Flight Cancellation and Delay: What You're Owed

Flight cancellation and delay rules are the most misunderstood part of air travel — and the gap between what people assume they are owed and what they are actually entitled to is wide. Knowing the difference helps you ask for the right remedy instead of guessing at the gate.

The short version: in the US, you have strong rights to a refund when the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight, but essentially no legal right to cash compensation for a delay. In the EU and UK, it is the opposite — delay compensation is written into law.

If the airline cancels your flight

In the US, if an airline cancels your flight and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund to your original payment method — including on a "non-refundable" ticket. This is a legal requirement, not a courtesy.

You normally have a choice:

• Take the refund — back to the original form of payment. Note that airlines sometimes offer a travel credit instead; if you want cash back, ask specifically for a refund to your original payment method.
• Be rebooked on the next available flight at no extra cost.

You do not have to accept a credit if what you want is a refund.

If your flight is significantly delayed

US law does not require cash compensation for delays. What you are owed depends on the airline's own customer service commitment — and crucially, on whether the delay is within the airline's control.

Controllable vs. uncontrollable delays

• Controllable (counted as the airline's responsibility): crew scheduling, mechanical issues, IT outages, aircraft cleaning. Airlines are far more likely to provide meal vouchers, hotel accommodation for overnight delays, and rebooking help.
• Uncontrollable: weather, air traffic control, security events. Airlines are generally not obligated to cover meals or hotels, though some do as a goodwill gesture.

Ask which category your delay falls into, and ask for the policy in writing. "Significantly delayed" is usually defined by the airline — commonly three hours or more for a domestic flight — so it is worth knowing their threshold.

If you are flying to, from, or within the EU or UK

This is the important exception. Flights departing an EU airport, or arriving into the EU on an EU carrier, are covered by EU Regulation 261/2004. The UK has an equivalent scheme. Under these rules, long delays and cancellations can trigger:

• Cash compensation — scaled by distance, typically €250–€600 per passenger for longer delays.
• Duty of care — meals, refreshments, and hotel accommodation during the wait, regardless of the cause.
• A refund or rerouting if the delay exceeds a set threshold.

Weather and extraordinary circumstances can excuse the cash compensation, but the duty of care — food and accommodation — usually still applies. Many travelers never claim this, and it is often worth pursuing.

Getting a refund vs. accepting a rebooking

These are different remedies and you generally get to choose. Two points that trip people up:

• A rebooking does not cancel your refund right if you later decide not to travel — but if you accept a rebooking and then simply do not fly, you may forfeit the fare.
• A refund covers the whole ticket, including any connecting segments you no longer need, if the airline's change made the trip pointless. If you had a return leg booked, ask for that to be refunded too.

If you had a connecting itinerary on one ticket

If a delayed or cancelled flight caused you to miss a connection and both flights were on one ticket — even across partner airlines — you are generally covered for rebooking onto the next available flight at no charge. The airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination.

This is the practical reason to book connections as a single itinerary rather than two separate one-way tickets. With two separate tickets, the second airline owes you nothing, and you may have to buy a new fare at walk-up prices.

What to do in the moment

1. Check the airline's app first. It frequently shows rebooking options before the gate agent line has moved — you can often rebook yourself while others queue.
2. Ask what the delay is classified as — controllable or not. That determines what the airline will offer.
3. Ask for the specific policy in writing if you are told you are not owed anything.
4. Keep every receipt. Meals, transport, and hotel costs you pay yourself may be reimbursable, either by the airline or by your travel insurance.
5. Do not leave the airport without a rebooking or a refund confirmed if you still intend to travel — options narrow quickly as the day goes on.

Travel insurance and credit card protection

If the airline owes you nothing because the delay was weather-related, your travel insurance or the credit card you booked with may fill the gap. Many travel credit cards include trip-delay reimbursement after a set number of hours, covering meals and accommodation up to a cap. Check what you already have before paying out of pocket — this is one of the most commonly overlooked benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?

In the US, if the airline cancels and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund to your original payment method, even on a non-refundable ticket. You can usually choose a free rebooking instead. If the flight departs from or arrives in the EU or UK, you may also be owed cash compensation and duty of care.

Am I entitled to cash compensation for a delay in the US?

No. US law does not require cash compensation for delays. Airlines set their own policies, and generally provide meals, hotels, and rebooking only for delays within their control — mechanical issues or crew problems — not for weather.

How long does a delay have to be before I get a refund?

A refund applies to cancellations and to significant schedule changes, not to ordinary delays. For delays, what you can claim depends on the airline's policy and, on EU or UK routes, on the delay threshold in those regulations. Ask the airline to confirm how they classify your situation.

Can I get a refund on a non-refundable ticket if the airline cancels?

Yes. When the airline cancels, the refund requirement overrides the non-refundable fare condition, provided you choose not to travel. If you accept a rebooking instead, the refund right no longer applies to that ticket.

What happens if I miss a connection because of a delay?

If both flights were on a single ticket, the airline is responsible for rebooking you onto the next available flight at no extra cost. If they were two separate tickets, the second airline has no obligation and you may need to buy a new fare.

Does the airline have to give me a hotel for an overnight delay?

For delays within the airline's control, most major US carriers provide hotel accommodation. For weather and other uncontrollable delays, they generally are not required to — though some will help anyway. On EU or UK routes, duty of care for accommodation typically applies regardless of cause.

Should I accept a travel credit or ask for a refund?

If you want your money back rather than a future trip, ask explicitly for a refund to your original payment method. Airlines often offer credits first because they are cheaper for the airline, but a credit is not the same as a refund.

One thing worth knowing if you bought on a payment plan: an airline refund and a financing agreement are separate contracts. A refund from the carrier may not cancel the loan.

If your ticket is on a payment plan, check what you would still owe after an airline refund — the two agreements are separate contracts.