4 steps to get on a new plane if your flight is delayed or canceled for any reason

Sometimes foul weather strikes, sometimes hackers wreak havoc, and sometimes a technical glitch grounds almost every United Airlines flight in the country. Whatever it is, the cold, hard truth is that snafus tangle up our travel plans more often than we'd like. But fortunately it's almost always it's in our power to prevent things from getting totally ruined.

Here's how to avoid having your travel itinerary be a casualty of some airline's issue, even when staring hopelessly at a heartbreaking "DELAYED" or "CANCELED" sign flashing across the board:

Download the airline's app. Flight updates often are posted in-app in real time before gate agents even announce them. On certain airlines' apps you even can see where the plane you're supposed to fly is coming from. You can see, for example, if the plane you're supposed to be taking already has issues on its prior flights, and you can make an educated guess as to whether your trip will be affected. As soon as your flight appears to be delayed, get on the phone with the airline.

You'll also want an app in your arsenal that provides detailed info on all flights. NextFlight demands a little investment ($2.99) but the payoff can be well worth it. It lists information for every single flight, even ones that are scheduled last-minute such as following a flight cancelation, and wouldn't otherwise appear anywhere else. A friend of mine used the app to find a flight that was programmed with little noticed and she ended up being the only passenger on board. No one else had caught the flight even existed.

Call customer service ASAP.  When a flight is canceled everyone on board is directed to those same couple airline agents who then have to deal with rescheduling every. single. person. You can essentially jump the line by calling. Whether in person or over the phone, they've all got access to the same computer system and flight information. In the event there is a long hold on the phone, use this trick to jump to the front of the line.

Suggest other airlines and airports. Agents can tap into an airline's alliance network and start seating people on partner airlines. If nothing has happened with your flight yet, they might not be too eager to switch you over, but it's totally reasonable to make this request in extreme circumstances.

Similarly, if you've caught on to a potential day or cancellation before leaving home and can get to another airport nearby, that could potentially open up other options. Keep in mind that if it's a mechanical issue it's the airline's fault, and agents will (or should!) waive any change fees.

Turn down the voucher. When the airline approaches with its tail between its legs and offers up an olive branch of a voucher for whatever has just transpired, think long and hard about taking it. Accepting a voucher from an airline in the event of a delay or cancellation that's their fault, such as a mechanical issue, can pre-exempt you from later receiving financial compensation you otherwise would have deserved.

If you think you might be entitled to some money under your passenger rights (yes, we do actually have some, even here in the U.S.) it's wise to document what's going on as best you can. Keep boarding passes, take photos and screenshots of updates, etc. Essentially any flight hiccup that's non-weather related can be grounds for compensation. And services like refund.mecan help you actually get that money from the airlines.