As flight cancellations rise, people are turning to trains, car rentals and creative solutions to get to their destinations

By Alaa Elassar, CNN (CNN) — Xavier Vega and his partner, Soluna Vega, cheered in relief as the “Welcome to Connecticut” sign came into view. It marked the end of an unplanned 17-hour highway odyssey home after their flight became one of more than 1,000 cancellations tied to the ongoing government shutdown. The couple, who