Travelling to Cusco? Beware of cancelled flights

We’re accustomed to a world where services are available 24/7. A canceled flight is a hassle, but we expect "them" to fix it, rebook us, and refund our money. Well, not always, and certainly not when traveling to Cusco during the rainy season.

To avoid disappointment, missed connecting flights, long queues, and extra costs, here’s one simple recommendation: Between December and January, and sometimes in the surrounding months, avoid booking flights that land in or take off from Cusco before roughly 10 AM. During these months, the morning mist can be so thick that it prevents planes from safely navigating and landing at the airport.

This photo was taken on January 2, 2020. The situation was the same last year, and many Januarys since I first started traveling this route. My flight, number 2012, was the first to be allowed to take off. Meanwhile, a stressed crowd of travelers was left behind, scrambling to secure costly tickets for the next flight—sometimes for the day after, or even the day after that…