The airline must rebook you or refund your ticket
When an airline cancels your flight, you have two rights that do not depend on the reason for the cancellation. The airline must either book you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost, or refund the full ticket price to your original payment method. You do not have to choose between them on the spot — you can ask for time to decide, though the airline may pressure you to rebook when ready.
The refund must go back to the card or account you used to buy the ticket, not as a travel credit or voucher. If you paid cash at a ticket counter, the refund goes to cash. This applies even if the airline says the cancellation was due to weather, mechanical problems, or crew issues. The only exception is if the cancellation was caused by circumstances entirely outside the airline's control — a narrow category that rarely includes weather.
If you choose rebooking, the airline can put you on a flight the same day, the next day, or several days later depending on availability. You are not required to accept a flight that arrives more than three hours after your original arrival time if a better option exists. If no better option exists that day, you can ask to be rebooked on a later flight or request the refund instead.
Key Takeaways
- The airline must rebook you on the next available flight or refund your full ticket price — you choose which one.
- Refunds go back to your original payment method, not as travel credits or vouchers.
- You can refuse a rebooking that arrives more than three hours late if the airline has a flight that gets you there sooner.
- The airline must cover meals, phone calls, and hotel rooms if you are stranded overnight, regardless of the cancellation reason.
- Keep your booking confirmation, cancellation notice, and receipts for meals and lodging to document what you paid out of pocket.
What the airline must pay for while you wait
If the cancellation leaves you stranded overnight, the airline must pay for a hotel room. This applies whether the cancellation was the airline's fault or not. The airline chooses the hotel, and it must be reasonable — not a luxury property, but a clean, safe room near the airport or your destination. You do not get to pick the Ritz-Carlton and bill the airline.
The airline must also cover meals and incidental expenses while you wait. This typically means food at the airport or hotel, and phone calls or texts to contact family or work. Keep all receipts. Some airlines set a per-meal limit (often $10 to $15 for breakfast, $15 to $20 for lunch or dinner), and you may need to submit receipts after the trip to be reimbursed. Ask the airline what their policy is before you spend money.
If you arrange your own hotel because the airline does not offer one, you can usually be reimbursed if you keep the receipt and the cost is reasonable. The same applies to ground transportation — a taxi or rideshare to the hotel, or to the airport for a rebooked flight. Do not assume the airline will pay; ask first, or you may be out the money.
Compensation for long delays caused by the airline
If the cancellation is the airline's fault — mechanical failure, crew scheduling, maintenance — and you are rebooked on a flight that arrives more than three hours late, you may be owed cash compensation. The amount depends on the flight distance and how late you arrive. For flights under 250 miles, compensation is $260. For flights 250 to 1,000 miles, it is $400. For flights over 1,000 miles, it is $600. These are the federal minimums; some airlines pay more.
The airline does not automatically send this money. You have to request it, usually through their website or by contacting customer service. Have your booking confirmation and the cancellation notice ready. The airline has 30 days to respond, though many take longer. If they refuse, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation or pursue the claim in small claims court.
Weather and other circumstances outside the airline's control do not trigger compensation, only the refund and rebooking rights. The airline decides whether the cancellation falls into that category, and they often claim weather or mechanical issues were unavoidable. If you disagree, you can file a complaint with the DOT, but the burden is on you to prove the airline was at fault.
How to document what happened and what you spent
Take a photo or screenshot of the cancellation notice on your phone or the airline's website. This shows the date, time, and reason given for the cancellation. Save your original booking confirmation email as well. If the airline sends you a new itinerary, save that too.
Collect receipts for everything the airline did not pay directly: meals, hotel if you booked it yourself, ground transportation, phone calls, or childcare if you had to arrange it because of the delay. Write the date and reason on the back of each receipt so you remember what it was for. Take photos of receipts if the ink fades.
If the airline offers to pay for meals or lodging directly, ask for a confirmation email or receipt showing what they paid. This protects you if they later claim you owe them money or if there is a dispute about what was covered. Keep all of this documentation for at least a year in case you need to file a complaint or small claims case.
What to do if the airline refuses to rebook or refund
Some airlines delay refunds or claim they will only issue travel credits. This is not legal. You have the right to a refund to your original payment method within a reasonable time — typically 20 to 30 days, though the law does not set a hard important date.
Start by contacting the airline's customer service in writing — email is best because it creates a record. State that your flight was cancelled, provide your booking confirmation number, and request a full refund to your original payment method. Include the date you made the request. Give them 10 business days to respond.
If they do not refund you, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation at dot.gov/airconsumer. Include your booking confirmation, the cancellation notice, and copies of all emails to the airline. The DOT investigates complaints and can fine airlines that violate refund rules. You can also dispute the charge with your credit card company if you paid by card, or file a claim in small claims court for the refund plus court costs.
Cancellations due to weather and other outside circumstances
If the airline cancels because of weather, a natural disaster, air traffic control delays, or a security threat, they still must rebook you or refund your ticket. However, they do not owe you cash compensation. They still must pay for meals and a hotel if you are stranded overnight.
The airline decides whether the cancellation falls into this category. They often claim weather caused a cancellation even when the real reason was a maintenance problem they could have prevented. If you believe the airline is lying about the reason, you can file a complaint with the DOT. The DOT can investigate and fine the airline if they misrepresented the cause.
In practice, weather cancellations are common and hard to dispute. Your best move is to accept the rebooking or refund, document what you spent on meals and lodging, and move on. If you were stranded for days and spent significant money, you can still file a DOT complaint and ask them to review whether the airline's claim was truthful.
Your options if no flights are available for days
If the cancellation happens during a widespread disruption — a major storm, a system outage, or a labor action — the airline may not have seats available for days. You still have the right to a refund. You do not have to wait for a flight that is a week away.
Request the refund in writing, either at the airport or through the airline's website. The airline may try to pressure you to wait or accept a flight far in the future. You can refuse. Once you have the refund, you can book a flight on another airline if you need to travel urgently. The refund will not cover the new ticket, but at least you get your money back.
If the airline refuses to refund you and insists you wait, file a complaint with the DOT when ready. Include the dates you requested the refund and the airline's response. The DOT takes these complaints seriously and can force the airline to refund you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the airline make me accept a travel credit instead of a refund?
No. You have the right to a refund to your original payment method. A travel credit is the airline's offer, not your obligation. You can accept it if you want, but you cannot be forced to. If the airline refuses to refund you, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.
Do I get compensation if the airline cancels because of bad weather?
No. Weather cancellations do not trigger cash compensation, only rebooking and refund rights. The airline still must pay for meals and a hotel if you are stranded overnight. If you believe the airline falsely claimed weather was the cause, you can file a DOT complaint.
What if I miss a connection because of the cancellation?
The airline must rebook you on the next available flight to your final destination at no cost. If that flight is days away, you can request a refund instead. You can also ask the airline to cover the cost of a flight on another carrier if it gets you there sooner, though they often refuse — in that case, book it yourself and file a complaint with the DOT.
How long does it take to get a refund?
The airline must process refunds within 20 to 30 days, though some take longer. If you paid by credit card, the refund appears as a credit on your statement, not as cash. If you paid by debit card or bank account, it may take several business days for the money to show up. Contact your bank if it takes longer than a week.
Can I sue the airline for the cancellation?
You can file a claim in small claims court for the refund, meals, lodging, and other expenses the airline did not cover. You cannot sue for emotional distress or lost wages in most states. Small claims court is free or low-cost and does not require a lawyer. Check your state's small claims limit — it is usually $5,000 to $10,000.