Flying to or from the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Laura approaches? Change your flight without a fee
Due to fly in Hurricane Laura’s path? Major airlines including United, Southwest, Delta, American and Spirit are issuing fee waivers to allow travelers to adjust their flight plans ahead of the storm without any cost.
The stage is set for Hurricane Laura to make landfall on the Gulf Coast late Wednesday into early Thursday.
As a result, airlines have already started canceling flights, with 371 flights to and from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Wednesday already canceled, according to flight tracker FlightAware, or about 60% of the daily total.
The National Hurricane Center projected Tuesday morning that Laura will become a Category 3 “major” hurricane before landfall, with winds of around 115 mph. A major hurricane has winds of at least 111 mph.
At 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, Laura had winds of 80 mph and satellite images showed an eye forming.The National Hurricane Center said to expect sustained winds of 75 mph and higher gusts well inland in western Louisiana and southeastern Texas, with widespread wind damage and power outages.
In addition to the fierce winds, forecasters warn the hurricane is expected to bring a huge storm surge of Gulf sea water potentially as high as 13 feet ashore near the Texas/Louisiana border. On top of that, up to 15 inches of rain could fall in some spots in Louisiana.
While hundreds of people have been advised to evacuate in some areas of Texas, airlines have begun to give their customers a reprieve before the Laura reaches land. But not all airlines have taken the same action. Travel dates and destinations covered by the waivers vary by carrier.
Southwest Airlines
Due to the weather and that scheduled flights may be delayed, canceled or diverted Southwest has given customers holding reservations under specific circumstances the option to rebook in the “original class of service” or on “standby” within two weeks of their original travel date between original origin and destination locations for no additional charge.
Dates and locations:
- Monday-Thursday, Aug. 24-27
- New Orleans (MSY)
- Tuesday-Thursday, Aug. 25-27
- Houston George Bush Intercontinental (HOU)
Spirit Airlines
Spirit has also introduced “Flexible Travel Policies” for a certain set of travelers.
Modification charge and fare difference will be waived for travelers booked on flights:
- Scheduled to depart: Aug. 25-27
- And scheduled to go to, from or through: Houston (IAH), New Orleans (MSY)
The airline is allowing customers to complete booking for no fee and will waive fare difference through Sept. 2, after which the fee will remain waived but the fare difference may apply.
United Airlines
United passengers who booked their ticket by Aug. 24 and were scheduled to fly Aug. 26 or Aug. 27 in the Gulf Coast area can rebook to fly on or before Sept. 1 on the same itinerary in the same cabin.
Airports included in the waiver:
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (BTR)
- Beaumont/Port Arthur, Texas (BPT)
- Gulfport, Mississippi (GPT)
- Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
- Lafayette, Louisiana (LFT)
- Lake Charles, Louisiana (LCH)
- Monroe, Louisiana (MLU)
- New Orleans (MSY)
- Shreveport, Louisiana (SHV)
American Airlines
American Airlines is allowing passengers who booked by Aug. 25 to fly between Aug. 25 and Aug. 27 to rebook between Aug. 25 and Aug. 31. In order to avoid a fee, passengers rebooking must not change their origin or destination city and rebook in the same cabin.
Airports included:
- Alexandria, Louisiana (AEX)
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (BTR)
- Beaumont / Port Arthur, Texas (BPT)
- Gulfport / Biloxi, Mississippi (GPT)
- Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Key West, Florida (EYW)
- Lafayette, Louisiana (LFT)
- Lake Charles, Louisiana (LCH)
- Mobile, Alabama (MOB)
- Monroe, Louisiana (MLU)
- New Orleans (MSY)
- Shreveport, Louisiana (SHV)
American is also allowing passengers to delay their travel for up to a year if they meet the correct requirements with waived fees, but fare differences may apply.
Delta Air Lines
Passengers scheduled to fly on a Delta flight in the Gulf Coast area between Aug. 25 and Aug. 27 are eligible for a no-fee one-time flight change to be booked by Aug. 30 — rebooked travel must also take place by Aug. 30.
Impacted airports include:
- Alexandria, Louisiana (AEX)
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (BTR)
- Gulfport / Biloxi, Mississippi (GPT)
- Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Lafayette, Louisiana (LFT)
- Monroe, Louisiana (MLU)
- New Orleans (MSY)
- Shreveport, Louisiana (SHV)
Travelers also have the option to receive a full credit to be used within a year of the original issue date for the unused ticket’s value.
This story will be updated.
Contributing: Doyle Rice, Dawn Gilbertson and Curtis Tate, USA TODAY
