If you’re catching a tight connecting flight that you might miss, on flights with Wi-Fi, most airlines give you free access to their own website, so you can use your smartphone to check the status of your connection, see options, and sometimes rebook before you even land.
If you do end up needing to speak with an agent, but airline call centers have hours-long hold times, Nastro offers a valuable pro tip: “Try giving the international customer service line a call. Just because you are flying domestically, doesn’t mean the same scenario affects other parts of the world. So while everyone might try the US customer service line, you’ll most likely get to an agent faster by trying one of the foreign lines where the agents can help you all the same.”
Consider alternate airports
The big airports aren’t usually the only airports in town; think about the alternates. If you get stuck and the next available flight is from a different, nearby airport, considering taking it. There is always a way to get between airports, whether renting a car, taking a ride-share or taxi, or hiring a shuttle. The same goes for wherever you’re heading to.
Don’t accept the first option you’re given
When an airline tells you it will be three days before you can get home, don’t buy it. In bad weather, seats are constantly changing hands. If you don’t like what you’re given, be persistent—but polite—and keep checking for options on your smartphone. In addition to your airline’s tools, Expedia, Kayak and Google Flights are great about showing creative options you can feed to an agent.
Ask to be rebooked on another airline
This one might be a long shot, but it is certainly worth trying. If you’re facing a significant delay and chances of getting another seat with your original airline are looking slim, you can ask to be rebooked on a competing airline.
“Find out if another carrier has space and ask the first airline if they will endorse your ticket to the other carrier,” the DOT advises. Keep in mind that there is no rule compelling airlines to do this, so politeness is crucial in this scenario. If your original carrier has codeshare agreements with any other airlines, start your search with them. (Within the US, JetBlue and American Airlines have one such agreement, as do American and Alaska Airlines.) Your carrier might be more inclined to rebook you on a partner.
If you have elite status with your airline or are flying in a premium cabin, you have a better chance of getting this option to work for you. For instance, American Airlines rebooking rules say that first-class passengers and those with the highest elite status whose flights are canceled are to be rebooked on any flight that gets them there the fastest—that includes partner airlines, codeshares, and even flights with a competing airline, according to a USA Today report. Delta and United have similar policies.
Know when you’re owed a cash refund
Remember: If an airline cancels your flight, you are owed a refund. Some carriers might try to imply that they can only give you a voucher for future travel, but that is not the case, according to the DOT’s rules. In fact, US carriers were issued two formal warnings from the DOT in 2020, stating that they need to be more forthcoming with customers about when they are owed a refund instead of a flight voucher.
