I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. When your flight gets canceled, immediately use your cell to call the airline’s 800 reservations number. If you don’t have it, call information. It’s worth the buck. Do it while you’re walking to the service line or rebooking counter. It can make the difference between snagging one of the last available seats on the next flight and spending the night in the airport.

I just did this today after a canceled US Airways flight out of Charlotte. Even though the reservation agent couldn’t give me a seat assignment over the phone, she was able to book me on the next flight. I still had to wait in line with everyone else for an hour and half, but when I got to the desk, all I had to do was grab my new boarding pass and go.