Get a travel credit card… for the insurance! Usually travel credit cards come with an annual fee (sometimes waived the first year), but they can be really helpful if you get stuck somewhere. Be sure you understand the rules (if you have to put the whole flight on the card, or if you can split it, how long the delay has to be, etc) but the biggest help I’ve found is that the one I have (through Chase) covers weather delays, which you’re usually SOL for any airline help. I’ve been delayed twice this year: once I got a free trip back in to the city and a lunch since I was delayed the whole day, and the other I got a free night in a hotel and room service (since everything else was closed) when I was stuck overnight in Seattle.

It can take a bit of leg work to get all the receips/forms submitted, but in my case, well worth the time 🙂