Erika Kullberg’s Flight Delay Compensation: What You’re Entitled to and How To Get It

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Flight delays account for 23% of all flights in the U.S. – that’s according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. So, more likely than not, you'll experience one during your travels.

However, there are rules and agreements that airlines have made both with the DOT and within their own fine print that mean they’re required to compensate you when your flight is delayed.

Not only that, but sometimes you have additional coverage available through your credit card or travel insurance. Let’s break it down so you get what you’re entitled to next time your flight is delayed.

What Makes a Qualifying Delay? 

To be eligible for compensation (refund or other forms of compensation) your flight needs to have been “significantly” changed. For domestic flights, that’s defined as a change in departure or arrival time by 3 hours. If you’re flying internationally, “significant” jumps to 6 hours.

Though less frequent, these situations also count as “significant” changes:

• Departure from or arrival to a different airport than originally scheduled
• Modification of your itinerary to include more connecting airports than originally scheduled
• An involuntary downgrade to a lower cabin class than what you paid for

As of April 2024, airlines are legally required to give you an automatic, full refund if your flight is significantly delayed – but only if you choose not to fly at all and don’t accept other forms of compensation. 

For example, if your flight is delayed and the airline rebooks you on another flight, you're not entitled to a refund. But, if you choose to call it a day and cancel your flight altogether because of the delay, then you would get the automatic refund. 

Controllable vs uncontrollable delays

There are two categories of delays: controllable and uncontrollable. To be eligible for any kind of compensation, your flight needs to fall into the first category — it must be controllable by the airline.

Common examples of controllable delays are:

• Maintenance problems
• Crew scheduling 
• Baggage loading
• Fueling
• Cabin cleaning

However, during an uncontrollable delay (like weather, strikes and labor-related disputes, war and civil unrest, fuel shortages, government directives, etc), your consumer rights shrink.

For these uncontrollable situations, airlines have only one requirement: they must provide refunds if the flight has been significantly changed and the passenger chooses not to accept alternatives. 

This means you must decline rebookings, new flights, and all other forms of compensation and choose not to fly your trip. Only then will you be eligible for a refund, even if the delay was caused by something outside the airline's control, like weather.

How Does a Flight Delay Refund Work?

If you decline a new itinerary from the airline and opt not to fly, then your refund should be automatic to your original form of payment – like your credit card.

Your refund must be provided within 7 business days if you paid for the flight with a credit card or within 20 calendar days if you bought the flight with another payment method, like cash or check. 

Airlines can also offer a cash equivalent refund – like a flight voucher or miles. We recommend always taking the cash refund. A flight voucher can be great, but only if you remember to use it. If you forget, you’re out the money. 

READ MORE: Credit Card vs. Debit Card: Which Is Better?

Getting Additional Flight Delay Compensation

If you don’t accept the refund, and choose to wait out your flight delay until the next available flight, there are some things airlines have agreed to provide you in their Contract of Carriages and to the DOT. 

These include things like meal vouchers, hotel stays, and even frequent flier miles. There are a few small policy variations from one carrier to the next that you should keep in mind before you take to the skies.

Airline	Cancellation compensation
Alaska Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Alaska or partner airline – Meal vouchers for controllable delays 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – Travel credit or frequent flier miles as bonus compensation for controllable delays
Allegiant Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Allegiant – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – No travel credits or frequent flier miles
American Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with American or partner airline – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – No travel credits or frequent flier miles
Delta Air Lines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Delta or partner airline – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – No travel credits or frequent flier miles
Frontier Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Frontier – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – No hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – No travel credits or frequent flier miles
Hawaiian Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Hawaiian or partner airline – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – Travel credit or frequent flier miles as bonus compensation for controllable delays
JetBlue Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with JetBlue – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – Travel credit as bonus compensation for controllable delays
Southwest Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Southwest – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – Travel credit as bonus compensation for controllable delays
Spirit Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with Spirit – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – No travel credits or frequent flier miles
United Airlines flight delay	– Rebooking at no extra cost with United or partner airline – Meal vouchers for controllable delays of 3+ hours – Hotel accommodations for controllable overnight delays – No travel credits or frequent flier miles

EU Flight Delay Compensation

European flight delay compensation policies, specifically EU261, are more generous than U.S. flight delay compensation policies.

They legally apply to any flight within the European Union (and some European countries outside the Union), regardless of whether or not the carrier itself is European. They also apply to European carriers that depart from areas outside Europe.

