Your when ready rights depend on the delay length and the airline's reason
If your flight is delayed, what you can do right now depends on how long the delay is and why it happened. Airlines are required by the U.S. Department of Transportation to tell you the reason for the delay and your options — but they do not always volunteer this information, so you may need to ask. The airline must rebook you on the next available flight at no extra cost, or refund your ticket if you no longer want to travel.
For delays under three hours on domestic flights, the airline owes you nothing beyond the rebooking or refund. For delays of three hours or more, you may be may have access to to compensation depending on the cause. Delays caused by weather, security issues, or mechanical problems the airline did not cause are treated differently from delays the airline could have prevented.
Start by confirming the delay with the airline directly — check the airport display, call the airline's customer service number on your ticket, or text the airline if they offer it. Do not rely only on the airport information desk, because airlines sometimes have different information. Write down the exact time you were told about the delay and the reason given.
Key Takeaways
- Airlines must rebook you on the next available flight or refund your ticket at no cost, regardless of delay length.
- Delays of three hours or more on domestic flights may may have access to you to compensation of $250 to $1,350, but only if the airline caused the delay.
- Weather, mechanical problems the airline did not cause, and security issues do not trigger compensation, though the airline still must rebook or refund you.
- Keep your boarding pass, ticket confirmation, and any receipts for meals or hotels — you will need these if you file a claim later.
- The airline is not required to provide meals or hotels for delays under a certain length, but many do; ask what they will cover before you spend your own money.
When the airline must pay for meals and hotels
The airline is not required by federal law to pay for meals or hotels during a delay. However, many airlines have their own policies that do cover these costs after a certain number of hours — usually four to six hours. Check your airline's website or call them to ask what they will cover before you buy a meal or book a hotel yourself.
If the airline does not offer to cover meals and the delay is long, you can buy food and keep the receipt. You may be able to recover this cost later if you file a claim, but the airline will not reimburse you automatically. Some credit cards offer trip delay coverage that reimburses meals and hotels if you are delayed more than a set number of hours — check your card's benefits guide to see if you have this.
For overnight delays, the airline may provide a hotel voucher or book a room for you. If they do not offer one and you need a place to stay, book the hotel yourself and keep the receipt. Take a photo of your boarding pass and the delay announcement on the airport display — these prove the delay happened and how long it was.
How to get compensation for a long delay
If your flight was delayed three hours or more on arrival (or cancelled and you arrived more than three hours late), you may be may have access to to compensation of $250, $400, or $1,350 depending on the flight distance. This applies only to flights within the United States, to the United States, or from the United States. The airline must have caused the delay — weather, security issues, and mechanical problems the airline did not cause do not may have access to.
To claim compensation, contact the airline in writing. Most airlines have a customer relations department that handles delay claims. Send an email or letter that includes your confirmation number, the flight number, the scheduled and actual arrival times, and the reason the airline gave for the delay. Attach a copy of your boarding pass and ticket. The airline has 30 days to respond, though many take longer.
If the airline denies your claim or does not respond within a reasonable time, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation or pursue the claim in small claims court. The DOT does not award compensation itself, but a complaint on file can pressure the airline to reconsider. Small claims court is free or low-cost and does not require a lawyer.
What to do if you miss a connection
If your delay causes you to miss a connecting flight, tell the airline when ready at the gate or customer service desk. The airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination, even if the connection was booked on a different airline. They must rebook you on the next available flight at no cost.
If the delay was the airline's fault and the missed connection causes you to arrive three hours or more late at your final destination, you may be may have access to to compensation. The compensation is based on the distance to your final destination, not the distance of the missed leg. Keep all your boarding passes and ticket confirmations — you will need them to prove the connection was missed because of the delay.
If you booked the flights separately (not as one ticket), the situation is more complicated. The first airline is still responsible for getting you to the airport on time for your second flight, but they may argue the second flight is not their responsibility. Contact both airlines and explain the situation. If the second airline will not rebook you without a fee, ask the first airline to cover the cost.
