Ask the Traveler: How do I plan around flight delays?

It’s true that the airline industry has fallen on, well, turbulent times of late. You’re smart to draw up a game plan when it comes to booking flights. So, until the airline industry rights itself, follow these tips and you should reach cruising altitude as close to on time as possible.

For starters: You can’t miss a connection if you don’t have one. Booking nonstop flights can avoid many delay-related headaches, even if it means leaving from your second-closest airport or paying a little more.

And if nonstop is just not in the cards, give yourself plenty of buffer between flights, especially if your layover is at a big airport with a potentially lengthy journey between terminals.

On a summer trip to Costa Rica, I discovered even 2 hours wasn’t enough—a mistake that cost me a few hundred bucks and a precious day of vacay. And flight search engines still return options with margins as thin as 45 minutes, so beware. If you really need to be somewhere on time for, say, a cruise departure, consider flying in a day early.

The on-time records for your home airport, potential connecting airport, major carriers, and even specific flights can also provide some insight. Tracking sites like FlightAware help fliers do that research.

Timing is key, says FlightAware spokeswoman Kathleen Bangs. Weekdays tend to have more options for alternate flights than weekends, for example. Data also show that flight delays spike during the busy seasons of June through August and in December.

“And always try for that first flight of the day—it’s statistically the least likely to get delayed or canceled,” Bangs advises. “Your options dwindle as the day and evening progress.”

Of course, no amount of research will deter a thunderstorm or resolve airline staffing issues. But small measures can make a major delay less stressful.

Download the airline’s app for the most up-to-date flight status notifications. If you need to make a change, you’ll find it pays to be at the head of the line at the ticketing desk or the first call to customer service. Sticking to a carry-on will ensure your essentials make it to your destination with you, even if your route changes.

Remember, if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, you are entitled to a refund, but you may opt to be rebooked or to receive a voucher instead. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s new customer service dashboard compares types of compensation—such as hotel and meal vouchers—that major carriers offer delayed travelers.

New Orleans-based Jessica Fender writes the Ask the Traveler column.

You can while away long layovers in an exclusive airport lounge without being loyal to a particular airline or springing for a premium ticket. Your AAA card gets you a 15% discount on standard day passes at more than a dozen The Club lounges in the U.S.

If that’s not enough, Priority Pass has more than 1,300 lounges in its international network. Memberships from $99.