And you know how you checked your airline’s app to see where your plane’s coming from? Be sure to check the weather in that area, too! Just because it’s clear and sunny where you are doesn’t mean your aircraft is having the same luck. If you see a major weather system coming through any airport you’re traveling to/through, be sure to check your carrier’s website to see if a waiver has been issued. Right now the app is free, but there are premium options available.
ATC Delays
Where my New Yorkers at?! Listen. The folks running the New York area have their hands full, and I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for keeping us safe. NYC is the worst when it comes to Air Traffic Control delays. The air space is inundated. I avoid flying through New York if I want to get back home or to my layover on time. If there is not a full ground stop, then there’s usually a traffic management program to ensure the safe arrival of each aircraft. (So, again, thank you). Nearly all US airlines build a delay in your flight time in and out of NYC. For example, LaGuardia to Chicago might be a 90-minute flight but most air carriers will put an extra 30 - 45 minutes. So even if you leave late, you can still be on time! Here’s a screengrab from the app when dignitaries were leaving the UN Summit in NYC. As you can see, it was a busy day.
BONUS: Know your air carrier's hubs and partners
A few years ago my friends and I were flying American to Tokyo and our flight canceled. We were rebooked the next day, but I wanted to leave that night. I hopped on the phone and was able to be proactive with the phone rep and get us out of JFK to Narita via London because of my familiarity with their partners.
The big 3 US Carriers and their airline partners are: American Airlines is part of the OneWorld alliance (www.oneworld.com), United Airlines is part of Star Alliance (www.staralliance.com), and Delta Air Lines is part of SkyTeam (www.skyteam.com). Often, if the carrier you booked has an issue you can be rebooked on a partner airline, subject to seat availability of course. When you book your travel, don't let that be the end of your search. I'm not saying you need to memorize every airline's partners. Just take 5-10 minutes to visit your carrier's site to see its airport bases and partner airlines to identify reroute options just in case. This will be immensely helpful to you in the event of a delay or cancellation.
When traveling it's important to be ready for travel disruptions. Arm yourself with knowledge and be ready for anything.
What are some resources you use to help ease travel disruptions?
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