Flight changes and cancellations

For travelers experiencing a flight delay or cancellation who want to know how they can recoup expenses, change their flight, and more

If the airline cancels your flight and you don't want to rebook
Under federal law, you're entitled to a full cash refund. Period. And now, under the new DOT rule, those refunds must be issued by airlines automatically.

Even basic economy tickets-which are nonrefundable if you elect to cancel voluntarily-are eligible for a cash refund if the airline cancels your flight.

If the airline cancels your flight and you still want to fly
You can accept the new flight that the airline automatically rebooked you on, or you can call the airline and ask to be moved to a flight that works better for you.

If you can't find a better flight, you can ask to fly with one of the airline's partners. The airline may even be willing to fly you with a competitor if the situation is dire.

If you do find a better alternative but the cost is higher than what you originally paid, don't worry: The airline should rebook you for free.

The airline makes a significant change to your itinerary
Most airlines have policies that if they significantly change your itinerary after booking, they'll get you rebooked.

What constitutes a "significant change" is now more clear than it used to be (thanks to the DOT rule): a delay of three hours or more for domestic flights and six hours or more for international flights. Other cases that can count as a significant change to your itinerary:

• A change in your departure or arrival airport
• Switching you from a nonstop to a connecting flight
• If your connection time shrinks below the airport or airline's stated minimum connection time

When shopping for a new flight, don't worry if the fare is higher than what you paid for yours. If there's an open seat, the airline will almost always rebook you for free. (This is one of our favorite hidden loopholes for getting a better flight after booking.)

If you can't find a new flight that works for you, you can request a refund (even for a nonrefundable basic economy fare). Just remember: Depending on what you originally paid and how soon you're traveling, you may have a hard time finding a new flight at a good price.

If the airline cancels your flight and there is no replacement option
If the airline cancels your flight and there is no replacement option (like if they stopped flying that route), things are a little trickier.

For legacy airlines with many routes and an extensive partner network, the airline can often find another solution. But many budget airlines-like Avelo or Breeze-don't always have those options. If they cancel a specific route, they may not be able to reroute you.

Most likely the airline will cancel your flight and issue you a refund. If you're interested in a different route, though, like you'd be willing to fly to Boston instead of Portland, Maine, you can ask to be accommodated.

Curious what you can get reimbursed for during a flight delay or cancellation?
This DOT customer service dashboard breaks it all down-which airlines offer travel credits, meal vouchers, hotel reimbursement, ground transportation, and more.

Overbooked flight

For travelers with a ticket on an overbooked flight who want to accept a voucher or get bumped to another flight

In the moment, an overbooked flight can feel frustrating. But for flexible travelers, it can actually be a gift.

Before an airline involuntarily bumps a passenger, they'll ask for volunteers. Typically, they'll start by offering a voucher for future travel, maybe $100 or $200 to start. And of course, they'll put you on the next available flight and put you up in a hotel and offer food vouchers if needed.

If they don't get enough volunteers, they'll increase the offer, often to $500 or more. When you volunteer for a voucher, ask the agent to match your voucher with the highest offer, meaning if you volunteer at a $200 offer but the last person volunteers at $1,000, you'll also get $1,000.

It's very unlikely you'll be bumped involuntarily from a flight, but if it does happen, the airline owes you money.

For domestic flights, it works out like this:

• 0-1 hour delay: No compensation
• 1-2 hours delay: 2x the one-way fare (up to $775)
• 2+ hours delay: 4x the one-way fare (up to $1,550)

For international flights, the delay length needs to be a bit longer to get the big money:

• 0-1 hour delay: No compensation
• 1-4 hours delay: 2x the one-way fare (up to $775)
• 4+ hours delay: 4x the one-way fare (up to $1,550)

Here's the full list of rules and travelers' rights under federal law in an oversell situation.

Every airline has different rules about choosing which passengers to bump. Among the deciding factors are status with the airline, the fare class, order of check-in, and the cost of your ticket. If you're a frequent flyer in a premium class, you may be less likely to be bumped, while someone in basic economy who checked in at the last minute might be more likely to be bumped.

24-hour rule

For travelers who want to change or cancel a flight within 24 hours of booking

Under federal law, airlines must allow customers to change a flight for free or cancel for a full cash refund within 24 hours of booking-so long as the flight is booked directly with the airline, is at least seven days from the travel date, and originates in or goes to the US on any airline.

Exceptions to the 24-hour rule

• Tickets booked via an online travel agency (OTA) like Expedia, Travelocity, etc. (though some OTAs have their own 24-hour cancellation rules)
• Tickets booked within seven days of travel
• Tickets that do not originate in or fly to the US (e.g., London to Bangkok)
• Tickets where the airline offers a free 24-hour price hold instead of free 24-hour cancellation

Why is the 24-hour rule so helpful? First, it helps you get the lowest price on your flight. We often see price drops within 24 hours of booking. The rule enables you to book the cheaper fare and cancel the previous, more expensive booking.

It also allows you to take advantage of an amazing deal or mistake fare by giving you 24 hours to decide if you want to take the trip. In that time, you can find out if the dates work, line up child care, get time off approved at work, or coordinate with friends and family.

To use the 24-hour rule:

1. Make sure you're within the 24-hour window from when you purchased the first flight.
2. Book the new flight at the cheaper rate before you do anything else. This ensures you lock in this new, better price (it could go up within minutes).
3. Once you've booked the new flight, cancel the old one.

If you cancel the old flight, then miss snagging the new flight at a great price, you're left with no ticket. If you book the new flight first then miss the 24-hour window to cancel the first one, you can just cancel the new one, and you're no worse off than you were in the beginning.

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