Unlocking the World
What to do if your flight is canceled or delayed
Forrest Brown, CNN • Updated 19th July 2024
Up next
See the moment surfers are found after 38 hours lost at sea
00:43
Why this assassination site has become a tourism hotspot in Rome
02:06
Pilot explains what it's like to fly into the world's 'most dangerous' airport
01:52
See moment tour guide catches teenager defacing ancient landmark
00:46
Nudist explains what you should definitely not do at a nude beach
02:23
Woman attempts to get on plane with viral packing trick. See the result
01:44
It seats 18,000 and cost over $2B to build. See Vegas' new venue lighting up the skyline
00:54
Meet the couples who fell in love while traveling
04:50
This city has given us things we now can't live without
05:22
Video: The first time humans saw the Titanic wreck on the ocean floor
01:05
(CNN) — Computer glitches. Air traffic controller shortages. Bad weather. Holiday crunches. Accidents and investigations. Unruly passengers. So many things can cause a flight to be delayed or canceled.
It's no wonder travelers are wary about making it to their destinations on time -- or at all. (And even if they make it, their lost luggage might not).
In the midst of a record-setting summer for air travel, here's some general advice for navigating a very complicated and frustrating system when flights are delayed or canceled.
Avoid getting trapped at the airport
As bad as it is to find out your flight has been delayed for a long time, or worse, canceled, it's better to find out from the comfort of home or a hotel room.
"Check your flight status before you go the airport. Most of these notifications are not happening at the last minute," said Scott Keyes, the founder of Going.com. "Save yourself the drive to the airport."
Keyes told CNN Travel that you should sign up for airlines' free text alerts on the status of flights when you buy your ticket. You should also download your carrier's app.
You can also put your airline and flight number directly into a Google search bar to retrieve the status that way. That's also handy for friends or family who are on standby to pick you up.
Keyes also suggested checking the website FlightAware to track larger flight trends across the country.
Days ahead of the now-infamous December 2022 bomb cyclone, many US airlines offered their passengers a chance to change their flights for no fee.
When you know a major weather event is forecast, hop on those waiver offers quickly, said Keyes, The early birds have the best choices of the remaining worms (that is seats and flights).
If you're at the airport already
People walk through the newly completed 1.3 million-square foot $4 billion Delta Airlines Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York City on June 1, 2022.
Mike Segar/Reuters
Sometimes, the delays and cancellations happen after you've arrived at the airport. Once the bad news has been delivered, what should you do?
Keyes said to head as fast as you can to the airline agents' desk -- and get ready to multitask while you're in line.
Fast is a key word here. "It's going to make a difference who arrives first. It's first-come, first-serve. Positioning yourself close to the desk can pay off," Keyes said.
Then you might want to call up your carrier while you're waiting. Depending on your spot in line, it might be faster to get through to a call center. "Whatever happens first, great," he said.
Calls to US domestic numbers might have really long waits. Keyes suggested trying an international call center for your carrier instead.
"Most US-based travelers aren't thinking to call the Canadian help line for Delta. You might get through to an agent much quicker. They can all handle your reservations just the same."
You can also use a self-serve kiosk, American Airlines says. "Scan your boarding pass or enter your record locator to see your updated trip details. From there you can also switch your flight and print your new boarding passes."
The travel advice website Travel Lens suggests using social media to your advantage.
"Not all customer service teams are as helpful as they should be and getting in touch with them via a phone call isn't always easy," it told CNN Travel in an email.
"Airlines value their reputation on social media and platforms like Twitter [now X] are a great way to get in contact with an employee. If you do use Twitter to reach out, then it's important to remain polite and calm as this will work in your favor."
Attitude and research matter
Passengers wait in line to check in for their flights at the Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, on December 27, 2021.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Whether you're dealing with an agent in person or over the phone, how you approach things can make a big difference. That starts with attitude.
"Honey attracts more flies than vinegar," Keyes said. "Look at this from the airline agents' perspective. They've been dealing with irate customers really since the pandemic began. The agent is the one who has the most ability to help you.
"Asking nicely and sympathetically is far more likely to get what you want than being a jerk about it."
He had another tip when it's your turn to talk to an agent about making new arrangements: "Come prepared to offer your own options already. Doing your own research is absolutely helpful."
