Key takeaways: Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, if an airline cancels your flight or makes a significant change and you decline the alternative offered, you are generally owed a refund to your original form of payment, not just a voucher. Reported timing is 7 business days for credit cards and 20 calendar days for other payments. Always check the DOT’s current page before you rely on this.
It is Thanksgiving Wednesday. You picture the scene: a woman I will call Dana (an illustrative example) gets a 6 a.m. push notification that her flight to see her parents is canceled, and the airline offers a new one two days later. She is about to tap “accept” before she remembers she does not have to.
The rule in one paragraph
The DOT’s automatic refund rule requires airlines and ticket agents to refund canceled or significantly changed flights when the passenger does not accept the alternative, without the passenger having to ask. If you choose a rebooked or significantly changed flight, you are generally not entitled to a refund.
What counts as “significant”
- A departure or arrival time change of more than 3 hours on a domestic flight, or 6 hours on an international one, according to summaries of the rule.
- A different departure or arrival airport, added connections, or a downgrade in class of service.
How long a refund should take
- Credit card: within 7 business days.
- Other payment methods: within 20 calendar days.
What to do
- Do not click “accept” on a rebooking until you decide. Think about whether the new flight still works for you.
- Ask for a refund in writing through the airline’s app or email. Save screenshots of the cancellation.
- Do not accept a voucher or travel credit if you want cash.
- Look at your card statement in the following weeks. If the refund is late, file a complaint with the DOT at transportation.gov/airconsumer, and see flightrights.gov.
- Dispute with your card issuer if the airline does not respond. See our guide to disputing a credit card charge.
Booking tip
Holiday flights get canceled more when weather and crowds pile up. Pay by credit card, avoid the tightest connections, and keep your confirmation emails. For cheaper dates, see our guide to cheap Thanksgiving and Christmas flights.
Back to Dana
She declined the rebooking, took the refund to her card, and bought a different flight that same morning. It cost more than the original, but she got to choose her new flight rather than accept the airline’s.
FAQ
Does this cover weather delays?
The refund right applies when the airline cancels or significantly changes the flight and you decline the alternative. Hotel and meal compensation is a separate matter and varies by airline.
Are bag fees refundable?
The rule also covers some bag fee refunds when a checked bag is significantly delayed. Check the DOT page for current details.
General information, not legal advice. Rules can change: confirm at transportation.gov. Dana is an illustrative example.
