Flight cancellations are no fun, especially if you’re on a tight schedule or a cancellation disrupts upcoming plans. Still, it’s better to learn of a flight cancellation before you get to the airport rather than when you're already on board or sitting at the gate.

Here are some pointers for how to deal with Delta Air Lines flight cancellations so that you won’t be caught off guard if this happens to you.

Why is Delta canceling flights?

Yes, Delta has had some public gaffes when it comes to flight reliability recently, but it's not the only one. So, why is Delta canceling flights?

Staffing issues. A shortage in airline staff as well as an overtaxed air traffic control system means that when weather disrupts the air travel system, the dominoes can fall pretty quickly. The same thing happens when crews get displaced in other cities or mechanical issues mean that a plane cannot be ready for its next flight.

Weather-related and mechanical issues. These happen, sometimes more often than travelers like.

A lack of pilots. A national shortage of trained pilots is not helping. This problem has been exacerbated during the pandemic when many airlines allowed pilots to take early retirements. There just aren’t enough new pilots coming into the system to make up for the demand, which is why many regional airlines (like those that operate for Delta Connection) have canceled flights and some destinations altogether.

What to do if your Delta flight gets canceled

First, follow the steps that Delta provides in its communication. If you receive the cancellation notification via text, email or an alert in your Delta app, chances are that there is a link to provide you with flight alternatives.

From there, you can rebook yourself by choosing an alternate flight or sometimes another departure or arrival airport other than your original one.

For upgraded bookings and group travel

If you paid to upgrade your seat (perhaps with a regional or global upgrade certificate that you chose as a Choice Benefit for being a top Medallion member) or are traveling with a group or unaccompanied minor, things get more complicated. Sometimes, these upgrades may not transfer to your new flight or there may be limited availability. This requires you to call Delta reservations (if you have Medallion elite status, there is a dedicated number for you to call for faster service) or contact Delta via the messaging feature within the app.

Delta will be able to assist you as long as the ticket was issued by Delta, a joint venture partner, SkyTeam or codeshare partner. They can also help if the Delta flight was canceled and ticketed by another carrier with whom Delta has an agreement.

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For flights booked in a travel portal

If, however, you booked your ticket with a travel agent or through a third-party website (including the travel portals for Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards), you must contact them directly. It is wise to have their information handy in case you need to access it quickly during a cancellation while traveling.

You may also want to look into online tools like Expert Flyer or SeatSpy to help you find other available flights and track the inbound flight to know if it might be delayed before other passengers discover the delay. It can help to be prepared with other flight options when there are few left and hundreds of people are vying for the next available flight.

How to get a refund if a flight cancels or changes times

Flyers are eligible to rebook tickets in the event of a flight cancellation or a schedule change of more than 30 minutes. If the proposed change doesn't work for you, you're likely also eligible for a refund.

To get a refund for a Delta flight cancellation, contact the airline by logging into your reservation on Delta.com or the Delta app. Here, there may be an option to cancel the trip by clicking on “Need to cancel?” and then “Start flight cancellation” to get a refund to your original form of payment.