What if my airline is not refunding?

If you contact the airline or ticket agent to obtain a required refund and you are refused that refund, you should file a complaint against the airline or ticket agent with the Department at https://secure.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint.



If an airline refuses to issue a refund in 2026, your first step is to verify your eligibility under both the airline's "Conditions of Carriage" and national consumer protection laws, such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rules or EU Regulation 261/2004. If the airline canceled the flight or made a significant schedule change, you are legally entitled to a cash refund to your original payment method, even if you held a non-refundable ticket. If the airline insists on a travel voucher instead, you should firmly cite these regulations in a formal written complaint via their website. Should they still remain uncooperative, you can initiate a credit card chargeback with your bank, providing evidence of the cancellation and the airline's refusal to comply with federal law. Additionally, filing a formal complaint with the DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection is a highly effective way to trigger a regulatory review. For international flights, specialized services or legal advocates can also help mediate, but the "nuclear option" of a bank dispute remains the most direct way to reclaim your funds from a stubborn carrier.

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If an airline is not honoring its refund policies or the airline's refund policies seem unfair or deceptive consider suing the airline in small claims court. In small claims court, the judge will be the ultimate decider of whether an airline's refund terms are fair or enforceable.

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If the airline resists, tell them you know you are legally entitled to a full refund. The law says you can't be forced to accept a credit or voucher instead of all of your money back, including baggage fees, seat selection fees, taxes, etc.

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Covered reasons for Trip Cancellation
  • Medical reasons (unforeseen ailment, injury or death in the family)
  • Inclement weather or natural disasters (tropical storms, hurricanes, etc.)
  • Terrorist attack (in or around where you're planning to visit)
  • Financial default (of a carrier)
  • Involuntary layoff or termination.


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Trip Interruptions Travel insurance may also cover unforeseen events that force you to end your trip early under the Trip Interruption benefit. This can be due to an unexpected medical emergency, death of a family member, inclement weather, terrorist attack, or any other covered reason.

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Your passenger rights Then the airline is responsible for refunding you, regardless of whether you booked via a travel agent or directly through the airline. The money is always paid into the same bank account from which you paid for the ticket.

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After discussing the matter with DOT officials, ASTA discovered that instead of all travel advisors being responsible for all airline refunds, the rules would only pertain to agents who are listed as the official “merchant of record” for the transaction.

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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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If you bought your American Airlines ticket directly from us, you can request a refund online or contact Reservations. We'll process your refund back to the original credit card within 7 days (it should appear on your statement in 1-2 billing cycles).

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U.S. law and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations exempt airlines from lawsuits by passengers in most circumstances. You may be able to sue in small claims court, but in most cases you can resolve the problem by working directly with the airline or filing a complaint with the DOT.

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DOT requires airlines that fly to, from, or within the United States to state on their websites how and where complaints can be submitted. There may be a form on the airline's website for this purpose. Often, you may also email or write to the airline or ticket agent's consumer office at its headquarters.

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When a refund is due, the airline must forward a credit to your card company within seven business days after receiving a complete refund application, according to the Transportation Department. However, the credit may take a month or two to appear on your statement.

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Airlines and ticket agents are required to make refunds promptly. For airlines, “prompt” is defined as being within 7 business days if a passenger paid by credit card, and within 20 days if a passenger paid by cash or check.

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Some ideas of what to say:
  1. “I'm sorry to be canceling at the last minute when you didn't have the chance to change reservations/the RSVP/etc. I can't make it out tonight, but I do want to see you. ...
  2. “I know I committed to this earlier but unfortunately I'm going to be able to make it. I'm sorry for canceling last minute.”


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How to File a Claim for Flight Cancellation Compensation
  1. Collect proof that your flight was cancelled, e.g. boarding pass, vouchers and any other travel documents.
  2. Get the airline to provide written confirmation of the cancellation and reasons behind it.
  3. Request an alternate flight to your destination - or a refund.


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The bill would address airlines' refunds and reimbursement obligations to passengers, enhance protections for passengers with disabilities, boost hiring of air traffic controllers, shore up aviation safety, unlock funding to modernize airport infrastructure, invest in upgrades to the agency's technology and more.

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