The amount and type of compensation may vary for an international flight delay or cancellation. It depends not only on the flight's jurisdiction but also on its distance and delay length.

READ MORE: Domestic vs. International Flight Delay Compensation

How To Get Compensation for a Delayed Flight

Knowing the DOT’s rules and your airline’s internal policy will go a long way toward getting compensated if your flight is delayed.

But you’ll need to be proactive to ensure the airline follows through on its obligations.

Check if the delay qualifies

Remember that to be eligible for compensation, your flight delay needs to be two things: significant (3 hours or longer) and controllable by the airline. 

A wide range of controllable circumstances may lead to compensable flight delays. Things like unplanned maintenance, tardy crew, catering delays, refueling issues, and even boarding glitches from antiquated IT infrastructure are frequently the culprits for lengthy delays.

However, airlines generally won’t compensate for those force majeure delays — i.e., circumstances beyond their control, like foul weather.

If the airline doesn’t announce the reason for the delay, ask for clarification from one of the gate agents and write down their name and their response.

Notice if other airlines appear to be operating as normal, especially if you were told the delay was because of weather.

Don’t blindly accept the airline’s explanation if it claims the delay is uncontrollable, because force majeure circumstances explain a relatively small percentage of flight delays. 

Stay proactive

Many airlines’ customer service plans say they will provide passengers with compensation “upon request.” If a delay appears to qualify for compensation according to the airline’s policy, don’t expect the airline staff to take a stack of Hyatt Regency vouchers and make it rain. 

The bottom line is, most airlines aren’t proactively reaching out and offering compensation to affected passengers. It’s on you to request the compensation that’s owed to you, not the other way around.

Optimize communication

It’s also on you to keep communication channels open with the airline. Some airlines will assign vouchers via their app, email, or text, but others will only provide paper vouchers after you see the gate agent.

For the best chance of receiving timely compensation, download their app and provide accurate contact information when you check in so the airline can communicate with you.

Save those receipts

If your delay occurs late at night, an airline’s staff may only have vouchers for airport restaurants that are already closed or hotels that are fully booked. In these situations, you may need to pay out-of-pocket and seek reimbursement later, assuming the airline's policy covers these expenses.

Always photograph and save the receipts for the meal, hotel room, and related transportation services you purchase out-of-pocket. Also, keep any unused vouchers the airline gave you. This is your ammunition if you have to appeal to the airline for monetary compensation.

You might also need to provide proof that you don’t live close to the airport, like a current driver’s license. 

Other Ways To Get Compensated for a Flight Delay

Although some airlines have improved their flight delay policies in recent years, the question of whether or not you’ll be compensated may be at the mercy of the airline’s staff. And when the airline does decide to pony up, the compensation it offers is often inadequate.

A more surefire way to be properly compensated for a flight delay is to cover your trips with travel insurance, either via a policy that you buy from an insurer or the coverage that comes with your credit card.

Buy travel delay insurance 

If you plan to fly with an airline that doesn’t specify adequate flight delay compensation in its contract of carriage, consider purchasing a separate travel insurance policy that offers fair compensation for a delay.

The most efficient way to find a comprehensive but affordable policy is to compare multiple insurers’ offers side by side via a travel insurance marketplace like VisitorsCoverage.

Third-party travel insurance may offer several noteworthy advantages over relying on a U.S. airline’s paltry compensation policy:

• Both incidental trip expenses incurred due to a delay (meals, hotels, etc.) and prepaid trip expenses that you miss out on due to a delay (like that front-row ticket to finally see Tom Jones live) can be reimbursed up to a daily limit, e.g., $200.
• The policy may provide compensation for the kinds of force majeure delays that aren’t covered by an airline’s contract of carriage, like bad weather or civil unrest.
• Your policy will likely include coverage for many other travel snafus, like medical expenses and lost luggage.

READ MORE: Trip Cancellation Insurance: How It Works

Use credit card flight delay insurance

Some travel credit cards offer trip delay reimbursement as part of their insurance packages. However, the amount of time that qualifies as a compensable delay varies.

High-end travel cards with enormous annual fees may reimburse you for expenses after a six-hour delay.

Cards with low or no annual fees usually only compensate for delays of 12 hours or more, if they offer this coverage at all.

Which Credit Cards Offer Trip Delay Insurance? 

As trip delay insurance is a pretty valuable benefit, it’s typically reserved for high-end travel rewards cards that charge an annual fee of $95 or more, though there are exceptions. 

