You’re stranded at the airport, and you now have to rebook your flight.

What do you do?

Instead of yelling at an airline employee or beating on the kiosk, follow my tips on rebooking your flights on the fly to avoid a major meltdown.

The fact is, there really is a caste system at the airport, so it pays to join the airlines’ loyalty programs: passengers with elite status are often given priority.

Then you need to be a contrarian traveler.

Change your connection to a hub with better weather or an alternate airport known to stay open.

My favorite example in New York is the airport in Islip, Long Island, which tends to stay open when Kennedy and LaGuardia close.

Get creative with your route. When travelers were trying to return to the U.S. from Japan, my advice was to double back by flying west through Hong Kong, Taiwan or Bangkok, and then head east.

And if you’ve got a trip you can’t miss, a reputable travel agent can often save the day. The trick is finding a service that has a 24-hour hotline so you have help in case of an emergency or delay.

Get more helpful tips on air travel in our Airlines & Airports section.

And check out the rest of our Daily Travel Tips here.