Holiday travel in a winter storm

Check before you go

• Read the alert level. The National Weather Service says Winter Storm Warnings mean "Travel will become difficult or impossible in some situations. Delay your travel plans until conditions improve." For what a watch, warning and advisory each mean, see winter storm watch, warning or advisory.
• Sign up for alerts. Ready.gov says: "Pay attention to weather reports and warnings of freezing weather and winter storms." Sign up for your airline's, railroad's or bus line's text alerts too, so a delay or gate change reaches your phone.

Thanksgiving week: three checks the day before

1. 1Check the forecast and alerts for where you're leaving from and where you're going. See winter storm watch, warning or advisory.
2. 2Turn on your airline's, railroad's or bus line's app notifications, so a delay or gate change reaches your phone.
3. 3Charge your phone and power bank, and put some small bills in your carry-on. See how much cash to keep at home.

Carry-on checklist for delays

• Your medicines. Keep them in your carry-on, not a checked bag. If a delay could run you short, ask your pharmacist or clinician about an extra supply.
• Paper copies. Your confirmation numbers and the phone numbers you'd need if your phone dies.
• A snack.
• An empty water bottle to fill after security.
• A layer. A sweater or jacket you can reach without your checked bag.
• A charged power bank and your cable. Pack it in your carry-on (see below).
• Some cash in small bills. See what to do when card readers are down.

Flying with a power bank

The FAA says spare lithium batteries, "including power banks," go in "carry-on baggage only." For the size limits and how to read watt-hours, see flying with a power bank.

If you're stranded

• Try rebooking in your airline's app while you wait in line. One may get you rebooked sooner.
• Save your battery. Turning down screen brightness and closing apps you don't need can help your phone last for calls and boarding passes.
• Keep cash for when card readers fail. See card readers down.
• Travel insurance: check your own policy or your card's benefits for what they cover. We don't give insurance advice.
• Need to rebook or ask for a refund? Go to your airline's, railroad's or bus line's own rebooking and refund pages; they set the rules for your ticket.

If you're driving instead

The Weather Service says that in a Blizzard Warning, "If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you." Here's what to keep in it: winter car emergency kit.

Before you leave the house

Leaving the house empty? Use our leaving home for the holidays checklist.

Buy, borrow or skip

• Buy: a power bank, and a pouch or wallet to keep cash and paper copies together.
• Borrow: a charger cable from a travel companion; a ride from a friend if your train is cancelled.
• Skip: "travel survival kits."