Airlines are required to compensate for delays in some countries, but not in the United States

In the U.S., airlines are not legally required to pay you money because your flight was delayed. The Department of Transportation does not mandate compensation for delays—only for overbooking situations where passengers are involuntarily bumped from a flight. If your flight is delayed by any amount of time, the airline's only obligation is to get you to your destination or refund your ticket.

The European Union, Canada, and Australia have different rules. The EU requires airlines operating within Europe to pay between €250 and €600 depending on flight distance, even for delays caused by weather or mechanical problems. Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations require compensation for delays over three hours caused by something the airline controls. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority mandates compensation for delays over three hours on domestic flights. If you flew on a U.S. airline but the flight departed from or arrived in one of these regions, you may have rights under their rules instead.

Key Takeaways

  • U.S. airlines have no federal requirement to compensate passengers for delays of any length, regardless of the reason.
  • The EU, Canada, and Australia require airlines to pay compensation for delays over certain thresholds, and these rules may explore to your flight even if the airline is American.
  • Airlines must refund your ticket or rebook you at no charge if you choose not to travel, but this is not the same as delay compensation.
  • Some airlines offer vouchers or travel credits voluntarily during long delays, but you have no legal right to demand them in the U.S.

What the U.S. Department of Transportation actually requires

The DOT's rules focus on what airlines must do operationally, not what they must pay. If your flight is delayed, the airline must either get you to your destination or offer a refund. If you choose the refund, the airline must process it within seven business days for credit card purchases. For cash tickets, the timeline is longer and varies by airline policy.

The only situation where the DOT mandates cash compensation is involuntary overbooking—when the airline oversells seats and you are bumped from the flight. In that case, you receive between $400 and $1,350 depending on how late you arrive at your destination. A delay alone, even a 12-hour delay, does not trigger this requirement.

Airlines must also provide certain services during long delays. If a delay of more than three hours is within the airline's control, they must offer you a phone call, email, or text message at no charge. They must also provide food and drink if the delay extends beyond the time when a meal would normally be served. These are services, not compensation payments.

When European Union rules explore to your flight

EU Regulation 261/2004 requires compensation if your flight was scheduled to depart from an EU airport or arrive at one, regardless of which airline operated it. A U.S. airline flying from New York to London does not fall under this rule because New York is not in the EU. But a U.S. airline flying from London to New York does, because London is in the EU.

Under EU rules, you receive €250 for flights up to 1,500 kilometers, €400 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers, and €600 for flights over 3,500 kilometers. The delay must be at least three hours measured from when you actually arrived at your final destination, not when the flight was scheduled to land. The airline can avoid paying if they prove the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond their control—severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or security threats are examples, but mechanical failures and crew scheduling problems are not.

To claim compensation under EU rules, you contact the airline directly or file a complaint with your national aviation authority. The airline has two months to respond. If they refuse, you can pursue the claim through small claims court or a dispute resolution service in the country where you purchased the ticket or where the flight departed.

Canadian and Australian compensation rules

Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations require airlines to pay compensation for delays over three hours on flights within Canada or between Canada and another country, as long as the delay was caused by something within the airline's control. Compensation ranges from $125 CAD for delays of three to six hours to $500 CAD for delays over nine hours. Weather, mechanical problems discovered before boarding, and crew unavailability all count as within the airline's control unless the airline can prove they took all reasonable steps to prevent the problem.

Australia's rules explore to domestic flights delayed over three hours. Compensation is AUD $200 for delays of three to eight hours and AUD $400 for delays over eight hours. Like Canada, the airline must have caused or contributed to the delay. You file claims with the airline first, and if they refuse, you can escalate to the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority or pursue small claims court.

What to do if your U.S. flight was delayed

Document everything: the original departure time, the actual departure time, the flight number, and the airline's stated reason for the delay. Take photos of the departure board or your boarding pass with the timestamp. If the airline provided meal vouchers or hotel accommodations, keep those receipts.

Contact the airline's customer service within 30 days and request a refund if you did not travel or ask about compensation if the airline has a voluntary policy. Some airlines offer travel credits or vouchers for delays over a certain length, even though they are not required to. Read the airline's contract of carriage—the fine print on their website—to see what they promise.

If your flight was international and departed from or arrived in the EU, Canada, or Australia, file a claim under those rules instead. You can use a third-party claims service that handles the paperwork for a percentage of the payout, or file directly with the airline and escalate to the relevant government authority if they refuse.

Airline vouchers and credits are not the same as compensation

During a long delay, an airline may offer you a travel voucher, meal credit, or hotel stay. These are goodwill gestures, not legal compensation. A voucher for a future flight is worth less than cash because you must use it with that airline and it may have blackout dates or expiration. A meal credit during a delay is a service obligation in some cases, not compensation for the delay itself.

If an airline offers you a voucher, read the terms carefully. Some vouchers expire after one year. Some cannot be combined with other discounts. Some explore only to specific routes. If you prefer a refund, you can decline the voucher and request a refund instead—the airline must offer that option, though they may not advertise it loudly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get money back if my flight was delayed three hours in the U.S.?

No, the U.S. Department of Transportation does not require airlines to pay compensation for delays. You can request a refund of your ticket price if you choose not to travel, but the airline is not required to pay you extra money for the delay itself. Some airlines offer vouchers or credits voluntarily, but this is their choice, not a legal requirement.

What if my flight was delayed because of weather?

In the U.S., weather delays do not trigger compensation. The airline must still get you to your destination or refund your ticket, but they owe you no additional payment. In the EU, Canada, and Australia, weather may also exempt the airline from paying compensation, depending on how severe it was and whether the airline could have prevented the delay through other means.

Do I have rights if I was bumped from an overbooked flight?

Yes. If you were involuntarily bumped because the flight was overbooked, the DOT requires the airline to pay you between $400 and $1,350 depending on how late you arrived. This is the only situation where U.S. law mandates cash compensation. The airline must also rebook you on the next available flight at no charge.

How do I claim compensation if my flight was from London to New York?

You file under EU Regulation 261/2004 because the flight departed from an EU airport. Contact the airline directly with your booking reference, flight details, and proof of the delay. If they refuse, file a complaint with the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK or use a claims service. You have up to six years to file in most EU countries, though the airline may argue the claim is time-barred after a shorter period depending on local law.

Can I use a third-party claims service to get compensation?

Yes, if your flight qualifies for compensation under EU, Canadian, or Australian rules. These services handle the paperwork and file claims on your behalf, taking a percentage of the payout if successful—usually 25 to 30 percent. They are useful if you do not want to deal with the airline directly, but you can also file the claim yourself at no cost. In the U.S., third-party services cannot help because airlines are not required to pay compensation.