Your flight was cancelled or badly delayed. Here is exactly what you are owed.
Most travelers leave money on the table when a flight goes wrong. They take the voucher, wait in the rebooking line, and never file. The rules are more on your side than the airline agent will volunteer.
Flights in the United States: a refund, not a voucher
Under the U.S. Department of Transportation's refund rule (in force since October 2024), if a U.S. airline or a foreign airline flying to, from or within the U.S. cancels your flight or changes it significantly, and you choose not to travel or not to accept the alternative they offer, you are owed a cash refund to your original form of payment. Not a credit, not a voucher, unless you choose one.
- Significant delay means a departure or arrival more than 3 hours off schedule on a domestic flight, or more than 6 hours on an international one.
- Other significant changes count too: a different departure or arrival airport, more connections, or a downgrade in class.
- The refund is due within 7 business days for card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payments.
- Checked bag late? The bag fee is refundable if the bag arrives more than 12 hours late on a domestic flight (longer windows apply internationally).
At the gate, say this: "If I don't take the new flight, I'd like the cash refund the DOT rule requires, not a voucher." Then decide: rebook, or refund. Don't accept a voucher by accident; read what you tap on the app.
Flights in or to Europe: compensation on top of your ticket
European Union Regulation 261/2004 covers flights departing from an EU airport on any airline, and flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline. If you arrive 3 or more hours late, or your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, you can be owed fixed compensation per passenger:
| Flight distance | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km (and longer flights within the EU) | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
That is on top of your right to a refund or rebooking, and to meals, and a hotel if you're stuck overnight. The United Kingdom has an almost identical rule for flights from the UK. The big exception is "extraordinary circumstances": severe weather, air traffic control restrictions and security events usually don't qualify. A crew shortage or a technical fault usually does.
A family of four on a cancelled transatlantic flight can be owed €2,400 in compensation. Claims can often be made years after the flight, depending on the country.
What to do in the first hour
- Rebook first, argue later. Call the airline or use the app while you stand in line; seats go fast.
- Photograph the departure board and keep your boarding pass. Note the actual arrival time when you land; that is what counts for delay.
- Ask for meal vouchers on long delays. Many U.S. airlines publicly commit to them when the delay is their fault.
- Keep every receipt: meals, hotel, taxi. Reasonable costs are often reimbursable.
- Don't sign away rights. If you're offered compensation, check whether accepting it closes your claim.
How Harbor members handle it
Harbor members call one number, day or night. A person helps rebook, find a room and sort out what comes next, and a delay or cancellation claim can be started from the member portal in minutes. Claims are filed through our claims partner, who is paid only if you are.