More often than not, travel plans go off without a hitch. Your flight arrives on time, your luggage is waiting for you at baggage claim, and your business meetings all commence on schedule. But as any seasoned traveler knows, sometimes there are kinks in the travel chain of events. Flights get stuck on the tarmac, luggage is lost, or that all-important meeting is postponed a day because of the boss’s canceled flight. Here are some of those losing situations-and ways to turn them into a winning fitness scenario!

The Long Delay

The delayed or canceled flight is arguably one of the worst travel scenarios. It’s never fun when bad weather hits and you see your flight getting pushed back in one-hour increments. Even if you’ve got a good book on hand to occupy your mind, you’re bound to get restless sitting in the airport.

Make the most of your situation by getting active. Because you won’t be able to move around much once you do get on the flight (which you will eventually), take advantage of your relative freedom in the airport. If you’re traveling with a companion, have him or her watch your bags while you get walking around the airport. Or, if there is a trustworthy individual who is also on your flight, have him watch your bags while you get your walk on. Alternatively, many airports have lockers where you can store your belongings. If no option is available for your carry-on, lug it with you during your power walk and consider it extra resistance!

Getting a good walk around the airport is a great way to get your heart pumping, and you can easily put in a few miles, depending on the airport. While you might look a little silly if you wanted to break into a dance or boot camp workout, you can also stretch without looking too crazy. Hemalayaa Behl, who stars in and instructs the Bollywood fitness videos, even brings her yoga mat on trips and practices in the airport. She’s had complete strangers join her in airport yoga sessions. Still, I’d recommend finding a quiet corner.

Also, beware of the bad airport food traps when your plane isn’t going anywhere. It can be tempting to hit the fast food joints and get the biggest, greasiest burger they offer, but it won’t make you feel any better about your situation. Instead, look for salads, soups and even fresh sandwiches at airport restaurants. And if you must go for the grease, buy the junior burger instead of the mega-monster burger. Portion control can save the day when you’re in a nightmare nutritional situation.

Stuck on the Tarmac

OK, I take back what I said about the delays and canceled flights. Getting stuck on the tarmac is the worst travel snafu there is. You typically have no idea what’s going on with the airplane, it’s not comforting knowing that there is something wrong with the airplane, and you rarely have an idea of how long you’re going to be crammed in your too-small seat.

While it is never a fun situation, you can find some positives here. It’s not easy to get much “exercise” in while you’re on a plane, whether it’s moving or grounded, but stretching is one easy way to take your mind off of your predicament. Plus, it’s almost imperceptible to others. Reach your hands above your head to get a great arm and back stretch. Gentle neck stretches-tilting your head and then looking from left to right-won’t even be noticed by your seatmates and will feel great on your neck. If the aisle isn’t too crowded with other bored passengers, feel free to get up and move about the cabin to keep from getting too stiff.

If moving about isn’t a possibility, use the time to plan out your fitness goals and organize your schedule to accommodate workouts. Or try to take a nap. Odds are you’re not getting your necessary eight hours, and a cat nap is always refreshing and helps pass the time.

Lost Luggage

It’s never fun when you’re the last person standing at the luggage carousel, staring at the empty conveyor belt. Not only did you pack your essential business suit for a big presentation, but you also packed for fitness, throwing in running shoes and gym shorts. You may be tempted to forget about your workouts altogether, but that’s not necessary with just a little bit of creativity.

You can buy a swimsuit and use the hotel pool as your cardio activity. If you want to stick with more meditative workouts, yoga and Pilates don’t require shoes at all, and there are plenty of online resources such as ExerciseTV.tv to give you various poses and exercises to try. You can even turn up the radio and dance to get guaranteed cardio, or choose to stick with some basics like marching in place, push-ups, crunches, planks and squats. These low-impact moves won’t jar your knees and ankles, but always stop if you feel like you’d be better off with shoe support. You can always get back in the ball game when your luggage arrives at the hotel.

Crowded Gym

You head to the hotel fitness center with cardio on your mind, planning to hit the elliptical for a 30-minute sweat session. But the elliptical machine is taken. And so is the treadmill. And the bikes are full, too. Don’t cancel your workout yet! If the weather is good, you can always head outside for a walk or jog. But if that isn’t an option, you can manage a non-cardio-machine workout just fine.

Even though you planned to do straight cardio, moving quickly between strength exercises will get your heart pumping almost as much. Combining moves such as lunges with overhead presses, or using a bench to do step-ups is sure to get you sweating. You could also do intervals in between strength moves: faux jump roping, skates side to side, and simply walking or jogging in place will substitute for a cardio machine any day of the week.

Canceled/Delayed Meeting

This time you made it to your destination, but an important member of your business team didn’t, delaying the meeting by a day. Take advantage of your time off. Check out local activities in the area, explore the neighborhood, or check out a nearby fitness facility and try a new class that isn’t offered at your home gym.

If you’re frequently on the road for business, it’s just a matter of time before you find yourself in one of these situations. It can be hard to keep your sanity-let alone your fitness progress-when disaster strikes, but if you’re prepared to look for the silver lining, you can keep yourself on track. As for long security lines? Sorry, can’t help you with those.