Your airline must rebook you or refund your ticket

When your flight is cancelled, the airline's legal obligation depends on why it happened and where you are flying. If the cancellation is the airline's fault—mechanical failure, crew shortage, scheduling error—you have the right to either a rebooking on the next available flight to your destination or a refund of your ticket price. If the cancellation is due to a circumstance the airline cannot control, such as severe weather or air traffic control decisions, the airline must still rebook you but does not have to pay compensation.

The key difference is that you always get rebooked or refunded. You do not have to accept a voucher or travel credit if you want your money back. Write down the cancellation reason the airline gives you—this matters later if you need to dispute what they claim was outside their control.

Start by going to the airline's website or calling their customer service line. Have your confirmation number and ticket number ready. Tell them you want either a rebooking on the soonest flight to your destination or a full refund to your original payment method. If the airline says they cannot rebook you for several days, ask about flights on other airlines—many airlines have agreements to book passengers on competitors when their own flights are full.

Key Takeaways

  • You have the right to a rebooking on the next available flight or a full refund of your ticket price, regardless of the reason for cancellation.
  • If the airline caused the cancellation, you may also be owed compensation—up to $775 in the United States depending on flight length and how much notice you received.
  • Document everything: take screenshots of the cancellation notice, write down the time you were told, and save the airline's explanation of why it happened.
  • If the airline refuses to rebook you or refund your ticket within a reasonable time, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.
  • Check your travel insurance or credit card benefits—some policies cover hotel, meals, and transportation costs when a flight is cancelled.

How to get compensation if the airline caused the cancellation

In the United States, the Department of Transportation requires airlines to pay compensation for cancellations that are the airline's responsibility. The amount depends on how long your flight was and how much notice you received. If you were told less than 14 days before departure, you are owed between $260 and $775 per passenger, depending on whether your flight was domestic or international and how late you arrived at your destination.

The airline does not automatically send this money. You have to request it. After the airline rebooks or refunds you, contact them again in writing—email is best because it creates a record. State that you are requesting compensation under Department of Transportation rules, include your confirmation number and ticket number, and explain that the cancellation was within the airline's control. Include the cancellation reason the airline gave you and explain why it was the airline's fault, not weather or air traffic control.

If the airline denies your request or does not respond within 30 days, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation at dot.gov. You can also pursue the claim in small claims court in your home state. Keep all documentation: the cancellation notice, emails with the airline, your ticket receipt, and any expenses you paid out of pocket.

What to do if the airline will not rebook you quickly

If the airline cannot get you to your destination within a few hours, ask them to cover your meals and hotel. Airlines are required to provide these at no cost if the cancellation is their fault. If you are stranded overnight, the airline must pay for a hotel room. If you need ground transportation to the hotel or airport, they must cover that too.

Do not wait for the airline to offer—ask directly. Say: "I need a hotel for tonight. Please provide the booking or reimburse me." Get the hotel receipt and any meal receipts. If the airline refuses to pay, you can submit these expenses as part of a compensation claim later.

If the airline will not rebook you on their own flights and refuses to book you on another airline, you have the right to book your own flight and ask the airline to reimburse you. This is called "self-help." Book the cheapest reasonable option to your destination and keep the receipt. The airline should reimburse you up to what they would have paid for their own ticket, though you may have to pursue this through a complaint or small claims court.

Document everything for your records

Take a screenshot of the cancellation notice on the airline's website or app the moment you see it. If you are at the airport, take a photo of the departure board showing the cancellation. Write down the time you found out, the name of any airline employee you spoke to, and exactly what they told you about why the flight was cancelled.

Save every email from the airline, including confirmation of your rebooking or refund. If you speak to the airline by phone, follow up with an email that says: "This confirms our conversation on [date] at [time]. You told me [what they said]. I requested [what you asked for]." This creates a written record the airline cannot deny later.

