Once you know you’re going to be stuck in the airport for one, ten, or even twenty-four hours longer than you thought, you need to change your game plan. You can’t expect to sit in your seat by the gate the whole time and board the plane with your sanity intact. Here’s a quick guide to prepare you for that inevitable day when your flight gets delayed. Whether it’s during the holidays or a summer vacation, these tips will help you anytime you plan to travel.

1. Stay hydrated

You’ve probably heard about how planes make you sick. The same holds true for the airport. Boarding a plane or staying in the airport are high-density activities. In other words, you’re around a lot of people and are exposed to a lot of germs. It doesn’t help that dry, cold, and re-circulated air is constantly pumped into these spaces.

In addition to washing your hands before you eat, you should drink water often. Staying hydrated helps your immune system fight off colds. You might as well take advantage of the time you have in the airport by learning its layout. You can find the nearest water fountain this way, or you can happen upon the closest bar where you can sip on an overpriced yet thirst-quenching beer while you wait.

2. Get moving

It’s easy to fall into a funk when you’ve heard the news about the delay. A bad mood can convince you it’s a good idea to park yourself in your seat and never leave it, but this can make your wait feel even longer than it is. Not only is sitting too long bad for your circulation, it can also lead to boredom. Before you let your nerves get the better of you, you should stand up and move around.

A brisk walk around the terminal is a great way to get your body moving and your mind off your predicament. Even just a short walk to stretch your legs is better than nothing, and you might just find a bookstore on your journey.

Light stretching is another great way to destress and alleviate any pain caused by sitting in uncomfortable chairs. Some up and coming airports provide yoga rooms where you can stretch and/or meditate in a quiet space. If you’re brave, you can even do yoga to find your inner Shanti with this practice designed for the airport.

3. Have a distraction pack

Never assume your airport experience will go off without a hitch. You should pack your bag with a novel or a puzzle book to give yourself something to do just in case something goes wrong. Stocking your phone with videos and podcast episodes is also a great way to keep the boredom at bay.

This is a great rule of thumb for any travel plans, but this distraction pack can really come in handy when your flight is delayed. Without a book or the complete series of Late Night Whenever downloaded on your phone, you’re struck brooding. All that moping will only make your delay worse.

If you were too focused on staying below the weight restrictions to think about a distraction pack, you aren’t doomed to boredom. Most airports have plenty of convenience stores that sell books, puzzles, and other things to keep your mind off the delay. And if you’re lucky, you’ll actually be able to connect to the free Wi-Fi they provide.

4. Think about your budget

It’s easy to overspend when you’re stuck in the airport. Even a delay of a few hours can force you to buy things that you aren’t expecting, and everything is more expensive at the airport. Lunch and dinner at the airport can add up, as do drinks, books, and other small items you might buy during your delay. If your flight gets cancelled and you’re forced to book a hotel room, that’s a huge added cost to your trip.

Before you know it, you can rack up a huge bill that puts your finances in a crunch. If what you spent at the airport makes it hard to pay bills and other responsibilities back at home, consider looking up what an online lender can do on the airport’s Wi-Fi. Lenders like MoneyKey have taken the borrowing process out of the bank branch and onto your phone. This makes it easier for people like you to secure necessary cash advances, including installment loans, anywhere and anytime you need help. That means you can get a personal loan online through a lender’s website instead of waiting until your rescheduled flight lands and the bank has time to entertain your request.

Though your flight was delayed, you won’t have to worry about the same thing happening to your loan. In many cases, you’ll have the online payday advance you need by the time you touch down.

Whether on your way to your destination or on your way home, the last thing you want is a delay grounding your flight. Unfortunately, sometimes it happens. It’s a good idea to prepare for the worst case scenario when you’re gearing up to travel. Your efforts now will come in handy if you plan on flying anywhere for the winter holidays — when the weather often disrupts flights. These tips won’t make Old Man Winter cooperate, but they will help you keep you cool no matter what happens.