As Hurricane Florence continues to build strength as it makes its way toward the East Coast, many airline carriers across the United States have issued travel advisories and are helping travelers arriving to or departing from potentially affected cities.

 

According to the National Hurricane Center, Florence is a Category 4 hurricane with a maximum sustained wind of 130 miles per hour. The storm is located approximately 500 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina as of Wednesday morning.

 

The National Hurricane Center warns that Florence will bring a life-threatening storm surge and rainfall to portions of the Carolinas and the mid-Atlantic states.

 

For those traveling in Florence’s path, airlines are waiving change fees for flights and urging customers to remain patient as delays and cancellations are expected.

 

American Airlines has issued a travel alert for more than 30 airports, including its Charlotte, North Carolina hub. Their current travel alert allows customers to rebook without change fees. If an American flight has been canceled or excessively delayed, customers may cancel their itinerary and request a refund.

 

Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have similar policies in place.  Delta Airlines will waive the change fee for travel beyond Sept. 20, but warn customers that a difference in fare prices may apply.

 

United is offering a travel waiver for customers ticketed on flights to, from or through impacted cities from Sept. 10 through Sept. 16.  Customers can reschedule their itineraries for travel through Sept. 20 with a one-time date or time change, and the airline will waive the change fees and any difference in fare for flights booked in the same cabin and same arrival/destination airports.

 

Southwest customers can rebook in the original class of service or travel standby within 14 days of their original date of travel between the original city-pairs and in accordance with the airlines’ accommodation procedures without paying any additional charge.

 

Low-budget carriers such as Spirit, Jet Blue and Frontier will also waive change and cancel fees, as well as fare difference for customers.