Your airline must rebook you or refund your ticket when weather cancels your flight

When weather cancels your flight, the airline is required to either book you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost, or refund your ticket price. The airline does not have to pay you additional compensation for weather cancellations — weather is considered an "act of God" that airlines cannot control — but you are may have access to to one of those two options, not left stranded.

The specific rules depend on which country's airline you booked with. U.S. carriers follow Department of Transportation rules. European airlines follow EU Regulation 261/2004. Other countries have their own frameworks. In all cases, the airline must offer rebooking or a refund; they cannot straightforward cancel and keep your money.

The first step is to contact your airline directly — by phone, the airline's website, or the airport ticket counter — and ask for either rebooking on the next flight or a full refund. Have your booking confirmation number ready. Do not wait for the airline to contact you; they will not.

Key Takeaways

  • Your airline must rebook you on the next available flight at no charge or refund your full ticket price when weather cancels your flight.
  • Weather cancellations do not trigger additional compensation payments, even if you miss a connection or arrive many hours late.
  • You must contact the airline yourself — by phone, website, or airport counter — to request rebooking or a refund; the airline will not reach out to you.
  • If the airline cannot rebook you for several days, you may be may have access to to meals, hotel, and ground transportation under U.S. or EU rules depending on your airline's home country.
  • Keep all receipts for meals, hotels, or other expenses; some airlines will reimburse these costs even when they are not legally required to do so.

Rebooking versus refund: which option to choose

When you contact the airline, you will be offered a choice: rebook on another flight, or receive a refund. Rebooking means the airline puts you on the next available flight to your destination, which may be the same day, the next day, or several days later depending on how many other passengers are waiting and how many flights the airline operates on that route.

Choose rebooking if you still want to reach your destination and the new flight time works for you. The airline cannot charge you extra for this rebooking, even if the new flight is in a higher cabin class or on a different airline (if the airline has a partnership agreement). Choose a refund if you no longer want to travel, or if the rebooking would arrive so late that it defeats the purpose of your trip.

If the airline offers to rebook you on a flight that arrives more than three hours after your original arrival time (in the U.S.) or more than three hours late (in the EU), you may also be may have access to to meals, hotel, and ground transportation while you wait. Ask the airline what they will cover before accepting the rebooking.

How to request a refund from your airline

To request a refund, tell the airline agent or customer service representative that you want a refund instead of rebooking. The airline will ask you to confirm your booking details and may ask why you no longer want to travel. You do not have to explain; a weather cancellation gives you the right to a refund regardless of your reason.

The refund should be issued to the original payment method — the credit card, debit card, or bank account you used to buy the ticket. This typically takes 5 to 10 business days, though some airlines take longer. If you paid with a credit card, the refund appears as a credit to that card. If you paid with a debit card or bank transfer, the money returns to that account.

If the airline does not process your refund within two weeks, contact them again with your booking confirmation number and the date you requested the refund. Keep a record of every conversation — note the date, time, and name of the agent you spoke with. If the airline continues to delay, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation (in the U.S.) or the national aviation authority in your country.

What to do if you are stranded overnight or longer

If the airline cannot rebook you until the next day or later, you are may have access to to meals and hotel accommodations under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, provided the cancellation was not your fault and the airline had advance notice of the weather (which is almost always the case). The airline must either provide these directly or reimburse you for reasonable expenses you incur.

In practice, this means: if you are stuck overnight, ask the airline for a hotel voucher or the name of a hotel they have an agreement with. If they do not offer one, book a reasonable hotel yourself and keep the receipt — the airline may reimburse you later. For meals, keep all receipts for food purchased while you wait. Most airlines will reimburse meal costs between $10 and $20 per meal, though the exact amount varies by airline.

Some airlines are more generous than others. Even if the airline is not legally required to cover these costs (because the cancellation was weather-related), many will reimburse them anyway to maintain customer goodwill. Always ask, and always keep receipts. If the airline refuses reimbursement, you can submit a complaint to the Department of Transportation, though weather cancellations rarely result in fines.

Rebooking on a different airline

If your airline cannot rebook you on one of their own flights for several days, they may offer to book you on a competitor's flight instead. This is called an "interline agreement" and is common among major carriers. You should accept this offer if it gets you to your destination sooner, because the airline is paying for your ticket on the other carrier — you pay nothing extra.

When you are rebooked on a different airline, you may not be able to use the same boarding pass or seat assignment. Arrive at the airport early and check in with the new airline's counter. Bring your original booking confirmation number and any rebooking confirmation the first airline gave you. The new airline will issue you a new boarding pass and seat assignment.

If your luggage was checked on the original flight, ask the first airline what happens to your bags. Most of the time, your bags are automatically transferred to the new flight. If not, the airline will deliver them to your destination or to your home address at no charge.

When you miss a connection because of a weather cancellation

If your first flight is cancelled and you miss a connecting flight as a result, the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination. This is true even if your connecting flight was on a different airline, as long as you booked both flights as a single itinerary (one booking confirmation number).

Contact the airline that operated the cancelled flight and tell them you missed your connection. They will rebook you on the next available flight to your final destination, which may be on their own airline or a partner airline. You do not pay extra for this rebooking. If the rebooking is delayed and you need a hotel, the airline should cover it under the same rules as an overnight cancellation.

If you booked your flights separately — two different confirmation numbers, two different airlines — the situation is more complicated. The airline that cancelled your first flight is only responsible for getting you to the airport where your second flight departs. If you miss the second flight, that airline is not responsible, because you were not booked as a single itinerary. To avoid this problem, always book connecting flights on the same reservation when possible.

Documenting your expenses and filing a complaint

Keep every receipt and confirmation number related to your cancelled flight and any expenses you incur. This includes the original booking confirmation, boarding passes, hotel receipts, meal receipts, ground transportation receipts, and any emails or messages from the airline. Take screenshots of your airline's website showing the cancellation if possible.

If the airline refuses to rebook you or refund your ticket, or if they refuse to reimburse reasonable expenses, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation (in the U.S.) at dot.gov/airconsumer, or with your country's aviation authority. Include your booking confirmation, all receipts, and a description of what happened. The DOT investigates complaints and can fine airlines that violate passenger rights rules.

You can also file a chargeback with your credit card company if you paid by credit card and the airline refuses to refund your ticket. Contact your credit card issuer and explain that the airline cancelled your flight and will not refund your money. The credit card company will investigate and may reverse the charge, returning the money to your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get compensation money if weather cancels my flight?

No. Weather is considered an act of God that airlines cannot control, so you are not may have access to to compensation payments. You are may have access to to rebooking or a refund, and to meals and hotel if you are stranded overnight, but not to additional money. EU rules are the same: weather cancellations do not trigger compensation.

Can the airline make me accept a rebooking instead of a refund?

No. You have the right to choose either rebooking or a refund. If the airline pressures you to rebook, you can insist on a refund. If they refuse, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation or your country's aviation authority.

What if the airline books me on a flight that arrives much later than my original flight?

If the new flight arrives more than three hours after your original arrival time, you are may have access to to meals, hotel, and ground transportation while you wait. Ask the airline what they will cover before accepting the rebooking. If they refuse, you can still accept the rebooking and then request reimbursement for your expenses later.

How long does it take to get a refund?

Most airlines process refunds within 5 to 10 business days. Some take longer. If your refund does not appear within two weeks, contact the airline again. If they continue to delay beyond 30 days, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

What if I booked through a travel website like Expedia or Kayak?

Contact the airline directly, not the travel website. The airline is responsible for rebooking and refunds. The travel website cannot force the airline to refund you. Once the airline issues a refund, the travel website will pass it along to you, though this may take additional time.