When a flight is cancelled you have a choice to make quickly, usually while standing in a line with everyone else from your flight. You can take the airline's new itinerary, ask for a different one, or decline and get your money back.
If the airline cancels and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a refund to your original form of payment, including on non-refundable tickets. If you still want to get there, the airline will rebook you on its next available flight at no charge, and several airlines also commit to putting you on a partner or another carrier when the cancellation was within their control.
The short version
- You can refuse the alternative and take a refund instead of a voucher or credit.
- Seats on the next flights go fast, so look at alternatives before you reach the front of the line.
- For cancellations within the airline's control, most large US airlines commit to meals and an overnight hotel.
Planning ahead
Flying soon? Before you travel, note the next two or three flights on your route, including on other airlines and from nearby airports. If your flight is cancelled, you can ask for a specific seat while everyone else is still asking what is available.
Guides in this section
More guides
- Before you fly: how to prepare for delays and cancellations
- Flight delayed: what to do and what you can ask for
- Missed and tight connections: how to protect your layover
- US air passenger rights: refunds, bumping and tarmac delays
- Airline delay and cancellation policies, compared
- Flight delays by airport