Why are so many flights delayed these days? Reasons include increased numbers of travelers, more severe weather events, and a shortage of commercial pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers and other aviation professionals. In 2023, more than 21% of domestic flights were delayed.¹

Things may not get better anytime soon. The lack of skilled employees in the airline industry can’t be fixed quickly, so we may see labor-related flight delays continue for a decade.²

Given that flight delays may be unavoidable, is there anything you can do to make them better? We’re so glad you asked!

1. Get a travel insurance plan that includes SmartBenefits^® flight delay compensation.

The travel delay benefit is invaluable when your flight gets postponed. This part of your travel protection can reimburse you for any prepaid trip expenses lost because of a delay, as well as additional expenses for meals, accommodation, communication, and transportation during a covered delay.

Here’s an even sweeter perk: If your plan includes SmartBenefits^®, you can opt to receive an automatic payment of $100 per insured person, per day, after we confirm a covered delay on a monitored flight. You don’t need to provide receipts—just take the money!

Here’s how it works. When you purchase your travel insurance plan, add your flight information to your account on allianztravelinsurance.com. If the airline announces a covered delay, then you’re eligible for an automatic claim payment of $100. Best of all, you can get the money fast. Just click the link in the message we send you and choose one of these payment options:

• Direct payment to your debit card: We’ll send the payment immediately, once your claim has been approved, although your bank may take some time to process the transaction.
• Direct deposit: You should receive payment within 2-5 business days.

Boom! Now you have a little extra spending money on your trip. And remember, it’s $100 per insured—so if you’re traveling with your family, everyone can receive a payment. Your SmartBenefits^® payment does not replace any flight delay compensation you may receive from the airline.

(If your flight is canceled, or if the flight is not one we monitor, you are not eligible for rapid payments. However, you still can file a no-receipts claim to receive the $100 if the flight cancellation results in an eligible covered travel delay.)

If your covered expenses during an eligible travel delay exceed $100, you can submit a claim with receipts for the remaining expenses, up to the maximum benefit limit specified in your plan. Just make sure you provide proof of expenses incurred over the $100 fixed payment.

Get a quote for OneTrip Prime or OneTrip Premier, our two plans with SmartBenefits.

2. Treat yourself to a great meal.

Stuck in a city far from home because of a flight delay? Don’t eat one of those depressing sandwiches from an airport newsstand. Instead, have a meal you’ll actually enjoy! Remember, your trip delay benefit can reimburse eligible expenses, like meals, that you incur because of a covered delay.

First, check your plan documents to make sure you know what’s covered. You need to know the length of a covered delay and the maximum amount your plan will reimburse for trip delay expenses. If your flight delay fits the criteria, then use your benefit to the max: enjoy a lavish lunch or dinner and then file a claim for reimbursement.

Just don’t overspend. If your benefit limit is $200 per day, and you spend $150 on a sushi dinner, that doesn’t leave you enough for a hotel stay during your delay (should you need it). Also, don’t lose your receipts. We recommend snapping a picture of each receipt right away, which makes it super-easy to file a travel insurance claim online.

3. Check into an airport lounge.

If you’ve never experienced an airport lounge, prepare to be wowed. They’re luxurious oases in the waiting-room wasteland: blissful retreats where you can kick back in a comfy chair, sip a refreshing beverage, nosh on free snacks and charge your exhausted devices. Some even offer nap areas, showers, and workout facilities.

Airport lounges aren’t reserved exclusively for first-class passengers or diamond-level frequent flyers. There are multiple ways to access lounges, including:

• Your credit card. Several credit cards offer airport lounge access as a perk. The Platinum Card from American Express opens the door to a network of Centurion Lounges in U.S. and international airports. However, you may have to pay $30-$50 per guest. Capital One Venture X cardholders get unlimited free lounge access for themselves and two guests, while eligible Venture & Spark Miles cardholders receive two complimentary visits per year.³
• Your military ID. United Airlines and American Airlines both offer lounge access to active-duty military passengers and their families.
• A lounge access program. You can pay for a Priority Pass membership, which grants access to certain airport lounges worldwide. With the lowest-price membership, you have to pay an extra fee to get into a lounge; the higher-priced levels include free access.
• A generous friend: If your friend or family member gets lounge passes through a loyalty program, they may be able to gift one to you.

4. Call your concierge.

If your flight delay means you’ll be stuck in a city for longer than planned, you may begin to think about getting out and exploring. But this carries risks: Will you be able to leave the airport and return before your plane departs? What’s the best way to spend an unexpected layover when your time is limited?

This is when your Allianz Travel Insurance concierge (included in most plans) comes to the rescue. Contact your concierge and tell them where you are, what you’d like to do, and how much time you have. They can assist with transportation arrangements, sightseeing recommendations, event ticketing, and more.

Concierge services are included in these plans: OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan, OneTrip Prime, OneTrip Premier, AllTrips Basic, AllTrips Prime, AllTrips Executive, and AllTrips Premier.

5. Explore the airport’s attractions.

If you can’t leave the airport while you’re waiting for your delayed flight, chances are you can still find something fun to do. Large international airports often offer interesting experiences, such as:

• Strolling through cactus, butterfly and treetop gardens at Singapore’s Changi Airport
• Having a drink in the sunken lounge in the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport in New York City, a loving restoration of Eero Saarinen’s 1962 TWA terminal building.
• Seeing ancient Turkish artifacts at the Istanbul Airport Museum

Read more: How to Kill Time During a Delay or Long Layover

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