Rule changes as they are announced.
When June and July thunderstorms strand you, DOT's rules still owe you a full cash refund for a canceled flight if you decline rebooking — regardless of the weather cause, per the Department of Transportation's consumer guidance.
NOAA's May 21 outlook projects 8-14 named storms, 3-6 hurricanes and 1-3 major hurricanes for the 2026 Atlantic season, citing a developing El Nino — a calmer-than-average forecast that still does not change how summer trips to the Caribbean and Gulf should be booked.
As of May 2026, the State Department quotes 4-6 weeks for routine passport processing and 2-3 weeks expedited — and mailing time on both ends can add up to four more weeks, which decides whether a June or July application lands in time.
Interview appointment waits at high-demand airports stretch past six months in spring 2026, but conditionally approved applicants can finish the interview at the airport via Enrollment on Arrival.
American Airlines is launching six new transatlantic routes in 2026 — including Dallas to Athens and Zurich, and Philadelphia to Budapest and Prague — while Delta and United both expand their biggest-ever Europe schedules.
TSA projects it will screen roughly 107 million passengers and crew between March 14 and April 28, 2026 — more than 3% above last year — so checkpoint timing and membership programs matter more than ever this spring.