Winter storms, uncertainty in Mexico and the Middle East, government shutdowns. The news has been full of events that have threatened to throw travel plans for a loop this year. We’re not arguing that you preemptively change your travel plans in light of these events, but we do encourage you to read up on your rights, especially heading into the busy summer season.
Whether you’re dealing with flight changes, cancellations, vouchers, or refunds, knowing what you’re entitled to as a traveler can help you go into these situations with a little more confidence.
Bookmark these quick tips for a rainy day, and thank us later.
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This rule is for: Travelers who want to change or cancel a flight within 24 hours of booking
Under federal law, airlines must allow customers to change a flight for free or cancel for a full cash refund within 24 hours of booking so long as the flight is booked directly with the airline, is at least seven days from the travel date, and originates in or goes to the US on any airline.
Exceptions to the 24-hour rule
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- Tickets booked via an online travel agency (OTA) like Expedia, Travelocity, etc. (though some have their own 24-hour cancellation rules)
- Tickets booked within seven days of travel
- Tickets that do not originate in or fly to the US (e.g., London to Bangkok)
- Tickets where the airline offers a free 24-hour price hold instead of free 24-hour cancellation
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Why is the 24-hour rule so helpful? First, it helps you get the lowest price on your flight. We often see price drops within 24 hours of booking. The rule enables you to book the cheaper fare and cancel the previous, more expensive booking.
It also allows you to take advantage of an amazing deal or mistake fare by giving you 24 hours to decide if you want to take the trip. In that time, you can find out if the dates work, line up child care, get time off approved at work, or coordinate with friends and family.
To use the 24-hour rule:
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- Make sure you're within the 24-hour window from when you purchased the first flight.
- Book the new flight at the cheaper rate before you do anything else. This ensures you lock in this new, better price (it could go up within minutes).
- Once you’ve booked the new flight, cancel the old one.
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If you cancel the old flight, then miss snagging the new flight at a great price, you’re left with no ticket. If you book the new flight first, then miss the 24-hour window to cancel the first one, you can just cancel the new one, and you're no worse off than you were in the beginning. |
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Flight changes and cancellations |
This rule is for: Travelers experiencing a flight delay or cancellation who want to know how they can recoup expenses, change their flight, and more
If the airline cancels your flight and you don’t want to rebook
Under federal law, you’re entitled to a full cash refund. Period. And, those refunds must be issued by airlines automatically.
If the airline cancels your flight and automatically rebooks you on another one
You can accept the new flight, or call the airline and ask to be moved to a flight that works better for you.
If you can’t find a better flight, you can ask to fly with one of the airline’s partners. The airline may even be willing to fly you with a competitor if the situation is dire. Alternatively, you can ask for a full cash refund (even for a nonrefundable basic economy fare).
If you do find a better alternative but the cost is higher than what you originally paid, don’t worry: The airline should rebook you for free.
The airline makes a significant change to your itinerary
Most airlines have policies that if they significantly change your itinerary after booking, they'll get you rebooked. What constitutes a “significant change”? Here are some examples.
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- 3+ hours for domestic flights, 6+ hours for international flights
- A change in your departure or arrival airport
- Switching you from a nonstop to a connecting flight
- If your connection time shrinks below the airport or airline's stated minimum connection time
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When shopping for a new flight, don’t worry if the fare is higher than what you paid for yours. If there's an open seat, the airline will likely rebook you for free. (This is one of our favorite hidden loopholes for getting a better flight after booking.)
If you can’t find a new flight that works for you, you can request a refund (even for a nonrefundable basic economy fare). Just remember: Depending on what you originally paid and how soon you’re traveling, you may have a hard time finding a new flight at a good price.
If the airline cancels your flight and there is no replacement option
If the airline cancels your flight and there is no replacement option, like if they stopped flying that route—ahem, looking at you, Spirit—things are a little trickier.
For legacy airlines with many routes and an extensive partner network, the airline can often find another solution. But many budget airlines—like Avelo or Breeze—don’t always have those options. If they cancel a specific route, they may not be able to reroute you.
Most likely the airline will cancel your flight and issue you a refund. If you’re interested in a different route, though, like you’d be willing to fly to Boston instead of Portland, Maine, you can ask to be accommodated.
Curious what you can get reimbursed for during a flight delay or cancellation?
This DOT customer service dashboard breaks it all down—which airlines offer travel credits, meal vouchers, hotel reimbursement, ground transportation, and more.
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This rule is for: Travelers with a ticket on an overbooked flight who want to accept a voucher or get bumped to another flight
In the moment, an overbooked flight can feel frustrating. But for flexible travelers, it can actually be a gift.
Before an airline involuntarily bumps a passenger, they’ll ask for volunteers. Typically, they’ll start by offering a voucher for future travel, maybe $100 or $200 to start. And of course, they’ll put you on the next available flight and put you up in a hotel and offer food vouchers if needed.
If they don’t get enough volunteers, they’ll increase the offer, often to $500 or more. When you volunteer for a voucher, ask the agent to match your voucher with the highest offer, meaning if you volunteer at a $200 offer but the last person volunteers at $1,000, you’ll also get $1,000.
It’s very unlikely you’ll be bumped involuntarily from a flight, but if it does happen, the airline owes you money. Under federal law, if getting bumped delays you by more than an hour, the airline owes you up to $1,350 (the amount is based on the length of the delay and the one-way price of the ticket.) And while the airline will typically start by offering a voucher to bump you, you can demand to get the compensation in cash.
Every airline has different rules about choosing which passengers to bump. Among the deciding factors are status with the airline, the fare class, order of check-in, and the cost of your ticket. If you’re a frequent flyer in a premium class, you may be less likely to be bumped, while someone in basic economy who checked in at the last minute might be more likely to be bumped.
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