Alaska Airlines Canceled Your Flight? Here’s How to Get Compensation

Imagine it’s 3:30 a.m. on the morning of your flight out to see family. You’re packed and ready to go, but you get a notification as you’re headed out the door — Alaska Airlines canceled your flight. 

Even worse, imagine you’re already at the airport before you get the notification!

But you won’t be left completely high and dry by Alaska. Every domestic airline has made a set of commitments to customer care, and they have obligations to you when flights are canceled for reasons within the airline’s control. 

What Alaska Owes You for a Cancellation

Alaska boasts a pretty great compensation package. For significant delays or cancellations, Alaska offers several services and amenities to ease the inconvenience.

Rebooking and other services

In their contract of carriage, Alaska Airlines promises to rebook you on a new itinerary at no extra cost. And if they can’t get you on an Alaska flight? They’ve committed to booking you on a partner airline to get you where you need to go.

You also have the option to reschedule the flight for a different day, and all service fees will be waived.

Alternatively, if you decide you don’t want a new itinerary and choose not to take your trip, the airline is on the hook for refunding the flights you didn’t take.

Finally, Alaska Airlines might offer you a travel credit, valid for five years, instead of rebooking you or refunding your flights. But be careful! Travel credits are great for airlines since they’re not out any money, but if you don’t know when you’ll fly with Alaska again, you’ve lost that cash. 

You don’t have to accept a travel credit. If Alaska can’t rebook you or if you decline the rebooking they offer, you’re legally entitled to a refund!

Vouchers and complimentary accommodations

Alaska Airlines says they will provide you with a meal voucher if you’re stuck in the airport because your itinerary has been delayed more than 3 hours. 

They also promise to provide complimentary hotel accommodations and associated ground transportation if you’re stuck due to an overnight cancellation.

It’s possible Alaska Airlines won’t be able to give out vouchers, depending on hotel availability. In this case, keep all your receipts, because you are entitled to reimbursement for meals, hotels, and transportation that Alaska failed to provide!

Travel credit

Here's where it gets good. If your travel is interrupted because of an issue that falls under Alaska’s control, you’re entitled to bonus compensation for the inconvenience. Not all airlines offer this!

You can ask for either a discount code for at least $50 off a future flight or a mileage bonus of a minimum of 2,000 Mileage Plan miles to your Alaska account.

You’re only eligible for this if the reason for the cancellation was something within Alaska’s control. Weather, security issues, and other “force majeure” circumstances don’t fall under an airline’s control, so you can’t claim a travel credit in those circumstances.

Refunds

You can choose not to accept any rebookings from the airline and get your money back. 

But remember: You only get a full refund if you decline rescheduled flights and all other forms of compensation. 

Understanding Your Rights When Alaska Cancels Your Flight

Certain circumstances warrant different passenger rights. It’s important to know exactly what you’re entitled to, so you can get the compensation you’re owed!

What makes an eligible cancellation

Not all flight cancellations are created equal. When airlines have to cancel flights, they fall into two categories: controllable and uncontrollable. 

Your rights to vouchers, travel credits, and complimentary accommodations apply only when a flight has a controllable cancellation. This means the reason for the cancellation was within Alaska’s control. Think: crew delays, mechanical issues, or problems with baggage loading.

If a flight is canceled for reasons outside an airline’s control, passengers don’t have the same rights. These include:

• Bad weather
• Air traffic control issues
• Safety or security
• Other “force majeure” events 

However, if your flight is canceled because of an uncontrollable reason and you opt not to continue your trip, the airline is legally required to refund you for your ticket, thanks to a Department of Transportation regulation that went into effect in October 2024.

How the Department of Transportation fits in

Within the last few years, the Department of Transportation has improved its process for holding airlines accountable when they don’t treat customers right.

Technically, the DOT actually doesn’t have any of their own specific requirements for airlines related to customer care during travel interruptions, besides the refund regulation. 

However, the DOT does enforce the promises that airlines have made to their customers, which are specific and include amenities and services for customers experiencing controllable cancellations.

The DOT has created an Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard that details what each airline has committed to providing for customers in the instance of flight delays and cancellations. 

I highly recommend you check it out and have it handy whenever you’re flying — it’s a fantastic resource!

Plus, if Alaska doesn’t pony up with the travel credits or other services they’ve promised, you can file a complaint with the DOT, which will ensure you receive your compensation. 

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Claiming Compensation

Knowledge is your greatest travel companion. Use it to get what you’re entitled to as a traveler!

Rebook like a pro

It’s likely you’ll be automatically rebooked onto a new flight by Alaska. If you aren’t, you can manage your trip on the Alaska website or app, where you can reschedule your flights at your convenience.

If you’re at the gate, you can also talk with the airline representative to reschedule your flight.

Documentation is your best friend

Always, always keep your receipts. Whether it's for a hotel, meal, or ground transportation, those could be your ticket to reimbursement!

The Alaska Airlines website doesn’t offer a clear answer about where to submit forms for reimbursement, so it’s extra important to hold onto those receipts. 

Check with the gate agent and even get it in writing how they plan to reimburse you!

Communicate with the gate agent

If you have any questions or issues with your canceled reservation, the gate agent should be able to help you. 

They’re the ones who will be supplying vouchers and booking hotel rooms for stranded passengers, so make sure they know what you need — and that you know what you’re entitled to!

Other Compensation Options

Travel insurance policies and credit card benefits can both provide compensation when your flight gets canceled — and in most cases, it’s more generous than what airlines provide.

Travel insurance

If your flight gets interrupted for any reason, your travel insurance policy can provide additional compensation, like a larger meal budget or lounge access. You’ll also receive booking support to get you back en route ASAP. 

Your accommodations and other prepaid activities are also reimbursable. So, if you ended up stuck somewhere overnight because your connection was canceled, you wouldn’t be out money for the suite and dinner reservation you booked at your destination.

READ MORE: Which Situations Are Covered by Trip Cancellation Insurance?

Credit card benefits

Lots of top credit cards come with travel insurance as a benefit. So, if you used that credit card to book the trip, you might already be covered. 

For example, if you booked your flight with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you could receive up to $500 in compensation per ticket if it takes longer than 6-12 hours for the airline to book you on a new flight.

If your trip is totally canceled (say, if bad weather or a strike means no flights are available at all and you need to forfeit the whole thing), you could get up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip to cover any prepaid, nonrefundable costs. 

. . .

. . .

TL;DR: How To Get Alaska Airlines Flight Cancellation Compensation

When your flight is canceled, Alaska Airlines should immediately and automatically rebook you. 

If they don’t, check with a gate agent or manage your booking online. And if, for some reason, they can’t rebook you, they owe you a refund. 

If you’re stuck at the airport because of the cancellation, you’re entitled to meal vouchers. And if it’s an overnight ordeal, you’re owed a hotel room and ground transportation.

Plus, Alaska offers bonus compensation for the inconvenience, so talk to the gate agent to claim your miles or travel credit!

. . .

---

Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.