Want to know if your flight is on time?

You can always sign up for an electronic alert from the airline, but I’ve learned a much faster, more dependable way to get the information you need. And it’s simple and effective. Instead of depending on an airline app, just pick up the phone and call the airline directly. Don’t ask if your flight is on time, because in many cases, the question gets interpreted to mean your flight is scheduled to depart on time, and the answer is almost always yes. That’s meaningless.

Instead, ask the reservations agent to give you the tail number of the actual aircraft assigned to your flight.

Then ask for the location of that tail number. And if that plane is in Boise but you’re in Boston trying to get to Miami, you’re obviously not going to be on time.

Armed with that information, you can then rebook before you ever leave home.