Many travelers can rebook their flights to avoid Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas | Charlotte Observer

Travelers in the path of Hurricane Florence can rebook flights later this week for no additional fee, American Airlines said Monday.

The travel alert covers 23 airports in the Southeast, including the airline’s mega-hub at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. While the storm’s exact path could change, the National Weather Service predicts it will strike the coast near Wilmington late Thursday and move inland.

American’s team of meteorologists is monitoring the storm from its headquarters in Fort Worth, Tex., and no flights have been canceled yet. The storm could make landfall Thursday.

Forecasters predict tropical storm-force winds could hit the Charlotte area starting Thursday morning, which could ground flights. American operates more than 700 flights a day at Charlotte Douglas, the vast majority of the airport’s traffic. Some 120,000 travelers a day pass through the hub, many connecting to other destinations.

Most airports in the Carolinas are covered by American’s travel advisory, including Wilmington, Raleigh/Durham, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and Columbia. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines haven’t issued similar travel advisories yet.

A full list of airports affected is available at www.aa.com/travelalerts. Customers can rebook online or by calling 1-800-433-7300. Flights scheduled from Thursday through Sunday are covered.