Odds are if you’re flying you’ve already booked your reservations, but for those planning last minute Labor Day get-aways, RewardExpert has a few suggestions to help you avoid delays and find the best carriers for on-time service.
Flying out the Wednesday before the weekend — if you can get the time off — provides the fewest cancellations and delays said the company, which specializes in maximizing airline miles and credit card rewards.
RewardExpert also recommended traveling the Sunday before Labor Day.
“Avoid traveling on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the holiday,” they write. “These days historically have the most delays and cancellations.” The company said the best bet coming home is to “leave on Labor Day itself to avoid getting stuck at the gate.”
RewardExpert also ranked carriers, reporting that Hawaiian Airlines was at the top with 94.3% of flights reporting on-time performance,
Delta Air Lines (despite the trouble last April) was the top-performing major carrier, with 88.4% on-time flights during the Labor Day travel period.
Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also ranked at the top as the busiest airport in the country over the holiday travel period (8,194 departures and arrivals) but also the best-run.
“Despite the crowds, travelers will likely have a positive experience flying through Atlanta due to their solid on-time performance ranking over the holiday travel period,” RewardExpert wrote.
Or you can just stick around town.
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