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There might be delays -

Air travel in the winter comes with a number of challenges. Snow and ice must be cleared, the runway must be gritted, among others. All these slow down traffic flow, which can translate into delays.

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The nightmare before Christmas -

The days leading up to Christmas are some of the busiest, with overall passenger traffic increasing about 25% on average. Some of the worst days for air travel are the Friday before Christmas, as well as from December 18 to 22.

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The worst day to return -

Of course. People flying back from their Christmas breaks also means busy airports and expensive flights. The period between December 26 and 29 is the busiest. A better alternative is to return on December 31 or January 1.

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Can it get too cold for a plane? -

Not quite. Planes flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet (12,200m) will experience temperatures around -56°C (-68°F). Jet fuel freezes at -40 °C (-40.0 °F), but as long as it’s above freezing point on the ground, it’s fine. This is because the fuel circulates and warms up in the air.

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Is it harder to fly when it’s cold? -

Cold air is denser, which means better engine performance overall, so aircraft will actually fly better at lower temperatures. 

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Is it harder to fly when it’s cold? -

There is also less turbulence when flying over land because there’s less convective heating (heat being released from land).

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Turbulence -

Speaking of turbulence, besides the aforementioned factor, which may mean less turbulence, there’s no direct correlation between winter and more turbulence. Every season presents its own challenges to aviation.

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Snow buildup -

Snow has to be cleared off the wings for takeoff. Under certain conditions, this is a laborious task to perform. Snow, however, only builds up on land and won’t accumulate on a plane during a flight.

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The world’s coldest airport -

Oymyakon, in Russia’s Sakha Republic, is known as the coldest inhabited place on the planet. The Sakha Republic's capital, Yakutsk, is located some 577 miles (929 kms) from Oymyakon. This is where you’ll find the coldest airport on Earth. Average winter temperatures are around -39°C (-38°F).

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The world's northernmost airport -

Longyearbyen, on Spitsbergen Island in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, is home to the world’s northernmost airport. Average winter temperatures are usually around -30°C (−22°F).

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Which countries deal better with wintry conditions? -

Most Scandinavian airports are pretty good when it comes to coping with wintry weather. For instance, Stockholm Arlanda in Sweden, has never shut down because of snow.

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How do these airports deal with adverse conditions? -

Most Scandinavian airports have an efficient operation in place. They have numerous snow-clearing vehicles, including plows, blowers, and everything in between.

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The airports in which you’re more likely to experience delays -

Passengers tend to experience more delays at American airports, such as San Francisco International, Newark Liberty International, Utah’s Provo Airport, and LaGuardia.

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The airports in which you’re more likely to experience delays -

In Europe, the main culprit is Frankfurt Airport in Germany. UK airports are however notoriously bad when it comes to snowy weather. The country doesn’t actually get a lot of snow, so most are ill-equipped, leading to delays.

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UK airports -

According to Civil Authority data, London Gatwick is the worst in the country when it comes to delays. Other UK airports where you can expect delays include Luton, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham.

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Tech advances in winter travel -

Snow covered runways have always been a problem. Usually, vehicles are used to remove the snow, but this may become a thing of the past. A research team at Iowa State University has been testing concrete with embedded electrodes, which maintain the pavement temperature at 17°C (62°F).

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The most expensive day to fly during the festive period -

Christmas flights can be very expensive, so what’s the best day to travel? According to Skyscanner, Friday is your best option. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Sunday is the most expensive day to travel.

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Flying on Christmas day -

Indeed, there are flights on December 25, but are they usually cheaper? Not quite. On some routes, it’s even the most expensive day to fly!

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Finding a good deal -

You can get notified in real-time about flight prices via a number of websites (Skyscanner, Google Flights, Momondo, etc.). Some websites, like Kayak, even tell you if it’s a good time to buy or if you should wait.

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The best time of the day to travel in the winter -

Early morning flights are usually the most affordable ones. It might be hard to get out of the bed so early, but not only will you save money, but you’ll also be in a better position if there are any delays or cancellations.

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Big vs small airports -

When it comes to winter travel, it’s always best to fly through big airports. Large travel hubs will be better equipped to deal with adverse weather conditions, getting you on alternative flights if needed, etc.

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Best type of airline -

In the same way you should opt for big airports, when travelling in the winter it’s best to opt for bigger airlines too. If they have a larger fleet and more flights, you’ll have more options if something goes wrong.

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Which airlines are more punctual? -

According to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data, SkyWest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines were the most punctual in 2023. OAG Aviation data shows that in Europe, the top spot goes to Germany’s Eurowings.

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The best way to avoid wintertime delays and cancellations -

Your best option if you want to avoid winter weather delays and cancellations is to fly to sunny destinations! This will usually mean fewer passengers and airports won’t be as busy either.

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Direct vs connection flights -

Booking more than one flight could be a way to save money (and even visit a new place), but when it comes to winter travel, direct flights win. Doing so will decrease the chances of experiencing travel disruption due to wintry weather.

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What to do if you have to stop over -

If there are no direct flights to your destination, make sure you leave plenty of time between flights, just in case there are some delays.

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Dealing with cancellations -

Most airlines won’t compensate passengers if the delay is caused by external events, such as bad weather. Taking up travel insurance can get you covered in such events. Some credit cards even offer flight delay insurance if you use them to book your flights.

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Travel insurance -

Travel insurance is particularly helpful if you’re flying from and to places with a high chance of extreme weather. Take up the insurance when you book your flights, otherwise, if you buy it after a storm or another severe weather event has been announced, you might not be covered.

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Where to monitor flights -

Many airlines will take to social media to give updates on specific routes. X (formerly Twitter) is one of the most used platforms.

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What if your flight gets canceled? -

If this happens, it’s best to do some research yourself about alternative flights and routes, and then present your suggestions at the airline desk.

Sources: (Love Exploring)

See also: The most turbulent flight routes in the world

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