Here are just some of the credit cards that include trip delay coverage within their insurance suites:  

• The Platinum Card® from American Express*
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• United Club℠ Infinite Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

It’s worth noting that most credit cards that offer trip delay insurance limit their maximum coverage amount to $500 per covered trip. But certain cards allow you to make trip delay claims more often than other cards. 

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, for example, allows you to use its trip delay benefit an unlimited number of times per year.

But The Platinum Card® from American Express allows you to use the trip delay coverage* only twice within a 12-month period, which could be limiting for someone who flies frequently.

Considering these fine-print details, Weiss advises travelers to use credit cards strategically when initially booking travel and making purchases during a delay period.

“Check your cards' benefit packages and book your tickets with the card that offers the most protection,” he recommends.

“The same goes for booking your hotels and excursions. If you book everything on the same card, and that card has the right benefits, you may be able to claim for everything you lose due to your delayed or canceled flight, even if it's beyond the airline's control.”

FAQs

What is a delayed flight?

The DOT considers a flight delayed if it departs from or arrives at its gate 15 minutes or later than scheduled. 

A flight is considered significantly delayed if it arrives at its gate three hours (domestic flights) or six hours (international flights) later than scheduled.

If I accept a meal voucher from the airline, does that disqualify me from a full refund?

The distribution of meal vouchers is included in airlines’ customer service plans to mitigate passenger inconveniences resulting from flight cancellations, misconnections, and lengthy delays. These vouchers are intended to supplement your flight refund if you qualify for one.

In an interview with Erika.com, a DOT spokesperson confirmed that airlines cannot substitute services like meal vouchers for a full refund or cash-like alternative compensation in the event of a significant flight delay.

“Accepting a meal voucher, complimentary hotel accommodations, and/or complimentary ground transportation to and from a hotel when an airline cancels or significantly delays a flight does not impact a consumer’s right to a refund,” says the DOT spokesperson.

If I cancel my flight, will I get a refund?

If you cancel your flight, you may be able to get a refund depending on the fare type you purchased, your reason for canceling, and your level of insurance coverage.

Some airlines allow you to purchase tickets that are refundable as travel credits or cash. But these fares are typically more expensive than nonrefundable fares. 

And the extra expense of a refundable fare may be unnecessary if you have trip cancellation insurance, which will reimburse you if you cancel your flight for a covered reason, like being called for jury duty, getting laid off, or having to care for a sick family member. 

If the fare type you purchased is inflexible and you don’t have trip cancellation insurance, you may still be eligible for a travel voucher or credit in some circumstances. 

For flights to, from, or within the U.S., the DOT requires an airline to issue you a travel voucher or credit valid for a minimum of five years if you purchased a flight and subsequently:

• A public health emergency was declared in the area you’re scheduled to fly to, and a licensed medical professional advised you not to travel there.
• A government restricted you from traveling or required you to quarantine for a substantial portion of your trip due to potential exposure to a serious communicable disease.
• A licensed medical professional advised you not to travel because you have or may have contracted a serious communicable disease that would jeopardize the health of others.

What happens if you miss your connecting flight?

Your options if you miss a connecting flight depend on a few factors, including:

• The reason for the missed connection
• Whether your preceding and connecting flights were purchased as part of the same itinerary
• The time of day you were scheduled to fly

If you missed the connection because the first flight in a multi-flight itinerary was delayed, the delayed airline will rebook you on another flight for free. 

It may also provide you with a meal, ground transportation, and/or hotel vouchers, depending on your rebooked flight’s scheduled departure time and whether the delay was within the airline’s control.

However, if your missed connecting flight was on a different itinerary than the delayed flight — i.e., you purchased two tickets from unrelated carriers — you will typically be responsible for buying another flight. 

In these circumstances, it's nonetheless worth asking the delayed flight’s airline if it's willing to rebook you. And your powers of persuasion may be enhanced if you have elevated elite status with that airline. 

TL;DR: What You're Entitled to if Your Flight Is Delayed

Under DOT rules, you're entitled to a full refund if your domestic flight is delayed by more than three hours, or your international flight by more than six hours, regardless of the ticket type or reason for delay.

Refunds must be provided within seven business days for credit card payments or 20 days for other payment methods.

The 10 major U.S. airlines also provide meals or meal vouchers for delays over three hours due to controllable circumstances, and most offer hotel accommodations for overnight delays. However, airlines typically won't volunteer these compensations, so you'll need to proactively request them and save receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses.

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* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

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.