Hill Country Holiday

From tree lighting to New Year’s toast: Your guide to the holidays at La Cantera

The holiday season takes on a little extra sparkle in the Texas Hill Country. At La Cantera Resort & Spa, A Signia Hilton Resort the courtyard tree glows against the evening sky, hand-hung ornaments dress the lobby for the season, and crisp Hill Country air sets the scene for festive cocktails, live music, and memorable celebrations. Whether planning a family tradition, a night out, or a holiday getaway, the San Antonio resort makes it easy to celebrate all season long.

Photo courtesy of La Cantera Resort & Spa

Let the holiday magic shine with a festive tree lighting.

The festivities begin with the annual Tree Lighting Illumination on Friday, November 20, a beloved San Antonio tradition featuring live performers, Santa, reindeer, and holiday treats. It’s an enchanting way to welcome the season, gather with family, and take in the resort’s holiday transformation.

The celebration continues Saturday, November 21, with Tip of the Hat: Jingle Jam, an evening of live country music, dinner, and festive fun. Settle in for music under the stars, sip seasonal cocktails, and enjoy a grown-up night out with a distinctly Texas twist.

Holiday cheer carries throughout the resort, including at Signature, where seasonal menus bring festive flavors to the table. From a special dinner to a leisurely meal with friends and family, holiday dining is part of the experience. Festive cocktails and inviting gathering spaces make it easy to keep the celebration going long after the last bite.

And when it’s time to trade holiday bustle for a midnight countdown, La Cantera offers a memorable setting for New Year’s Eve. Guests can make an evening of dinner and celebration, raise a glass at midnight, then wake up to a leisurely breakfast and the peaceful beauty of the Hill Country. It’s a refreshing way to welcome the year ahead.

Of course, the best way to experience the season is to stay awhile. The resort’s Festive Savings Package offers 30 percent off best available rates throughout the holiday season, making a holiday staycation even more inviting. Located just minutes from downtown San Antonio and an easy drive from Austin, Houston, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, La Cantera makes a festive escape feel wonderfully close to home.

From the glow of the tree lighting to a New Year’s toast, the holidays at La Cantera are an invitation to slow down, celebrate, and make a few new traditions. Explore the season’s events and book a stay.

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Pack Your Patience

DFW declared No. 2 worst airport for flight delays and cancellations

Photo by Izyan Sultanali on Unsplash

DFW International also ranks as the second-worst airport for flight disruptions over the holiday travel season.

Ahead of the busy holiday season, North Texans should budget extra time into their travel plans before flying out of the metro's bustling Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

DFW was just declared the No. 2 worst airport in the nation for flight disruptions by consumer review platform ConsumerAffairs, which analyzed the rates of moderate and severe delays, diversions, and cancellations at the 29 biggest U.S. airports. DFW also appeared as the No. 2 worst airport where holiday travel causes the biggest disruptions.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia led the nation as the No. 1 worst airport overall — the only airport deemed more disruptive than DFW.

Unlike many other airports on the list that experience high cancellation rates, the report revealed DFW's biggest issue is its high volume of flight delays. DFW has the No. 1 highest moderate delay rate out of all the airports examined, with more than a quarter of all flights (25.18 percent) delayed by 15 minutes and up to three hours.

"It’s the kind of delay that eats into your day without necessarily blowing up your whole trip," the report's author wrote.

Nearly two percent of all flights are delayed over three hours, making DFW the fifth worst airport for severe delays. However, the study says there is a silver lining for travelers saddled with severe disruptions.

"DFW offered more scheduled backup flights to the same destination than many of the other airports on this list, giving travelers a decent shot at rebooking if a flight fell through," the report said.

These are the cancellation and diversion rates at DFW, per the report:

Cancellation rate: 2.31 percent
Diversion rate: 0.29 percent
Average same-day flights to the same destination: 3.95
Cancellations that were the last flight of the day to that destination: 24.88 percent

Flying at DFW will be even more stressful during the holidays, as 30 percent of flights will suffer from disruptions during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday travel periods — starting the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after, and again from December 18 to January 5.

DFW has the eighth highest holiday disruption rate out of the biggest airports, and the fifth highest holiday severe delay rate. Put some padding on your itinerary, because about 2.5 percent of all flights will be delayed more than three hours during the holidays.

In ConsumerAffairs' separate list of the worst medium-sized airports, Dallas Love Field landed as the 15th worst out of 32 U.S. airports. About 22 percent of all flights at DAL experience moderate delays — the No. 1 highest rate in this category — and 1.07 percent are severely delayed.

Additionally, over 26 percent of all DAL flights will be disrupted during the holiday travel season, and two percent of flights will experience severe delays.

The top 10 worst U.S. airports for delays and cancellations are:

No. 1 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 2 – Dallas Fort Worth International
No. 3 – Newark Liberty International
No. 4 – Miami International
No. 5 – Philadelphia International
No. 6 – Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
No. 7 – LaGuardia
No. 8 – Tampa International
No. 9 – Washington Dulles International
No. 10 – George Bush Intercontinental

Surprisingly, Los Angeles International Airport landed as the best major U.S. airport for avoiding travel disruptions. Phoenix Sky Harbor International (No. 2) and Seattle-Tacoma International (No. 3) round out the top three best airports for on-time travel.

The report offers the following suggestions to help anxious travelers avoid flight disruptions: look into travel insurance to protect against delays or cancellations; look for nonstop flights; or book flights with earlier departure times on an airline with multiple departures to your destination.

For flights that do get delayed or cancelled, travelers need to "act fast" to rectify their situation, says Jennifer Rykaczewski, the CEO of nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Affordable Skies.

"In the first 10 minutes, open the airline app, see whether you have already been rebooked and search for acceptable alternatives," Rykaczewski said. "Throughout the process, save any documentation of the delay or cancellation, plus receipts for meals or hotels, in case you need it for an insurance claim later."

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