Keep any receipts or confirmation e-mails handy before contacting anyone. These may contain confirmation numbers, payment information or both, all of which may prove useful when checking on your reservations.
Check the website for the service you are using. For example, some airlines give you the ability to check your reservation using either a confirmation number or the credit card number you used to book the flight.
Call the company with which you made the reservation. For a major company like an airline, this may require speaking to special customer service agents. However, for smaller businesses, like a bed and breakfast, simply calling the front desk suffices.
Contact your travel agent, if you used one. The travel agent is your liaison that plans and books your trip, so if you need confirmation of reservation details, contact her.
Check on your reservation if you are running late by calling the business beforehand. For example, if you know you won't make your 6 p.m. dinner reservation, don't wait until that time to call -- call as early as possible to make arrangements or have your table held. Similarly, ask a hotel's front desk about its room-holding policy for late arrivals.
