Your airline must rebook you or refund your ticket

When your flight is canceled, the airline is required by federal law to either put you on another flight to your destination at no extra cost, or refund your ticket price. This applies whether you booked directly with the airline or through a third-party site like Expedia or Kayak. The airline chooses which option to offer first—you do not get to demand a refund instead of a rebooking, though you can refuse the rebooking they offer and then request the refund.

The refund must be in the original form of payment. If you paid by credit card, the money goes back to that card. If you paid cash at a ticket counter, you receive cash. You do not have to accept a travel credit or voucher unless you choose to. Many airlines will push a credit toward future travel because it costs them nothing; insisting on a refund to your original payment method is your right under Department of Transportation rules.

The timeline matters. You must request the refund within a reasonable time—typically within a few days of the cancellation, though the airline may accept requests weeks later. Do this in writing (email, not a phone call) so you have proof of when you asked. Keep the cancellation notice, your booking confirmation, and any communication with the airline.

Key Takeaways

  • The airline must rebook you on the next available flight to your destination at no cost, or refund your ticket to your original payment method.
  • You can refuse the rebooking the airline offers and request a refund instead, but you must ask for it in writing within a few days.
  • If the airline books you on a flight more than three hours later than your original arrival time, you may be may have access to to compensation under Department of Transportation rules.
  • Check your airline's website or call their customer service line when ready after learning of the cancellation, because rebooking slots fill quickly.
  • Keep all confirmation emails, cancellation notices, and receipts in case you need to dispute the airline's response later.

How to get rebooked quickly

Contact the airline as soon as you learn the flight is canceled. Do this through their website or app first—most airlines now have a "manage booking" section where you can see available flights and rebook yourself when ready. If the website is slow or crashing (common during widespread cancellations), call the airline's customer service line. Have your booking confirmation number ready.

The airline will show you available flights to your destination. You can accept the first one offered, or ask to see other options. If the next available flight is the same day, take it. If it is days away, ask whether the airline will book you on a competitor's flight instead—some airlines have agreements to do this during widespread disruptions, though they are not required to. If the airline refuses and the delay is long, you may want to book your own flight on another airline and then request reimbursement from your original airline (see the compensation section below).

If you are rebooked on a flight that departs from a different airport, ask the airline whether they will cover ground transportation to that airport. They are not required to, but some will during their own operational failures. If they refuse, keep the receipt for any taxi, rideshare, or parking costs—you may be able to claim these as damages if you pursue compensation later.

When you are may have access to to compensation

The Department of Transportation requires airlines to pay compensation if they cancel a flight and rebook you on a flight that arrives at your final destination more than three hours later than your original scheduled arrival. The compensation is either $400 or $800 depending on the distance, paid per passenger. This rule applies only to flights within, to, or from the United States.

The airline does not automatically pay this—you must request it. Send a written claim to the airline's customer service department, including your booking confirmation, the original flight details, the rebooked flight details, and the time difference in arrival. State that you are claiming compensation under 14 CFR Part 259. The airline has 30 days to respond. If they refuse or do not respond, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation or pursue the claim in small claims court.

There is one exception: the airline does not have to pay compensation if the cancellation was caused by weather, a security threat, or an air traffic control decision. These are considered "acts beyond the airline's control." However, mechanical failures, crew scheduling problems, and lack of crew rest are the airline's responsibility, so compensation applies. If the airline claims weather caused the cancellation, ask for documentation—you can challenge this if the weather was not actually severe enough to prevent flight operations.

What to do if you booked through a travel site

If you booked through Expedia, Kayak, Costco Travel, or another third-party site, contact the airline directly, not the travel site. The airline is responsible for rebooking and refunds, not the middleman. The travel site cannot force the airline to do anything—they are just a booking agent.

However, some travel sites offer their own protections or credits. Log into your account on the travel site and check whether they have issued a travel credit or refund on their end. This is separate from what the airline owes you. If the travel site has already refunded you but the airline also refunds you, you will have received two refunds—contact one of them to return the duplicate payment.

