Summer air travel is ripe for delays. Here's how insurance can protect your trip

Summer is in the midst of vacation season, but it can also be a peak time for travel headaches.

There were more than 10,000 delays and more than 1,200 cancellations on July 5, as many Americans traveled to celebrate Independence Day, according to FlightAware. This is beginning to follow a similar pattern to last year: In 2025, July had the highest number of delayed flights, with 69% on schedule, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It also had the highest volume of cancellations for the year — 2.45% of flights were canceled — much higher than the annual average of 1%.

Weather is a major factor in these disruptions: Between June and August 2025, weather and storms caused 57% of delays, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, higher than the average 35% of delays that are caused by storms between September and November of the same year.

Delays, cancellations and other travel inconveniences can happen any time of the year, but getting travel insurance could be an especially good idea for your summer travel plans. Here's what you need to know about getting a policy.

Travel insurance typically covers delays and cancellations related to weather and even natural disasters. Most policies will reimburse you for lost, non-refundable expenses — like hotels, excursions and car rentals — if you can't get to your destination within 24 hours of your expected arrival.

However, individual policies differ — some require you to have lost 50% of your planned trip length to qualify for cancellation coverage. To be sure, read over your policy documents to see exactly what qualifies.

Additionally, your policy could cover flight delays, giving you funds to spend on food, lodging or other expenses while you wait. Many policies require that your flight be delayed by six hours or more to qualify, and payouts can range from $100 to $250 per person, depending on the policy.

The key to reaping the benefits of travel insurance is purchasing a policy well in advance of a known storm. In the case of a hurricane or tropical storm, you'll need to have bought your policy before the storm was named.

Whether you're hitting the beaches of Mexico or visiting a picturesque European countryside, travel insurance can help with situations such as medical emergencies and lost or stolen items.

Most travel insurance policies include travel medical coverage, which can help pay for unexpected injuries or illnesses you sustain while traveling abroad, where your U.S. health insurance isn't accepted. Your policy can not only pay for the cost of care, medications and other needs, but it can also help you find medical attention and provide translation services if needed.

Most travel insurance policies can reimburse you for items that are lost at any point during your trip. While there are a few exceptions, such as expensive electronics and credit cards, it can help with things like your passport or jewelry.

Getting travel insurance should be one of the first things you do after you book a trip. After all, some provisions of travel insurance are only available if you buy it within two to three weeks of booking your trip — coverage for pre-existing conditions is one such case.

And since travel insurance excludes events and situations known at the time of purchase, buying it as soon as you book will ensure you're covered for whatever scenario arises.

To buy travel insurance, start by getting quotes and comparing them. Prices can vary between insurers, so it's a good idea to shop around. We like Allianz for families with children, as the brand's OneTrip Prime policy covers one child under age 17 with each traveling, insured adult. We also like Faye's digital-first policies that let you manage your coverage and even file a claim right from the app.

If you want to compare dozens of policies at once, travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth can put many options side by side to help you find the most coverage at the lowest price.

You should read prospective policy documents carefully: Some brands offer sample policies to review before you purchase. Others offer a free look period — typically 10 days — after you buy to review the terms and ensure they meet your needs.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every travel insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of travel insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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