MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- With hundreds of flights expected to be canceled or delayed around the country this weekend, concerns about Thanksgiving travel are ramping up.

“We just don’t know how long this shutdown will last and if it will last into Thanksgiving,” Going travel expert Katy Nastro said. “If this does last, the typical headaches that you find during a busy travel period will be exponentially higher.”

Nastro says flyers should take advantage of waivers from the major airlines if they have issues with flights.

“If you see that you are entitled to a waiver you can make changes regardless of the ticket type that you have without any additional costs and that’s major,” Nastro said.

Carsyn Cavaliere is a student at Marquette and is trying to fly home to Washington D.C. for Thanksgiving week.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do yet, and it’s kind of hard because they’re like 800 dollars round trip for an uncertainty of even making the flight,” Cavaliere said. “It’s a lot of money to give up, but we’ll see if I can go home.”

Marquette student Jackie Cinella has her flight booked for Thanksgiving to go home to New Jersey but is getting more concerned as cancellations and delays continue across the country.

“I’m a little concerned especially because it’s such a short period of time to fly in and out and I’m going to have class and finals,” Cinella said. “That would be extremely depressing because I haven't seen my family in like 2 months.”

If your flight does get canceled, Nastro says you are entitled to a refund.

“Your right to a refund means a refund for that unused portion of your flight or a rebooked flight,” Nastro said. “You unfortunately don’t get a rebooking and compensation.”