If the airline refuses to rebook or refund you, and the travel site also will not help, you can file a chargeback with your credit card company. Provide them with the booking confirmation, the cancellation notice, and documentation of your attempts to get the airline to rebook or refund you. The credit card company will investigate and may reverse the charge.

Covering meals and hotels while you wait

If your rebooking means you will be stranded overnight, the airline is required to provide you with meals and a hotel room at no cost. This applies only if the cancellation was the airline's fault (mechanical failure, crew issues, overselling) and not if it was weather or another uncontrollable event. Ask the airline's customer service agent whether they will cover these costs before you book anything yourself.

If the airline agrees to cover meals and lodging, they will either book the hotel directly or give you a voucher to use at a hotel of their choosing. Keep all receipts. If the airline refuses to cover these costs and you believe the cancellation was their fault, pay for the hotel and meals yourself and then submit the receipts with your compensation claim to the airline.

If you are stranded due to weather and the airline is not required to cover meals and lodging, you are responsible for these costs. Some travel insurance policies cover this, so check your policy if you purchased one. Credit card companies sometimes offer travel delay reimbursement as a cardholder benefit—call your card issuer to ask.

Handling cancellations during widespread disruptions

During widespread disruptions—severe weather affecting multiple airlines, major system outages, or large-scale crew shortages—rebooking can take days because every airline is overbooked. Customer service lines will be overwhelmed and websites may crash. In these situations, the airline is still required to rebook you, but the next available flight may be several days away.

If you cannot wait days for a rebooking, you have the right to cancel the trip entirely and request a refund. You can also book your own flight on another airline and then request reimbursement from your original airline for the difference in price (if the new ticket costs more). Keep the receipt and send it to the airline with a written request for reimbursement, along with documentation that the original airline's rebooking would have delayed you unacceptably.

During widespread disruptions, airlines sometimes issue travel credits automatically to affected passengers. Check your email and your airline account regularly. These credits typically expire within one year, so note the expiration date.

Documenting everything for a dispute

Save every email, text, and confirmation from the airline. Take screenshots of the cancellation notice on the airline's website and app. If you call the airline, note the date, time, and the name of the agent you spoke with. If the agent makes a promise (such as covering hotel costs), ask them to send you a confirmation email restating that promise.

Create a straightforward document with the following information: your booking confirmation number, the original flight number and scheduled departure and arrival times, the date of cancellation, the reason given by the airline, the flight you were rebooked on (if any), and the date you requested a refund or compensation. Include copies of all receipts for meals, hotels, or alternative transportation you paid for out of pocket.

If the airline denies your refund or compensation claim, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation through their website. You can also pursue the claim in small claims court in your home state. Having clear documentation makes both of these processes much faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get compensation if the airline cancels my flight due to weather?

No. The Department of Transportation does not require compensation for weather-related cancellations because weather is considered outside the airline's control. However, the airline must still rebook you or refund your ticket. If you believe the weather was not severe enough to justify the cancellation, you can request documentation from the airline and file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

What if the airline books me on a flight that arrives at a different time but still gets me there the same day?

If the rebooking arrives more than three hours after your original scheduled arrival time, you are may have access to to compensation even if it is the same day. The three-hour rule is based on arrival time, not departure time. Document the original arrival time and the new arrival time to support a compensation claim.

Can I get a refund instead of being rebooked?

Yes, but you must ask for it. The airline will offer rebooking first. If you refuse the rebooking and request a refund instead, the airline must provide one to your original payment method. Make this request in writing (email) so you have proof.

What if I booked a non-refundable ticket?

A non-refundable ticket is still refundable if the airline cancels the flight. The "non-refundable" restriction applies only to cancellations you initiate. When the airline cancels, federal law overrides the ticket terms and you are may have access to to a refund or rebooking at no cost.

How long do I have to request a refund after a cancellation?

There is no hard important date in federal law, but you should request it within a few days of the cancellation. Airlines may deny refund requests that come weeks or months later, claiming they cannot verify the cancellation. Send your request in writing and keep a copy so you have proof of when you asked.