In most cases, planes can fly in thunderstorms, but they typically avoid them for your comfort and safety. In the event of a thunderstorm at your departure airport, you might experience some delays as the airport management and airlines take necessary precautions.

Generally, aircraft do not take off directly into or through a thunderstorm. While modern planes are engineered to withstand lightning strikes—which typically pass through the aluminum or composite skin of the fuselage without damaging the interior—the primary dangers of a thunderstorm are wind shear and microbursts. These are sudden, violent changes in wind speed and direction that can cause a plane to lose lift rapidly, which is especially dangerous during the critical takeoff and landing phases. Pilots use sophisticated onboard weather radar and information from air traffic control (ATC) to identify "cells" of intense activity. If a thunderstorm is directly over the runway or in the departure path, the flight will be delayed until the storm clears the area. However, if the storm is several miles away and the departure corridor is clear, a plane may still take off. Safety is the absolute priority, and pilots are trained to divert or hold until the weather conditions meet the strict criteria for a stabilized and safe departure.