The trick to surviving a long delay is having everything you need with you. If there's a long delay, your airline may not be able to access your checked bag. Shannon Wilburn has a short list of things she always packs in her overnight bag. It includes all of her toiletries and prescription medications as well as her headset and computer.

Annette Johnson thinks the travel industry is taking self-service too far. She's watched airlines drop their phone support and add fees for airport check-ins that use a human agent. Some air carriers are even tearing out their kiosks and prodding passengers into using a phone app at the airport. "It feels like you're being punished if you need a little help," says Johnson, a travel advisor.