Flight cancelled or changed? US refund rules, explained

If an airline cancels your flight or changes it significantly, and you don't accept the new flight or a travel credit, US Department of Transportation (DOT) rules say the airline must refund you to your original form of payment, not with a voucher. That applies to nonrefundable tickets too. This guide explains what counts as a "significant change," how fast the refund must arrive, and how to ask for it without giving up your rights by accident.

The rules are in 14 CFR Part 260, a federal regulation. They cover scheduled flights to, from and within the United States, operated or sold by US and foreign airlines.

When you can get a refund

You can get a full refund of the fare, taxes and any extras you paid for when either of these happens and you turn down what the airline offers instead:

• The flight is cancelled. A flight that was in the airline's booking system when you bought your ticket but never operated.

• The flight is significantly delayed or changed. Part 260 lists what counts (see below).

The cause doesn't matter. Weather, a crew shortage or a mechanical problem all give you the same refund right. Cause matters only for meals and hotels, a separate question.

What counts as a significant change

Under Part 260, a delay or change is significant if, as a result:

1. You depart 3 hours or more earlier (domestic) or 6 hours or more earlier (international) than originally scheduled.

2. You arrive 3 hours or more later (domestic) or 6 hours or more later (international) than originally scheduled.

3. You depart from or arrive at a different airport.

4. Your itinerary has more connections than before.

5. You are moved to a lower class of service, such as from business to economy.

6. For a passenger with a disability, you are routed through a different connecting airport.

7. For a passenger with a disability, the substitute aircraft lacks an accessibility feature you need.

Measure from the original schedule on your ticket, not from the last update the airline sent.

How fast the refund must arrive

Part 260 defines a "prompt" refund as:

• Credit card purchases: within 7 business days.

• Cash, check, debit card or other payment: within 20 calendar days.

The refund goes back to your original form of payment. If you paid by card, it goes back to the card. If you paid in miles, you get miles back. The airline can't keep a processing fee. It can pay you another way, such as a check or a bank transfer, only if you agree.

The refund includes extras tied to the trip, such as seat selection or bag fees, when you didn't get the service through no fault of your own.

When the refund is automatic

You don't always have to ask. Part 260 treats the refund as automatic when:

• The airline cancels and offers you no alternative flight and no credit.

• You reject the changed flight, the rebooking or the credit.

• You don't respond to an offer of another flight and that flight leaves without you.

• You don't respond to a credit offer by the original departure date.

Even so, put your request in writing. It creates a dated record, and the refund clock runs from when the refund was first due or requested.

Travel credits: what the airline must tell you

An airline can offer a voucher or credit instead of a refund, but only on these terms:

• It must tell you clearly that you have a right to a full refund.

• It must disclose the restrictions, such as expiry date, blackout dates or advance purchase rules.

• A credit offered instead of a required refund must stay valid for at least five years from the date it is issued.

• You must actively accept it. The airline can't treat silence as a yes.

Be careful with the buttons in the airline's app. "Keep my trip value" or "Accept credit" may be the default choice. Read every option before you tap.

A note on renumbered flights

Under the regulation, a flight given a new flight number counts as a cancelled flight. In December 2025, DOT said it would not enforce the refund rule in one narrow case: the airline renumbers the flight, rebooks you on it, and it operates without a significant change or delay. DOT extended that pause in July 2026 while it considers changing the definition. If only your flight number changed and the times didn't, you may not be able to get a refund on that basis.

Example: reading a schedule change notice

Sample notice, Northgate Air (synthetic):

Your flight NG 210 from Denver to Boston on 4 March has changed.

Original departure 08:15, arrival 14:05. New departure 12:40, arrival 18:30.

Your trip value has been saved as a travel credit. Tap here to accept your new flight.

What to notice:

• The new arrival is 4 hours and 25 minutes later. This is a domestic trip, so that passes the 3-hour threshold for a significant change.

• The notice mentions a credit but says nothing about a refund. The airline is required to tell you about your refund right when one is due, so ask for it in writing.

• "Saved as a travel credit" does not mean you agreed to it. Don't tap accept unless you want the new flight.

Step by step: asking for your refund

1. Save everything. The original confirmation, every change email and screenshots of the app.

2. Work out the change. Compare original and new departure and arrival times, airports and number of connections.

3. Decide before you act. If you accept the new flight, the refund right for that change ends.

4. Ask in writing. Use the airline's refund form, or email its customer relations address. Give your booking code, flight numbers and dates, and say you are rejecting the change and requesting a refund under 14 CFR Part 260.

5. Note the date. Count 7 business days for a card or 20 calendar days for other payments.

6. Escalate if needed. If the refund doesn't arrive, you can file a complaint with DOT online or by mail. Some people also contact their card issuer, which has its own dispute process.

If you booked through a travel agency or a booking site, that company may be the one that took your payment. It is then usually the one that processes the refund, and the airline must tell it whether you qualify.

Questions to ask the airline

• What were my original and new departure and arrival times?

• Is my ticket eligible for a refund under 14 CFR Part 260?

• If I take the travel credit, when does it expire and what restrictions apply?

• Will paid extras, such as seats or bags, be refunded too?

• Who is processing the refund, and on what date was it issued?

Get a second pair of eyes on your airline notice

EasyToDecode is launching soon. Upload your booking and the airline's change or cancellation email, and it will quote the lines that matter, compare the old and new times against the thresholds above, and point out what the notice leaves out, such as a missing refund option. It then gives you a letter to edit and send yourself. See how it works or join the waitlist to hear when it opens.

Where to check the rules

Read the regulation itself on the eCFR, and DOT's ticket refunds page for any enforcement notices. Rules can change, so check the date on what you read.