3 things to do if your flight is delayed

The U.S. is currently in the throes of what may be the busiest Labor Day travel period on record.

Between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4, the Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 17 million passengers. With so many moving parts and such high footfall — as much as we hate to tempt fate — the chances of delays and cancellations can be significantly more likely.

If you find yourself caught up in a lengthy wait for your flight, there are some things you need to know about flight delays before you head off to the airport lounge to drink away your sorrows. Sometimes, you may even be entitled to financial compensation for your inconvenience.

Here’s what you should do if your flight’s been delayed.

Check with the gate agent

It's easy to catastrophize when your flight is delayed — especially if you think you might be in for a long wait before things get back on track.

Don’t skip off to the airport lounge at the first opportunity, though. It might not always seem like it, but when a flight is knocked off schedule, airlines are usually working pretty hard to get things back on track and avoid further fallout. As such, the specific timings of your delay can change at very short notice.

Before heading off to entertain yourself and settle in for the wait, take a moment to chat with the gate agents. Ask about the new flight time or when they expect to have another update. They typically know what you should expect and can indicate whether you have time for a nap or should sit tight.

Don’t rely solely on the airport departure and arrival boards, as they are sometimes not updated. Although they’re usually accurate, you’ll get the most up-to-date flight departure information through the airline’s app.

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Know your credit card’s delay and cancellation policy

Here at TPG, we talk a lot about how to make your travel rewards credit cards work for you. Those credit card perks aren't just limited to earning airline elite status or getting access to the best lounge for planespotting.

One underrated credit card benefit that can come to the rescue when things go wrong is trip delay coverage.

Trip delay protection ensures that you won’t be responsible for additional (reasonable) expenses following a lengthy trip delay due to weather, operational problems, strikes or other unplanned events. You will likely need to pay for the expenses upfront, but you may be eligible for reimbursement by your card issuer after the fact.

Credit cards with trip delay protection include:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): Covers delays of more than six hours or overnight, with a maximum coverage amount of $500. (It has a $795 annual fee.)
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): Covers delays of more than 12 hours or overnight, with a maximum coverage amount of $500. (It has a $95 annual fee.)
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Covers delays of more than six hours, with a maximum coverage of $500 per trip and a maximum of two claims per 12-month, consecutive period. (It has a $895 annual fee; see rates and fees.)*
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Covers delays of more than six hours, with a maximum coverage of $500 per trip and a maximum of two claims per 12-month, consecutive period. (It has a $650 annual fee; see rates and fees.)*

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Related: Best credit cards that offer trip delay reimbursement

See if you're eligible for a refund

If you decide not to fly on your originally scheduled flight due to significant delays and cancellations, you should get your money or points back. Airlines will generally try and push a flight credit voucher on you, but you don’t have to settle for it; you are entitled to a cash refund if you want it.

You may have an option to cancel and get a refund available through your airline's website or app. However, airlines don't always make it simple to ask for a refund; you may end up having to call the customer service line.

If you're flying within the European Union, flying from the EU to a non-EU country on any airline, or flying into the EU from a non-EU country on an EU airline, your travel falls under the EU261 regulation. This regulation covers compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or long flight delays.

If you arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than three hours, you are entitled rto compensation (unless the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances, like terrorism).

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex, click here.