Documenting the delay for a future claim
Take photos or screenshots of the departure board showing the delay and the time. If the airline posts a delay announcement, photograph that too. Write down the exact time you were told about the delay, what reason the airline gave, and the names of any airline staff you spoke with. Save your boarding pass and ticket confirmation — do not throw them away.
If you buy meals, hotels, or other expenses because of the delay, keep every receipt. Write on the back of each receipt the date, the delay length, and why you bought it. If the airline provides a meal voucher or hotel voucher, keep that as well. These receipts are proof if you later file a claim for reimbursement.
Take a photo of your ID and boarding pass together — this proves you were actually on the flight. If you speak with airline staff, ask for their name and write it down. If you call customer service, note the date, time, and what they told you. This documentation makes it much easier to file a claim later if the airline denies compensation.
When to rebook yourself instead of waiting
If the delay is very long and the airline is not offering a clear timeline, you can rebook yourself on another airline and ask the original airline to pay for it. This is called rebooking at airline expense. You must ask the airline first and give them a chance to rebook you. If they refuse or cannot get you there within a reasonable time, you can book another flight and submit the receipt to the airline for reimbursement.
Before you rebook yourself, confirm with the airline that they will cover the cost. Get this in writing if possible — an email confirmation is best. If you rebook without asking first, the airline may refuse to pay. The airline is only required to rebook you on their own flights or partner airlines, not on any airline you choose, so they may push back on paying for a competitor's flight.
If the airline refuses to rebook you at all and you decide to cancel your trip instead, you are may have access to to a refund of your ticket price. The airline cannot force you to accept a rebooking or a travel credit — a refund is an option if you no longer want to travel.
Travel credits and vouchers versus cash refunds
Many airlines offer travel credits or vouchers instead of cash refunds for cancelled or heavily delayed flights. A travel credit is a code you can use to book a future flight on that airline. A voucher is similar but may have restrictions on when you can use it or what routes it covers. These are not the same as a refund.
You have the right to a cash refund of your ticket price if the flight is cancelled or delayed more than three hours and you no longer want to travel. The airline cannot force you to accept a credit or voucher instead. If the airline offers a credit first, you can ask for a refund. Some airlines make this difficult by burying the refund option, but it is your legal right.
Travel credits are useful if you plan to fly again soon and the airline serves your route. If you are unsure whether you will use the credit, ask for a refund instead. Credits often expire after one year, and some airlines have restrictions on which flights you can book with them. A refund gives you the money back with no strings attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get compensation if the airline says the delay was due to weather?
No. Weather is considered an extraordinary circumstance outside the airline's control, so it does not trigger compensation. However, the airline still must rebook you on the next available flight or refund your ticket. If you incur expenses like meals or hotels, you may recover these through your travel insurance or credit card benefits, but not from the airline.
What if the airline cancels my flight instead of just delaying it?
A cancellation is treated the same as a three-hour delay for compensation purposes. You are may have access to to compensation of $250 to $1,350 if the airline caused the cancellation, plus a rebooked flight or refund. If weather caused the cancellation, you get the rebooked flight or refund but no compensation. Ask the airline for the reason in writing.
Do I have to accept the airline's first rebooking offer?
No. The airline must rebook you on the next available flight, but if that flight is days away and another airline has a flight sooner, you can ask the airline to book you on the competitor's flight at their expense. They may refuse, but it is worth asking. Get any agreement in writing before you book yourself.
How long do I have to file a compensation claim?
There is no federal important date, but airlines often cite a one-year or two-year limit in their terms. File your claim as soon as possible after the delay. If the airline denies your claim, you have the right to sue in small claims court, which usually has a time limit of two to three years depending on your state.
What if the airline blames the delay on a mechanical problem?
Mechanical problems the airline failed to maintain or prevent do not may have access to for compensation, but mechanical problems that were unforeseeable do. This is a gray area. If the airline says the problem was unforeseeable, ask them to explain in writing. If you disagree, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation or pursue a claim in small claims court.