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A few weeks ago in New Orleans, I boarded a flight headed for Austin, my hometown. A few minutes before our scheduled departure time, a gate agent came back on board to tell us our flight was over capacity, and asked for one volunteer who would be willing to stay overnight in exchange for a free hotel night and a $1,600 travel voucher. 

My hand was in the air before she finished her statement, and I quickly gathered my bags to follow her off the plane. After a lot of back and forth on the phone, agents at the gate rebooked me on a direct flight for the following day and gave me $2,500 in travel credit instead of the original $1,600. I'm not sure why they increased the offer amount, but I'm certainly not complaining.

I frequently travel alone, almost never check a bag, and usually plan ahead for travel delays, so I often have a lot of flexibility regarding when and how I get from Point A to Point B. I highly value future travel credit, and don't mind changing my plans last minute when my schedule allows for it.

This isn't the first time I've received travel credit in exchange for taking a later flight — and it happens more often than you might think. This summer, a woman received $3,550 in overbooked flight vouchers from American Airlines for staying three additional nights in Italy on the airline's dime. And in 2018, a traveler famously received a $10,000 United voucher in compensation for being bumped out of her basic economy seat. 

How to get travel credit or compensation for giving up your seat

Peak travel season often coincides with flight snafus from inclement weather or mechanical issues. As the holidays approach, you may find yourself in a similar situation to mine. If your schedule can accommodate a spontaneous change of plans, here's what you should know about volunteering for travel credit. 

Understanding bumping and denied boarding

Operating a commercial flight is expensive, so most airlines slightly oversell each flight to compensate for no-shows and last-minute cancellations. The complex logistics typically work out, and most travelers board the flights they book with no issues.

But from time to time, airlines end up with more passengers than available seats on a plane. In my case, for example, most of the travelers on my plane had been rebooked from a previous flight that was canceled due to storms in the area. 

When a flight has too many passengers, someone has to go, and the Department of Transportation (DoT) has strict regulations on how airlines must compensate affected customers. Aviation consumer protection guidelines state that airlines must first ask for volunteers before forcing anyone to give up their seats.

Travelers can negotiate compensation

Airlines can offer any amount of money or travel credit in exchange for the inconvenience, and travelers who volunteer their seats can negotiate with the airline for what they want. Whether you'll get what you want depends on how much the airline needs your seat — after all, the offer is open to all travelers until the airline's needs are met. 

The DoT recommends keeping the following questions in mind:

• What's the next available nonstop flight with a confirmed seat? If the next option available already has a full standby list, you may end up delayed again without further compensation. 
• Can the airline offer additional amenities such as free food, housing, and transit from the airport to the hotel?  
• If you receive a travel voucher instead of cash compensation, when does the credit expire? Does the credit have any blackout dates or restrictions on holiday or peak season travel? And can you use the credit for international trips or first-class tickets, or are you limited to economy-class fares?

Keep track of any expenses for future reimbursement 

You may still incur some expenses along the way, even if the airline has offered to cover your hotel and meals. In my situation, the airline gave me the wrong documents for my hotel voucher, which meant I had to pay for my own room upfront using one of my favorite credit cards with travel insurance and request money back after I got home. 

If you have checked bags, you may not see them for some time if you volunteer your seat since your luggage was probably loaded onto your original flight. You'll usually need to make do with what you already have with you, although you may be able to purchase small toiletries and necessities such as toothpaste and socks and claim reimbursement from the airline later on.

Many of the best travel rewards credit cards also offer trip delay benefits for incidentals when you're delayed on a flight you bought with the card. However, these perks may not apply if you voluntarily give up your seat, so check with the credit card company (or be willing to pay for your expenses out of pocket) before going on a shopping spree. 

Decide if the reward is worth the hassle

You should also consider your own situation before succumbing to the temptation of a four-figure travel voucher. If you need to be somewhere on time, there's no guarantee that another flight will get you to your destination by your personal deadline. 

It's also not a good idea to give up your seat if you're traveling with someone else, particularly if they are underage, elderly, or have special needs. Even if the airline compensates both of you for the loss of your seats, it may be hard to get on another flight where you can be seated together or enjoy the same benefits you would have had on your original flight.

You may be able to volunteer directly within the airline app

Asking for volunteers at the gate — or on the plane, like in my case — can be a time-consuming process, so some airlines have begun streamlining the process by contacting travelers directly. If you've ever checked in for a flight via the airline's app, you may have been invited to choose a different flight at no additional charge, or offered the chance to volunteer your seat at several different price points. 

If you're involuntarily denied boarding, here's what to know

In rare cases, you may be forced to give up your seat even if you don't volunteer. This is called involuntarily denied boarding, and airlines have a legal right to do so when seats are oversold. However, the airline must tell you why it is involuntarily denying you boarding and must provide a written statement explaining your rights and describing how it decides who will be bumped from the flight. In the example of the 2018 woman who received $10,000 from United, for example, she was bumped because she had the lowest-class fare among all of the travelers on the plane. 

You're not always eligible for compensation — but it doesn't hurt to ask

If you've been involuntarily denied boarding, you aren't automatically entitled to travel credit or a refund just because you've been removed from a flight. Airlines do not need to compensate travelers who are denied boarding due to safety, security, or health risks, or to passengers who engage in obscene, disruptive, or unlawful behavior. 

The DoT also doesn't require airlines to compensate travelers if they are denied boarding due to aircraft changes, weight and balance issues, or downgrades in fare class on flights departing from non-U.S. locations, charter flights, or small aircraft carrying 30 or fewer passengers. 

That being said, you can always contact the airline for compensation, even if they aren't mandated to reimburse you. The best way to do so is to contact the airline's customer service team after your travel is complete. You can typically find the right form under the "Contact Us" section of the airline's website. You'll get the fastest response if you include your date(s) of travel, flight number(s), full contact information, and airline frequent flyer number. I've personally gotten the best results by being extremely polite, concisely stating the facts, and asking for exactly what I want. 

I'm thrilled with the compensation I received, which is enough to allow me to see friends and family for free in months to come. If you have the misfortune of being on an oversold flight this season, consider the situation an opportunity to plan future adventures on your airline's dime.