Your airline must offer you a rebooking or a refund

When an airline cancels your flight, you have two when ready options: the airline must rebook you on their next available flight to your destination at no extra cost, or they must refund your ticket price. You choose which one. The airline cannot force you to accept a flight days later or to a different city as a substitute.

If you choose rebooking, the airline books you on the soonest flight they operate to your destination, even if it is on a different airline. If you choose a refund, you get the full ticket price back to your original payment method — not a credit or voucher. The refund must be processed within a set timeframe that varies by country: the U.S. Department of Transportation requires it within 20 days, while the European Union requires it within 14 days.

You do not have to decide when ready. You can ask the airline for time to think, or you can ask what flights are available before you commit to rebooking. Write down the cancellation reason and the airline representative's name if you speak to someone in person or by phone.

Key Takeaways

  • The airline must offer rebooking on the next available flight or a full refund to your original payment method — you choose, and they cannot force a voucher instead.
  • If the rebooking gets you to your destination more than three hours late (or one hour for flights under 1,500 km in the EU), you may be may have access to to compensation of €250 to €600 depending on flight distance.
  • Compensation is separate from the refund or rebooking and is owed to you even if the airline says the cancellation was beyond their control, with limited exceptions.
  • Keep your booking confirmation, boarding pass, and any written communication from the airline, as you will need these to request compensation later.
  • If the airline does not offer rebooking or refund within the required timeframe, you can file a complaint with your country's aviation authority or consumer protection agency.

When you are may have access to to cash compensation

In the United States, the airline does not owe you compensation for a cancellation — only rebooking or a refund. However, in the European Union, the UK, Canada, and several other countries, you may be may have access to to cash compensation if the rebooking delays your arrival by more than a certain amount of time.

In the EU and UK, compensation ranges from €250 to €600 depending on the flight distance and how late you arrive. A flight under 1,500 km pays €250 if you arrive more than one hour late. A flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km pays €400 if you arrive more than two hours late. A flight over 3,500 km pays €600 if you arrive more than three hours late. Canada uses a similar system with compensation in Canadian dollars based on flight length and delay.

The airline can refuse compensation only in narrow cases: if they can prove the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, such as severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or a security threat. Mechanical failures, crew shortages, and overbooking do not count as extraordinary circumstances. The airline must prove the circumstance caused the cancellation — saying "bad weather" without evidence is not enough.

What the airline must provide while you wait

If your flight is cancelled and you are not when ready rebooked to depart the same day, the airline must provide meals and refreshments that are reasonable for the length of the wait. For a short cancellation, this may be a meal voucher. For a longer wait, it includes hotel accommodation if you need to stay overnight, plus transport to and from the airport.

The airline must also provide you with two free phone calls, emails, or faxes to contact family or your destination. If you are rebooked on a flight that departs the next day or later, the airline covers the hotel and transport. If you choose not to stay in the hotel they arrange, they do not have to reimburse you for a different one — but if the airline's hotel is unavailable or unsuitable, you can book your own and ask for reimbursement with receipts.

These provisions explore in the EU, UK, and Canada. In the United States, the airline is not required by federal law to provide meals or hotels, though some airlines do as a matter of policy. Check your airline's website or call them to ask what they offer.

How to request compensation if the airline does not offer it

The airline is not required to tell you that you may be may have access to to compensation — you have to ask. Send a written request to the airline's customer service address (found on their website or your booking confirmation) within the timeframe allowed in your country. In the EU and UK, you have up to six years to claim. In Canada, you have two years. In the U.S., there is no compensation to claim under federal law, but you can dispute the refund or rebooking if the airline did not offer it.

Include your booking reference, flight number, cancellation date, the rebooking or refund you received, and how late you arrived at your final destination. Attach copies of your booking confirmation and boarding pass. If you paid with a credit card, the card company may also help you dispute the charge if the airline refuses to refund or rebook you.