Keep receipts for any money you spent: hotel, meals, transportation, a replacement flight you booked yourself. These are evidence if you file a complaint or go to small claims court. The airline is not required to reimburse personal expenses like missed events or lost wages, but they are required to cover transportation and lodging directly related to the cancellation.

How to file a complaint if the airline does not cooperate

If the airline refuses to rebook you, will not refund your ticket, or denies compensation you believe you are owed, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation. Go to dot.gov and look for the Aviation Consumer Protection Division. You can file online or by mail. Include your ticket number, confirmation number, the date of the cancelled flight, what the airline told you, and what you asked them to do.

The Department of Transportation will send your complaint to the airline and ask them to respond. The airline has 30 days to reply. If they do not resolve it to your satisfaction, you can pursue the claim in small claims court in your home state. Small claims court has a filing fee (usually $50 to $200) and a limit on how much you can recover (usually $5,000 to $10,000 depending on your state), but you do not need a lawyer.

Some passengers also use credit card chargebacks. If you paid with a credit card, you can contact your credit card company and dispute the charge, explaining that the airline did not provide the service you paid for. The credit card company will investigate and may reverse the charge. This does not prevent the airline from pursuing you, but it is another option if the airline is not responding to your requests.

Check your travel insurance and credit card coverage

Before you pay out of pocket for a hotel or replacement flight, check whether your travel insurance or credit card offers cancellation coverage. Many travel insurance policies cover hotel and meal costs when a flight is cancelled. Some premium credit cards also include trip cancellation or delay coverage.

Look at your insurance policy or credit card benefits guide and search for "cancellation" or "delay." If you have coverage, contact the insurance company or credit card issuer and ask what documentation they need. Usually they want your original ticket receipt, proof of the cancellation, and receipts for expenses you paid. Submit these within the time limit stated in your policy—often 30 to 90 days.

Insurance and credit card coverage can reimburse you even if the airline eventually does too, though some policies have limits or exclusions. Read the fine print to understand what is covered and what is not. If you are unsure whether you have coverage, call the customer service number on your insurance documents or credit card.

What happens if you miss a connection because of the cancellation

If your cancelled flight caused you to miss a connecting flight, the airline that cancelled the first flight is responsible for getting you to your final destination. This is true even if the connecting flight was on a different airline. Tell the airline when ready that you have a connection and ask them to rebook you on flights that will get you there, even if it means flying on a competitor's airline.

If the airline will not rebook you and you miss your connection, you can still file a complaint and request compensation. The fact that you missed a connection does not reduce what you are owed—it may actually increase it, because you arrived much later than planned. Document the missed connection: get a statement from the second airline showing that you did not board, and include this in your complaint to the Department of Transportation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get money back if the cancellation was due to bad weather?

No. Bad weather is considered outside the airline's control, so you are not owed compensation. However, the airline must still rebook you on the next available flight or refund your ticket. If you paid for a hotel or meals while waiting, you cannot recover those costs from the airline unless your travel insurance covers weather-related cancellations.

Can the airline force me to take a voucher instead of a refund?

No. You have the right to a refund to your original payment method. A voucher or travel credit is the airline's offer, but you can refuse it and demand cash back. If the airline insists you must take a voucher, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

How long do I have to request compensation from the airline?

There is no federal time limit, but airlines often deny claims that are more than a year old. Request compensation as soon as possible after the cancellation. If the airline denies your request, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation or sue in small claims court. State laws vary on how long you have to file a lawsuit, but it is usually two to four years.

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

You can refuse it and ask for a refund instead. You are may have access to to a rebooking on the next available flight to your destination, not just any flight that eventually gets you there. If the airline's next flight is not for two days, you can ask for a refund or for them to book you on another airline's flight that leaves sooner.

Do I get compensation if I booked through a travel website like Expedia or Kayak?

Yes. The airline is responsible for compensation regardless of where you bought the ticket. Contact the airline directly with your confirmation number. If the airline refuses, you can also contact the travel website and ask them to help you pursue the claim, though the airline is your primary source for the refund or compensation.