Here’s what to do if your holiday flight is overbooked

BOSTON — Traveling during the holidays can be a nightmare with flights getting delayed or canceled last minute.

Adding to your headache, you might be bumped from a flight if it’s overbooked.

However, there are ways you can recoup the money and more if you find yourself in this situation.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) says the best way to avoid getting bumped is to make sure you have an assigned seat. Checking in online and arriving at the gate on time are good ways to ensure your spot on the plane is secured.

Airlines are allowed to oversell flights in order to compensate for no-shows.

But if your flight gets bumped involuntarily, you’re entitled to compensation that can be in the form of cash, check, or credit.

For domestic flights, airlines have to pay you 200% of the value of your one-way ticket up to $775 if you arrive at your destination one to two hours past your originally scheduled itinerary, according to transportation officials, or 400% of the one-way ticket price, up to $1,550 if your arrival delay is longer than two hours.

Other things you can do include:

• Politely requesting the maximum financial compensation within your airline’s policy.
• Ask the airline for a food voucher.
• Request a hotel voucher if you have to stay overnight.
• If you have to leave the airport, ask for transportation reimbursement as well.

For a more complete list of compensation you’re entitled to, click here.

It’s also important to note U.S. airlines are not required to offer compensation for delays outside of their control, like severe weather or air traffic control issues.

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