Flying is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. It’s also one of the most frustrating things you can ever do.

Flights are delayed, cancelled and rescheduled all the time, messing up your plans in any number of ways. It could be as harmless as losing the time you’d planned to enjoy a cappuccino and read your book. Or it could be as infuriating as missing your connecting flight.

It’s happened to all of us. But with a little preparation and the right information, you could avoid running like crazy around the airport or biting your nails at passport control, wondering if you’ll make it aboard the last train into the city.

Here’s what to do to minimize the possibility of your travel plans falling apart.

Book morning flights

There are plenty of external circumstances that can disrupt flight schedules: bad weather, air traffic, maintenance, suicidal birds etc.

Things tend to start alright, then get worse during the day. That means there’s a bigger chance of delays in the evening (according to the US Department of Transportation data). Nighttime seems to restart the machine and early flights (from 6 am to 10 am) have the highest chance of sticking to their schedule.

Peak hour for delays is around 6 pm, when you can expect to take off 20 minutes later on average. 

The early morning rule is cancelled out in some cities that often experience heavy fogs, such as San Francisco. If you fly from San Francisco, choose the afternoon flight.

Flights scheduled between 6 am and 10 am have the lowest chance of being delayed.

Don’t fly on Friday, fly on Saturday

According to a Business Insider article, 30% of Friday flights don’t make it off the ground on time, making it by far the worst day of the week for flying. Saturday, on the other hand, is a much better option.

Avoid the world’s most delay-prone airports

Statistics have identified the airports where delays are normal and on-time arrivals are the exception. As you will see, most are in China, so consider yourself lucky if your hometown’s airport doesn’t make this list (the data is from 2015).

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia

Xiaoshan Airport, Hangzhou, China

Nanjing, China

Pudong Airport, Shanghai, China

Shenzhen, China

Tianjin, China

Hongqiao, Shanghai, China

Guangzhou, China

Manchester, UK

Fuzhou, China

Bad news for anyone living in China…

Leave at least three hours between connecting flights

This is another trick to ensure that even if your flight is delayed, it won’t ruin your trip. Always leave at least three hours between connecting flights, especially if you have to change terminals at gigantic international airports. You’re better off enjoying a cappuccino with a book in hand than spending an eternity waiting for the next flight.

>>> Read more: 7 really simple ways to feel good after a long flight 

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Meet locals: Global Greeter Network

Global Greeter Network is my favorite way to find a local guide to show you around for free and answer all the questions you might have about the place you’re visiting. The network now includes more than 150 cities all over the world, and it’s continually growing. Unlike many other similar services, Global Greeter Network is not tip-based; it’s completely free.

Meet locals: MeetUp

MeetUp is a platform where everyone can create or join a meeting in their current location. These are social events ranging from yoga classes to book clubs, mindfulness practices, outdoor sports and language exchanges. The events themselves can be free or paid, but don’t worry – this is specified in the meetup description. If you don’t find any meetup that suits you, just create your own!

Offline navigation: Google Maps

Since Google Maps released its offline version, travelers’ lives have changed forever. No longer do you need to use expensive data roaming to find your way in a foreign city! Of course, one of the main drawbacks of the app is that the downloadable files are huge (usually several hundred megabytes) and take up large chunks of your phone’s memory. You can find full instructions on how to download and use offline maps here.

Offline navigation: Maps.me

In some countries (Thailand for example), Google Maps doesn’t support offline navigation. That’s when you need to find a substitute, and the perfect substitute is Maps.me. This app requires way less phone storage space than Google Maps and has proven to be incredibly accurate (like that one time when it guided us through a secret passageway in a floating market – it was so well-hidden that we didn’t even realize we were supposed to buy tickets).

Meditation: Calm

Calm is a leading meditation app that offers enough free stuff to keep your spirituality high on the road. Choose from the list of meditation melodies, and download your favorites for those moments when (gasp!) you don’t have internet access. The app also features a few guided meditations, timed meditations and sleep stories. The handy calendar makes it easy for you to catch up if you miss a meditation session.

Find the cheapest flights, regardless of the dates and destinations: Kiwi

Sometimes you simply have a little extra cash and no preferences for where and when you want to go. Kiwi.com is the perfect tool for these situations – you can set your outgoing destination and dates (or not!), and Kiwi will find you the cheapest flights to anywhere in the world.

Find cheap flights and error fares: Secret Flying

Of all the error fare services I’ve tested, Secret Flying has proven to be one of the best. On its Facebook page, it posts flight deals and worldwide error fares several times a day. Just hit the “See first” option on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss a good deal. There’s also a search bar on the website, which allows you to search by destination or date.

>>> Read more: How to travel for free (without feeling like a tramp)

Pin it for free and return later, when you’re wondering “what was that website for meeting locals…?”:

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