Long TSA security wait times, significant delays due to weather disruptions or ground stops, and flight cancellations have plagued thousands of airline passengers across the country, making it imperative for flyers to understand best practices for rebooking, refunds and how to make the most of a sticky situation.
Here's what ticketed passengers with problems impacting their flight need to know in order to navigate the process with ease.
Refund regulations from the Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation requires by law that carriers make refunds for purchased airline tickets and fees for related services automatic, prompt, in the form of the original payment and for the full amount within 20 days.
A passenger is "entitled to a refund if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel," the DOT website states.
According to the policy, travelers also have the option to accept alternative arrangements or travel credits if their original travel is impacted.
"If you chose to take a significantly delayed/changed flight or an alternative flight offered by the airline, you are not entitled to a refund under DOT rules," the department's website notes.
"Significant disruptions" are clearly defined across all airlines as a delay of three hours or more for domestic flights and six hours or more for international flights.
If a bag for a domestic flight is delayed for more than 12 hours -- or 15-30 hours for international flights -- travelers are eligible for refunds on bag fees.
Expert tips to navigate flight delay, cancellation chaos
Travel experts regularly reiterate their top tips and strategies, from utilizing credit card claims to being proactive about finding a future flight.
"In the event of travel messes, you really have to be your own best advocate. Don't necessarily depend on the airline to help you. Remember that you are competing with hundreds of other passengers to get rebooked," Clint Henderson, managing editor of the travel website The Points Guy, told ABC News. "I always have a plan B in mind. Can you take the train? Is there an alternate airport?"
During massive weather events when "passengers have very few rights," Henderson said he doesn't bother standing in rebooking lines at the airport and instead suggests sending a direct message to a carrier on social media. "The American Airlines team on X has been great at getting me alternate flights," Henderson said.
"Know what other airlines fly the route you are trying to take, as sometimes your airline will rebook you on a competitor airline," Henderson said, adding that if you tell a customer service agent the alternate airline and flight, they can sometimes accommodate.
His best advice for major weather events that have impacted thousands of U.S. flights this winter: "Don't bother even trying to fly during a major storm," because "airlines have gotten much better at putting weather waivers in place to allow you to rebook without change fees in advance."
"I tell people to book for later in the week or leave earlier if they can," Henderson said. "Sometimes, if it's a quick trip that you know will be impacted, it's best to cancel, get an airline voucher for the cost of the ticket and go another time."
The Points Guy experts also recommend booking flights with a credit card that offers trip delay and interruption insurance, so that if something comes up, you're covered.
"Also, be an informed consumer. Pay attention to what's happening at your departure and arrival airports so you can prepare. Just one example, if you were trying to fly from New York and your plane is coming from Chicago, it might not get to you, so you can take an educated guess on if your flight will actually depart," he said.
Since knowledge is power when it comes to flight disruptions, Henderson recommends apps like Flighty and FlightRadar24 that can show where an inbound plane is coming from.
"You should always have the airline app installed on your phone so you can monitor your flight and make changes," he said. "The Points Guy also suggests you save your airline's customer service number to your contacts so you have it in case things go sideways."
If you can't get through to your airline, he added, "try their international offices," because some carriers have different numbers for different countries.
Overall, Henderson said travelers should be ready to "use all the tools in the toolbox," be it the airline app, customer service phone number, customer service desks, social media, or airline lounges, if you have access, as lounges have agents with shorter lines.
