Airline Refunds and Compensation: Your Rights When Flights Go Wrong

For flights to, from or within the U.S., DOT says you're entitled to a refund if the airline cancels your flight (for any reason) or significantly changes or delays it, and you choose not to travel or not to accept the rebooking, credit, voucher or other compensation offered. This applies to non-refundable tickets too.

If you reject the airline's offer, or don't respond and don't take the flight, the refund must be issued automatically to your original form of payment: within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.

Any travel credits or vouchers offered instead of a refund must be valid for at least five years. If you booked through a travel agency, the company on your card statement (the "merchant of record") handles the fare refund.

• What counts as a significant change: departing 3+ hours earlier or arriving 3+ hours later (domestic), or 6+ hours (international); a different departure or arrival airport; more connections; or being downgraded to a lower class of service. (There are additional protections for passengers with disabilities.)
• If you take the changed flight, you generally aren't owed a refund under DOT rules, but check the airline's own commitments (below).

• Paid extras you didn't get ("ancillary services" like seat selection, Wi-Fi or meals): you're entitled to a refund if the service wasn't provided through no fault of your own.
• Delayed checked bag: if you file a mishandled baggage report, you're owed a refund of the bag fee if the bag isn't delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight's arrival, or 15 to 30 hours for international flights depending on flight length. See our lost or delayed baggage guide.
• 24-hour rule: for tickets bought at least 7 days before departure, airlines must either let you cancel for a full refund within 24 hours or let you hold the fare for 24 hours. This doesn't apply to bookings through travel agencies.

When a delay or cancellation is the airline's fault (like a maintenance or crew issue), many U.S. airlines have committed to things like meal vouchers, hotel rooms or free rebooking. DOT's Airline Customer Service Dashboard shows what each airline has promised. DOT says airlines must stick to these commitments.

Airlines must ask for volunteers before bumping anyone. If you're bumped involuntarily from a flight departing a U.S. airport, you had a confirmed reservation, and you checked in and got to the gate on time, you may be owed denied boarding compensation under 14 CFR Part 250. It's based on your one-way fare and how late the airline gets you to your destination:

• Less than 1 hour late: no compensation.
• 1 to 2 hours late (domestic) or 1 to 4 hours (international departing the U.S.): 200% of the one-way fare, which airlines may cap at $1,075.
• More than 2 hours late (domestic) or more than 4 hours (international): 400% of the one-way fare, which airlines may cap at $2,150.
• Airlines must offer payment at the airport the same day, or within 24 hours if you leave first. There's no upper limit on what an airline may pay, and you can negotiate when volunteering.
• Exceptions include a smaller plane substituted for operational or safety reasons, planes with fewer than 30 seats, charter flights, and flights into the U.S. from abroad.

Start with the airline: DOT requires airlines to say on their websites how to file a complaint. If that doesn't work, file with DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection using its online form. Have your booking details, flight details and any supporting documents ready, including a copy of your complaint to the airline.

DOT forwards complaints to the airline and requires airlines to acknowledge complaints within 30 days and send a written response within 60 days.

EU air passenger rights apply to flights departing from the EU (any airline), and to flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline, among others. They also apply to flights to and from Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

If you arrive 3+ hours late, or your flight is canceled less than 14 days before departure, or you're denied boarding, you may be owed fixed compensation, unless the cause was extraordinary circumstances (like weather or air traffic control decisions):

• €250 for flights of 1,500 km or less
• €400 for flights within the EU over 1,500 km, and other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km
• €600 for flights over 3,500 km (for long-haul flights arriving 3 to 4 hours late, €300)
• Compensation may be cut by 50% when the airline re-routes you and you arrive within set time limits. Complain to the airline first; if there's no reply within 2 months, you can go to the national authority in the country where it happened.