Does the airline pay for a hotel if a flight is cancelled?

Ugh, does the airline actually pay for a hotel if my flight gets cancelled? It's so frustrating! I mean, one minute you're all excited for your trip, and the next you're stuck in some random airport wondering where you're going to sleep. It feels like they should have to, right? After all, it's their fault I'm stranded! I remember one time, coming back from visiting my sister in Chicago, my flight got cancelled because of – get this – a flock of geese. Geese! I was so mad. Anyway, the airline (it was one of the budget ones, can't remember which) basically told me I was on my own. No hotel, no nothin'. I ended up sleeping on the airport floor, which was just… the worst. Another time though, flying back from a work trip in San Francisco – totally different story. Big fancy airline, flight cancelled due to weather, and they put me up in a really nice hotel, even gave me a meal voucher. Go figure! So yeah, I guess the answer is...it depends. It really depends. On the airline, maybe the reason for the cancellation, I don't know. Maybe even how much you complain? (Worth a shot, isn't it?) I always try to be super nice but also firm, you know? Like, "Hey, I understand things happen, but this is really inconvenient for me. Is there anything you can do to help?" Something like that. It's definitely worth asking, because sometimes they do actually come through. You never know!