A headache-free guide to summer travel at PHL

• Build in some flexibility. There's a chance your flight could get delayed, so be prepared for that. In other words, don't plan a flight that is only two hours ahead of your family wedding.
• Arrive early. Sullivan recommends coming to the airport three hours before your flight to ensure you have time for parking, ticketing, and check-in.
• Check flight frequencies. Know when the next flight is available in case yours gets canceled.

One other tidbit ... Be prepared for crowded flights. "Do not count on an empty seat next to you," Sullivan says, particularly if you're traveling to Mexico or the Caribbean.

• Those flights have "the most passengers we've ever seen," Sullivan adds.