How to get money back from an airline
Most travel claims fall under one of three sets of rules, and each has its own deadlines. Under the US DOT’s automatic-refund rule (in force since 2024 and backed by federal statute), when your flight is canceled or “significantly changed” (three hours domestic, six international) and you don’t accept the alternative, the airline owes you a cash refund, automatically, within 7 business days for card purchases. A voucher only counts if you choose to take one. Separately, EU rules pay €250–€600 compensation for qualifying delays and cancellations (the EU adopted changes to these rules in 2026 that have not taken effect yet), UK rules mirror them in pounds, and checked-bag liability runs to $4,700 domestic and about 1,519 SDR (roughly $2,000) internationally. The toolkit turns each rule into a claim letter with the citation written in.
- Find the rule that covers your problem. A canceled US flight falls under the DOT refund rule. A delayed arrival into or out of Europe falls under EU261 (any airline departing the EU, and EU airlines flying in). Bags fall under the DOT rules for domestic trips or the Montreal Convention for international ones. Hotels and cruises come down to the contract, a chargeback, and the state AG.
- Claim in writing and cite the rule. On the phone you may be offered miles or a voucher. A written claim that names the specific regulation gives you a dated record and makes the airline respond to the regulation, not just to an unhappy customer.
- Escalate before you spend money. A DOT complaint is free, and the airline must acknowledge it within 30 days and respond substantively within 60 days, with a copy to the government. A chargeback can recover what you paid for a service that was never delivered.
Does the US pay delay compensation like Europe?
No. As of October 2026 there is no US rule requiring cash compensation for delays (DOT withdrew its proposal in November 2025). US law does require full cash refunds for cancellations and significant changes, and bag-fee refunds for substantially delayed bags. Beyond that, the airline owes whatever its own customer service plan promises for controllable delays (meals, hotels), and those promises are enforceable because the airline published them. The toolkit shows you where to find each airline’s plan.
Travel Compensation Kit provides self-help document templates and general information. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Kits For That is not a law firm. Aviation rules and liability caps change (figures verified July 2026 against DOT, EU, and ICAO sources), so check the current rules for your itinerary.