Flight delay compensation: what you are owed in 2026

US rules — what DOT requires

Under the DOT's 2024 Automatic Refund Rule, fully in force through 2026, airlines must give automatic cash refunds — not vouchers — when they cancel or cause a significant delay and you choose not to travel.

• Domestic significant delay: 3 or more hours late at destination
• International significant delay: 6 or more hours late at destination
• Airport change or extra connection added: qualifies for refund if you decline the new itinerary
• Class of service downgrade: refund of the fare difference owed automatically

What DOT does NOT require: compensation for inconvenience, meals, hotels, or rebooking on a different carrier. Many airlines provide these voluntarily for long delays — but it is not legally mandated.

Voluntary airline policies for significant delays (controllable causes):

• Delta: meal vouchers for 3+ hr delays; hotel for overnight; $200 travel credit for significant controllable delays
• United: meal vouchers for 3+ hr delays; hotel and ground transport for overnight airline-caused delays
• American: meal voucher ($15+) for 3+ hr delays caused by American; hotel if overnight stay required
• Southwest: meal vouchers; hotel and ground transportation for weather/mechanical delays

EU rules — EC 261/2004 (pays cash compensation)

European Regulation EC 261/2004 provides cash compensation on top of your ticket price — this is not a refund but a separate payment for the delay itself. UK261 mirrors the same rules post-Brexit.

Who is covered:

• Any flight departing from an EU or UK airport — any airline qualifies
• Any flight arriving at an EU or UK airport on an EU-based airline

When EC 261 does NOT apply:

• Extraordinary circumstances: weather events, air traffic control strikes, security incidents outside the airline's control
• The airline gave you 14 or more days notice of the cancellation
• The delay is caused by factors genuinely outside the airline's reasonable control

How to claim EC 261:

1. Get written confirmation of the delay from the airline at the airport — required documentation for any claim
2. File directly with the airline; most have an online compensation claim form
3. If rejected or ignored after 8 weeks: escalate to the National Enforcement Body of the country where the delay occurred (free)
4. Alternatively, use a claims service (AirHelp, ClaimCompass) — they charge roughly 25–35% commission, often not worth it for straightforward cases

Credit card travel delay coverage

Many premium credit cards automatically cover reasonable expenses (hotel, meals, transport) when your flight is delayed by a set threshold — as long as you paid for the ticket at least partially with that card.

Rule: you must have charged the ticket (at least partially) to that card. Keep all receipts for hotel stays, meals, and ground transport — claims without receipts are routinely denied.

What to do right now if your flight is delayed

Take these steps in order. The documentation you gather in the first hour determines how much compensation you can recover.

1. Screenshot everything: your boarding pass and the flight status board showing the delay and the stated reason
2. Ask for written delay notice: request this from the gate agent — required documentation for EC 261 claims
3. Ask for meal vouchers at 3 hours: airlines often issue them without advertising it — just ask gate staff directly
4. Ask for hotel accommodation if overnight: airlines are often obligated for controllable delays but wait to be asked — do not assume it will be offered proactively
5. Keep all receipts: hotel stays, meals, taxis, and ground transport — needed for credit card claims and airline voluntary reimbursement
6. Decline the voucher if you want cash: if the airline cancels and you choose not to rebook, ask for a cash refund under the DOT rule — you are not required to accept a travel credit
7. File EC 261 within the deadline: UK 6 years; France 5 years; Germany 3 years; Spain 4 years — filing early avoids documentation gaps

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Airline cancellation and change fees — fare class rules, 24-hour cancellation window, and what travel credits are worth
• Travel insurance for flights — when a policy is worth buying and what trip-delay coverage actually pays

Data verified June 30, 2026. Sources: DOT Automatic Refund Final Rule (Oct 2024); DOT Fly Rights; European Commission — Air Passenger Rights; UK CAA — Your rights when flights are delayed or cancelled; DOT Airline Cancellation & Delay Dashboard.