Airlines are in the business of making money, so letting their customers in on their secrets is not necessarily their main priority. Here are some things that the airlines don’t want you to know.

You Can Get Cash, Not Vouchers

When airlines bump off passengers when the flight is overbooked they will always offer up vouchers good for later travel, but what they don’t tell you is that you’re actually entitled a cash check on the spot. This is a right protected by the US Department of Transportation. Think about it, if for some reason you decide not to take the flight at all they can’t deny you the funds to make the trip in whatever way you see fit. If you’re offered a voucher, just ask for a check instead.

You are even owed money if the airline manages to reschedule you and get you to your destination within a couple hours of your original arrival time. The compensation can actually be double the fare.

It’s Easier to Refund than You Think

While they might not advertise the fact, most airlines are pretty good about letting you back out of ticket purchases for full refunds. With a week in advance almost all of them are fine with it. One that can be a little more tricky is American Airlines, but they do allow you to put a hold on a ticket price for 24 hours while you think about buying. Keep in mind that to get the airlines return policy you also need to have purchased the ticket through them to begin with, not through an outside side.

Lost Luggage Can Get You a Lot of Money

When the airline loses your luggage they will offer you a small stipend to take care of things like toiletries and must haves, but if you were on your way to a business meeting, wedding, or other important event they might owe you as much as $3,300 to make up for messing with your plans and replacing the clothes that you needed for the event.

When they Change Your Itinerary They Handle the Balance

In a situation where your flight gets delayed and you fly with a different carrier, any change in flight costs has to be covered by the airline even if they end up having to bump you to first class or something. And when that happens you actually get to keep your original ticket as well. If they give you trouble about this you can request that you get the ticket in miles or another form that they are more likely to comply with.