If the airline denies your claim or does not respond within 30 to 60 days (depending on your country), you can file a complaint with your national aviation authority or consumer protection agency. In the U.S., this is the Department of Transportation. In the EU, it is your national enforcement body. In Canada, it is the Canadian Transportation Agency. These agencies can investigate and order the airline to pay, though the process takes several months.

What to do if the airline offers a voucher instead of a refund

If the airline tells you the cancellation qualifies only for a voucher or credit toward a future flight, they are wrong. You have the right to a refund to your original payment method. Vouchers are not the same as refunds and do not give you the same protection — you lose the money if you do not use it by the airline's important date, and you cannot use it if the airline goes out of business.

Politely but firmly tell the airline representative that you want a refund, not a voucher. If they refuse, ask to speak to a supervisor or escalation team. If they still refuse, file a complaint with your country's aviation authority. Many airlines count on passengers not knowing their rights and not pushing back. The authority can order the airline to pay the refund plus a penalty for refusing.

Cancellations caused by weather or other events beyond the airline's control

If the airline cancels your flight because of severe weather, a natural disaster, or a security threat, they still must rebook you or refund your ticket. However, they do not owe you cash compensation in most cases, because these events are considered extraordinary circumstances.

The key word is "extraordinary" — the airline must prove the event was unforeseeable and unavoidable. A thunderstorm on the day of your flight may may have access to. A forecast of bad weather that the airline knew about weeks in advance and could have scheduled around does not. If the airline cancelled your flight and blamed weather, but other airlines flew the same route that day, ask the airline for evidence that the weather actually prevented them from flying. If they cannot provide it, you may still be may have access to to compensation.

In the EU and UK, the airline must provide meals, hotels, and transport even if the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances. In the U.S., they do not have to, though some do.

If the airline cancels multiple times or leaves you stranded

If the airline cancels your rebooking flight as well, they must rebook you again or refund you. If they rebook you on a flight that arrives more than 24 hours after your original flight, you may be may have access to to compensation in addition to the rebooking. Keep records of each cancellation and the delays it caused.

If the airline goes out of business or stops flying and cannot rebook you, you can request a refund from the airline's bankruptcy trustee or from your country's airline passenger protection fund, if one exists. The EU has a fund that covers refunds up to a certain amount if an airline fails. The U.S. does not have a federal fund, but some credit card companies offer trip cancellation insurance that may cover the loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the airline cancel my flight without telling me in advance?

Yes. Airlines are not required to notify you before they cancel. You may only find out when you arrive at the airport or check your email. However, once they cancel, they must offer rebooking or a refund when ready. If you discover the cancellation after you have already travelled to the airport, ask the airline to cover your transport back home as part of the meals and accommodation they owe you.

What if I miss my rebooking flight because of the cancellation delay?

If the airline's rebooking flight departs before you can reasonably get to the airport — for example, if they rebook you on a flight two hours after the cancellation — and you miss it, the airline must rebook you again at no cost. Document the timing and ask the airline in writing to confirm they caused the missed connection.

Do I get compensation if I booked through a travel agent or third-party website?

Yes. You are may have access to to compensation from the airline, not the travel agent or booking website. However, if you paid the travel agent or website, you may need to request the refund from them first, and they will then request it from the airline. If they refuse, you can contact the airline directly with your booking reference and request the refund yourself.

Can the airline make me accept a flight to a different city instead of my original destination?

No. You have the right to reach your original destination. If the airline offers a flight to a different city, you can refuse it and demand rebooking to your original destination or a refund. The only exception is if you agree in writing to the different destination — do not agree unless you actually want to go there.

How long does it take to get a refund after a cancellation?

The timeframe depends on your country. In the U.S., the Department of Transportation requires refunds within 20 days. In the EU, it is 14 days. In Canada, it is 30 days. If the airline does not refund you within this time, file a complaint with your country's aviation authority. You can also dispute the charge with your credit card company if you paid by card.