Are you entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed?

There are no federal laws requiring airlines to provide passengers with money or other compensation when their flights are delayed. Each airline has its own policies about what it will do for delayed passengers. If your flight is experiencing a long delay, ask airline staff if they will pay for meals or a hotel room.



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However, if your first flight is delayed for more than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation from the airline that caused the delay. In addition to compensation, the airline must offer you a choice between: Reimbursement of your ticket and a return flight to your departure airport if you have a connecting flight.

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So if your flight is delayed by 2 hours, there is no compensation. However, you can make a different claim. For example, if your flight is delayed by two hours or more, your airline must take care of you by offering you support services. These can be very different.

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Delayed Flight
If you arrive at your destination more than 3 hours after your scheduled arrival time, you are entitled to the same reimbursement, rerouting, and rebooking structure as a denied boarding.

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When a flight delay occurs, you are entitled to assistance and a choice between rerouting, reimbursement, or rebooking. If you arrive at your destination more than 3 hours after your scheduled arrival time, you are entitled to the same reimbursement, rerouting, and rebooking structure as a denied boarding.

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Now, the DOT has defined language and timing so that a significant delay would be defined as one that affects the departure or arrival time of a domestic flight by three hours or more (or by at least six hours for an international flight).

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Tweeting at the airline's customer service team, submitting a request for compensation online or writing a letter the old fashioned way are other options that have met with success…

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Once passengers have boarded the aircraft, the compensation structure is $100 in credit for a delay between three and five hours, $175 in credit for a delay between five and six hours, or a $250 credit for a delay of six hours or more.

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In addition to compensation for your loss of time, if your delay exceeds 5 hours, you are entitled to a full or partial refund of your original ticket and a return flight to your point of departure, if needed.

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There are no federal laws requiring airlines to provide passengers with money or other compensation when their flights are delayed. Each airline has its own policies about what it will do for delayed passengers. If your flight is experiencing a long delay, ask airline staff if they will pay for meals or a hotel room.

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Why Do Flights Get Delayed So Often?
  • Extreme Weather. As most frequent flyers already know, extreme weather events can cause flight delays, and even flight cancellations in some cases. ...
  • Late Arriving Aircraft. ...
  • Waiting for Connecting Passengers or Connecting Bags. ...
  • Mechanical Delays.


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If a flight delay happens and you want an alternative to waiting it out, check the airline's app or in-airport kiosk for rebooking options. You don't have to stand in line to talk to a real person in many cases, as you can self-service the rebooking with most major airlines.

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06 (OA): No gate/stand availability due to own airline activity. 07: Aircraft connection by maintenance. 08: Aircraft connection by miscellaneous, traffic, marketing flight operations, ground handling, cabin services, etc.

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