Your agent can expedite things if you've already looked up new routes and possible suggestions while you've been waiting.
If you've booked through Expedia or another third-party site, you'll have to deal through them when there's a cancellation.
If the price is the same, Keyes suggested you book directly with the airline. In case something goes wrong, "it makes it much more complicated with multiple sets of policies" when you booked via a third party.
US PIRG, a consumer advocacy group, suggests you avoid layovers when booking if possible. The more times you stop, the more chances for something to go wrong.
The group also backs up the advice from Keyes to be nice and polite to agents but also says consumers should be persistent in trying to get the situation resolved satisfactorily.
Help from other airlines
Cooperation between airlines could work in your favor.
"When flights are canceled, many airlines have the option of putting you on another carrier's flight because they have interline agreements," Lousson Smith, product operations specialist at Going.com, told CNN Travel.
"This means, for example, if Delta is having service interruptions but American is running a flight to your destination, you may be able to get on that flight."
"If you elect not to be accommodated on a later flight and you book a new ticket out of your own pocket, you are entitled to a cash refund, though that may not help you get to where you need to go," Smith said. "As we all know, last-minute flights are very expensive."
Trapped for the night
A woman and child wait for their flight alongside another traveler at Miami International Airport on December 27, 2021.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
What do you do if it looks like you're not going to be able to fly out until the next day and you're not in your home city?
"Ask the airline to put you up in a hotel or give you a hotel voucher. They might do it; they might not. It's not required by law," Keyes said.
They're less likely to do it if it's weather related, he said, than if the problem is a mechanical issue with the plane or staffing issues.
Many airlines have committed to offering meal and hotel vouchers in certain cases. The US Department of Transportation has a dashboard that tracks those commitments.
Get to know policies. For instance, Delta Air Lines says it will provide a hotel voucher in some circumstances when the delay is between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Whatever you do, at least ask, Keyes said. A voucher for hotels and even ground transport and meals aren't likely to just be offered.
Also, your credit card could be your friend in this situation.
"The good news is that many credit cards offer travel protections such as reimbursement if a flight cancellation forces you to get a hotel, meals, etc." Smith said. "These travel protections are typically included automatically as long as you used the card to pay for your flight. Google your credit card plus travel protections to see what specific offerings your card carries."
If your flight is delayed instead of outright canceled, you might want to weigh whether to wait at the airport. Depending your personal circumstances, hunkering down there for five or six hours might be easier than going to and from a hotel. Also, Keyes said, check whether there is a hotel within the airport.
The Points Guy advises trying to get into an airport lounge if you can, where you can recharge your phone and rest more easily.
Stay safe. If extreme weather is causing air travel disruption, trying to make the journey by road could be hazardous. Frustrating though it is to stay put, it's always better to arrive late than not at all.
Travel insurance and receipts
Consider buying travel insurance, advises Airport Parking Reservations in an email to CNN Travel.
It said "most travel insurance policies provide additional cover for travel uncertainty. Additional [coverage] usually becomes applicable if your flight is postponed by more than 12 hours due to a strike, adverse weather or a mechanical breakdown."
The site also advises that you keep any receipts of airport purchases. You can try to get the money back from the airline later.
But keep it to the basics. "Airlines only pay for 'reasonable' expenses though, so you are unlikely to get money back for purchases such as alcohol, expensive meals or extravagant hotels. "
Refund entitlements for your flight
The US Department of Transportation says you are entitled to a refund of your ticket cost because of a cancellation or "significant delay" or "significant change" to your flight and you choose not to travel.
This is the policy for cancellations regardless of the reason the airline cancels. In cases of "significant" delays or changes to itineraries, what constitutes "significant" remains open to interpretation and depends on a number of factors.
New federal rules say travelers deserve cash refunds when inconvenienced by their airline -- not vouchers or travel credits.
"From now on when your flight is canceled for any reason, you are entitled to an automatic cash refund and it has to be prompt," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN when the new rule was announced in April.
Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, said in an email to CNN Travel before the new rules came into effect that flyers should try to avoid vouchers.
"If travelers are denied boarding, they should not volunteer their seat in exchange for perks or a voucher. If they do, they could be giving up their right to any additional compensation," Pawliszyn said. "Of course, if the airline makes a compelling enough offer, they may prefer to take it."
