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

Getting stuck in Hawaii might not sound like the worst thing in the world, but when you’re ready to go home… you’re ready to go home.

If your Hawaiian Airlines flight gets canceled because of a controllable issue, the airline needs to take care of you. You could get meal vouchers, bonus miles or a travel credit, and overnight accommodations. 

What Hawaiian Airlines Owes You for a Cancellation

Hawaiian Airlines’s contract of carriage outlines passengers’ rights during travel interruptions, including controllable cancellations.

Rebooking and other services

When your flight has been canceled, Hawaiian says they will automatically rebook you on the next available flight. 

Hawaiian has committed to working with their partner airlines, so it’s possible they will find a seat for you on a different carrier. If they don’t check for you right off the bat, ask! 

Vouchers

To ease the delay, Hawaiian says they will provide you with a meal voucher if you’re stuck waiting for 3 or more hours. The voucher covers a “reasonable” meal in the airport, but no alcohol.

Complimentary accommodations

If you’re non-local and the travel interruption is expected to drag on for 3 or more hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., Hawaiian says they’ll provide complimentary overnight accommodations. 

They also say they’ll arrange ground transportation. If the hotel doesn’t offer a shuttle and Hawaiian can’t arrange an alternative, they’ll reimburse you for transportation you arrange yourself. So keep your Uber receipts! 

This goes for the hotel, too. If there are no rooms available in their partner hotels and you have to book a room yourself, they need to reimburse you.

Travel credit

Not all airlines offer an inconvenience bonus, but Hawaiian does! 

If your travel has been delayed 3 hours or more because of a controllable cancellation, you are eligible to receive either 2,000 HawaiianMiles or a travel voucher for at least $50.

According to their customer service plan, the amount on the travel voucher (and perhaps the miles, too) depends on the length of the delay. You may get more, and you should always ask for more!

Refunds

If you decide not to continue your trip after your flight has been canceled, Hawaiian Airlines will refund you for the unused portion of your ticket. To get refunded, you must decline their rescheduling efforts and all other forms of compensation, essentially canceling your trip.

Be careful, because the airline may try to convince you to accept a travel credit instead of a refund. This would be a great deal for the airline, but not for you!

They don’t want to shell out the cash to you, and they know not all customers will remember to come back and use that travel credit. 

Unless you have specific plans to use this travel credit, don’t accept it in the place of the refund. Just get all your money back instead!

Understanding Your Rights When Hawaiian Airlines Cancels Your Flight

A canceled flight doesn’t mean your trip is over. Know your rights when you get stuck!

What makes an eligible cancellation

You’re entitled to vouchers, travel credits, and complimentary accommodations only when a flight undergoes a controllable cancellation — this means the reason for canceling is within Hawaiian’s control. 

Think: crew delays, mechanical issues, or problems with baggage loading or fueling.

But if a flight is canceled for reasons outside Hawaiian’s control, passengers don’t have the same rights. These reasons include:

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

However, even if your flight is canceled for an uncontrollable reason, if you opt not to continue your trip, the airline is legally required to refund you for your ticket. This is required under a Department of Transportation regulation!

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!

If Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t offer you all the services they’ve promised they will, you can file a complaint with the DOT, which will ensure you receive your compensation. 

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Claiming Compensation

Once you know what you’re entitled to, how do you get it?

Rebook like a pro

Hawaiian Airlines should automatically rebook you, but if the rescheduled flight doesn’t work for you or something else looks wrong, always connect with the gate agent to see what they can do for you. 

This would be the right time to ask them about other carriers, who potentially would have earlier flights.

You can also manage your flight itinerary online or through the Hawaiian Airlines app.

Documentation is your best friend

It’s possible the gate agent could run out of vouchers and you have to purchase your own food. If this happens, keep the receipts so you can submit them for reimbursement. 

The same goes for hotel rooms and ground transportation if the gate agent can’t provide you with a voucher.

It also doesn’t hurt to get a written authorization for reimbursement from the gate agent. They can’t reimburse you from the gate, but it may be helpful when you send in your receipts to have an extra layer of validity to your claim.

The reimbursement process is somewhat old-fashioned: mail in your receipts, boarding pass, and ticket (screenshots are fine) to Hawaiian’s headquarters. 

Keep your communication open

When you’re stuck because of a canceled flight, make sure the gate agent is aware of your needs. You are your own best advocate in situations like these!

For example, if 3 hours have gone by and they haven’t offered meal vouchers, go up to the airline representative to ask for one. 

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. 

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

Cancellations and other travel woes are no fun, but once you know what you’re entitled to, you can navigate your situation with expertise. 

If your cancellation is Hawaiian’s fault, they owe you a meal voucher, and potentially an overnight stay plus some bonus travel credit.

Knowledge is your greatest travel companion!

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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.