Blizzard Canceled Your Flight? How To Get A Refund While Stranded In An Airport

Winter Storm Stella hit the northeastern U.S. late Monday night and immediately reared its ugly head by ruining travel plans for Americans now stranded in airports everywhere. More than 6,000 flights had been canceled as of 9 a.m. EDT Tuesday. The flight-tracking website FlightAware created a “Misery Map” to show where these flights were canceled — airports in Washington, D.C. and New York City had it the worst.

Read: Why Do We Name Snowstorms?

If your flight was canceled Tuesday, you might take some comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. Here’s what to do if you find yourself grounded:

Get a refund. The bad news is you’re not guaranteed a refund if your flight is canceled for circumstances beyond the airline’s control, including inclement weather. The good news is getting a refund for bad weather is a lot more common now than it used to be.

If you bought a refundable ticket, then you’ll have no trouble getting your money back. On the other hand, if you bought your ticket on sale and your ticket wasn’t guaranteed to be refundable, you’re in a bit of a pickle. You can stand in line to plead your case to one of the agents at the airport, or you can call a customer service representative for the airline.

Read: How Much Snow Will New York Get? Storm Stella Could Shatter Records

Switch your flight and pay a change fee. If you can’t manage to convince the airline’s customer service representatives to give you a full refund, you can always pay a change fee to book another flight. These change fees range from $50 to $200, which could be a big or small price to pay, depending on the cost of your original ticket. If you booked a trip from Los Angeles to Budapest, a $100 change fee isn’t the end of the world. If you snagged a sale and were planning on flying from Chicago to St. Louis for $70, though, paying $100 to change your flight just adds insult to injury.

Last, remember to adhere to smart airport practices. Find a place in front of a flight information board so you can follow flight delays and cancellations. Try to sit by a charging station, so you can keep your phone on to stay connected. And if you find yourself stranded at the airport for more than five hours, that’s probably a good time to find the closest bar in your terminal.