Sometimes. Every airline will rebook you on its own next available flight. Some will also put you on a partner airline or a competitor, usually only when the cancellation was their fault. It is worth knowing which applies before you reach the desk.
What airlines commit to
Rebooking on another airline is not required by federal law. It depends on what your airline has promised in its customer service plan. Broadly:
- Large network airlines often commit to rebooking you on a partner airline, or another airline they have an agreement with, when the cancellation or delay was within their control.
- Low-cost and ultra-low-cost airlines usually only rebook you on their own flights.
- For weather and air traffic control, few airlines commit to anything beyond their own flights, though agents sometimes have discretion.
Check your airline's exact wording: how to check your airline's delay policy. Whether the cancellation counts as within the airline's control matters a great deal here. See controllable vs. uncontrollable.
Partners and competitors are different
- Partners are airlines in the same alliance or with a codeshare agreement. Moving you to them is routine.
- Other airlines are possible only where the two airlines have an agreement to accept each other's tickets. Not every pair does.
How to ask
- Find a specific flight. Search other airlines on your route, and to and from nearby airports, and note a flight number with seats available.
- Ask by name.
"My flight was cancelled because of a crew issue. Your customer service plan says you will rebook passengers on another airline when the cancellation is within your control. There are seats on Delta 1234 at 6:10. Could you move me to that flight?"
More scripts are in what to say to the gate agent.
If the airline says no
You have two options:
- Take the airline's own rebooking, and ask for meals and a hotel if you are stuck overnight and the cancellation was its fault. See hotel and meals after a cancelled flight.
- Take a refund and book the other airline yourself. Because your flight was cancelled, you are entitled to a refund to your original form of payment if you choose not to travel with that airline. You would pay the new fare yourself, which may be more than the refund. See refund or rebooking.
If you do this, request the refund rather than leaving the original booking unused, and keep the cancellation notice.
If you have a connection
On a single ticket, ask the airline to rebook the whole journey, including your onward flight, so nothing is left as a no-show. On separate tickets, the second airline is not obliged to help. See one ticket or separate tickets.
Before you fly
If a missed day would be expensive, it is worth knowing before you book whether your airline rebooks on other carriers. Our airline policy guides summarize the differences, and the pre-trip checklist covers noting your backup flights in advance.
This guide is general information for US travelers, not legal advice. Rules and airline commitments change; check with your airline or the US Department of Transportation for your specific situation.