Winter storm Fern caused many disruptions in travel plans, especially with those who planned flights that had to be canceled.
More than 12,200 flights were canceled this weekend alone, and that doesn’t include those canceled in the storm’s aftermath, according to the Associated Press.
But if your flight was canceled, fear not: There are things you should keep in mind.
One of them is that if your flight was on a U.S. carrier, it is required that the carrier give you a refund.
Here are some other things you should do if your flight was canceled because of the winter storm.
Monitor the weather forecast and look for no-fee flight rescheduling offers
If the weather report is bad outside, many airlines will offer to rebook you on another day free of charge.
United Airlines does this for most economy tickets (excluding basic economy) and for more premium services regardless of the weather outside, and American Airlines does the same.
However, the AP reported that American Airlines would waive change fees for all fare classes due to the storm and would add extra flights across the country to make up for those cancelled due to the weather.
Check your scheduled flight to see if it is still operating
Cancellations happen days, or even hours, before a flight is set to depart from the airport.
According to FlightAware, there were 12,601 flight cancellations on Sunday alone.
Also, nearly all flights at major U.S. airports where winter storm Fern hit hardest were canceled on Sunday.
John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City was one of those airports, and at least 87% of flights out of that airport were canceled, according to the AP.
Speak to customer service
If you’re at the airport already and find your flight is already canceled, get in line and speak to a customer service representative.
If you’re not at the airport yet, call your air carrier or go on their website to speak to a representative.
The representative should be able to rebook your flight at no extra cost.
Get a refund
If all else fails and you decide not to take your trip, or you find another way to get to your destination, U.S. airlines are bound by law to give you a refund if your flight was canceled by the airline, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
While the airline might offer to give you a flight credit, you are entitled to a full refund, including bag fees or other add-ons to your fare that have been left unused.
If you paid with a credit card, the airlines are required to give you a refund within seven business days after you decline an airline’s flight credit or voucher.
If you paid for the ticket by check or cash, the airlines are required to give you a refund within 20 calendar days.
