© MiniStocker/ShutterstockTraveling-especially in the madness following the pandemic-is less than glamorous. Flight cancellations this year are worse than they were pre-Covid (American Airlines just slashed 30,000 flights in November alone), and prices keep skyrocketing. But just because you get bumped off a flight doesn't mean you're stranded at the airport (or, hopefully, in the airline lounge) for hours.
This is where, as a consumer, you may be entitled to more than a business class seat on the next flight out. If you didn't read the itty-bitty fine print before clicking your rights away while purchasing a flight or reserving a car rental (don't worry, we're also guilty of this), you may not be aware of what companies are (and are not) responsible for if things go astray.
We spoke with some of the experts to help navigate refund procedures, fees you're required to pay (or companies are required to pay you), and what happens when your bag has gone MIA (and you didn't think to put an AirTag inside). Here's how to save time, money, and unnecessary frustration next time you fly.
The good news is the US Department of Transportation requires airlines to compensate you based on how much later you get to your destination. If you're placed on a flight that gets you to your destination within an hour of your original reservation, you don't get squat. If the flight arrives between one and two hours of your original schedule, you're entitled to 200% of your one-way fare (up to $675). For flights arriving more than two hours later, you are entitled to 400% of your one-way fare (up to $1,350).
Most importantly, while airlines may attempt to give you a travel voucher, legally you can demand straight cash to spend on whatever you please. So if 2,700 Wendy's Frostys sounds sweeter than a round-trip ticket to Bali, go for the gold.
Travel insurance covers trip delays and interruptions, so you can rebook easily without fees in case your flights don't take off when they're scheduled to. It also covers lost luggage, and some policies cover people traveling with you, as well. It does not cover you missing your flight because you slept in. Take the time to figure out what it covers and what it doesn't before booking a ticket.
Along the same lines, most will hold a ticket for you for 24 hours without payment if you're booking through the airline's website. This is another reason why it pays to use an online search service to find your flight, and then book directly through the airline.© Travel man/Shutterstock
Are there other things hidden in the fine print you might want to concern yourself with? Of course, though many instances are rare or deal only with international travel. Starting here will make your trip calmer, and most importantly, keep you from rage-tweeting at an airline that can simply reply, "It was in your contract."Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat!
Matt Meltzer is a contributing writer to Thrillist who once spend $85 in administrative fees to get gas near the Tampa airport. Ask him out how to get a SunPass on his Instagram.