Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall in the U.S. on Thursday as a Category 3 storm, but the storm is already causing disruptions for travelers.
“Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are expected today over northeastern portions of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, where tropical storm and hurricane warnings are in effect,” the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday morning.
Travelers traveling to or returning from Mexico may find that their travel plans are affected. While US flights have not really had an impact on Wednesday, 12% of flights to Cancun, Mexico, have been cancelled and another 14% have been delayed, according to online flight tracker FlightAware. Of the flights departing from the airport, 16% have been cancelled and 19% have been delayed.
Airlines have also started issuing waivers and cruise ships have changed their routes.
Which airlines have issued exemptions for travel to Mexico?
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Alaska Airlines: Customers with flights scheduled to or from Cancun, Mexico (CUN) between September 25 and 27 can rebook or cancel their flights free of charge. Customers must change or cancel their flight prior to departure. Their new travel date must be no later than September 30. Customers who cancel their flight will receive a credit toward future travel.
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American Airlines: Travelers with American Airlines flights scheduled to, through and from Cancun (CUN) and Cozumel (CZM) through September 27 can rebook their flights for free. Travel must be rebooked by September 27 and completed by October 4 within the same fare class and cities as the initial booking to qualify for fee waiver.
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Delta Air Lines: Customers with Delta flights scheduled to, through or from Cancun (CUN) between September 25 and 27 can rebook their flights free of charge. Tickets must be reissued by the end of the day on October 4, no later than October 4, and within the same fare class to avoid fare discrepancies. Customers who are unable to fly by October 4 may experience fare discrepancies, but change fees will be waived. Customers who choose to cancel their flights will receive a flight credit valid for one year from the date the ticket was first issued.
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Frontier Airlines: Customers with Frontier flights scheduled to, through and from Cancun (CUN) through Sept. 25 can rebook without change fees, but fare differences may apply. Customers who choose to cancel their flights will be eligible for travel credit, minus any applicable cancellation or carrier fees, the airline said.
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Southwest Airlines: Customers with Southwest flights scheduled to, through and from Cancun (CUN) through September 25 can rebook their travel or fly standby for free within 14 days of their original travel date. Travel must be between the same cities as originally planned to avoid additional charges. Customers who choose not to travel can request a refund for the unused portion of their ticket or save the credit for a future flight.
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Spirit Airlines: Customers flying Spirit flights to, through and from Cancun (CUN) through September 25 can rebook without penalty if they depart before October 2. Fare differences apply for travel after October 2.
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United Airlines: Travelers with United flights scheduled to, from or on Cancun (CUN), Cozumel (CZM) and Tulum (TQO) through Sept. 27 can rebook their flights free of charge. United will waive change fees and fare differences for travel completed through Oct. 4 within the same fare class and between the same cities as originally booked.
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Which cruises to Mexico are affected?
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise ship, which departed Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, replaced a scheduled visit to Cozumel, Mexico, on Tuesday with Costa Maya. Carnival Valor, meanwhile, canceled its scheduled stop in Cozumel on Tuesday, the cruise line said.. The crossing also departed from New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday.
Carnival Horizon, which departed Miami on Sunday, has canceled Wednesday’s stop in Grand Cayman and will call at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic on Thursday instead of Cozumel.
According to the airline’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, five Royal Caribbean International routes have also been affected so far:
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Independence of the Seas, which departed Miami on Saturday, swapped its visit to Cozumel for a visit to Nassau in the Bahamas on Tuesday.
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Mariner of the Seas, which also departed Galveston, Texas, on Saturday, skipped Tuesday’s stop in Cozumel and instead spent the day at sea.
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Serenade of the Seas, which departed Tampa on Sunday, swapped Tuesday and Wednesday calls at Cozumel and Costa Maya for Freeport and Nassau.
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Wonder of the Seas is scrapping most of its scheduled calls, skipping Cozumel, Roatan, Honduras, and Costa Maya. The ship, which departed Port Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday, will instead add calls in St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
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Grandeur of the Seas will visit Nassau and Freeport instead of scheduled Wednesday and Thursday stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel. The cruise departed Tampa on Monday.
Contributor: Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flights to Cancun, Travel Disruptions: What You’re Right to
