QUICK ANSWER
If an airline cancels your flight, or significantly delays or changes it, U.S. Department of Transportation rules generally entitle you to a refund when you choose not to travel and do not accept a rebooked flight, travel credit, voucher or other compensation. For airline-direct purchases, DOT says qualifying refunds must be automatic after the airline knows you are not accepting the alternative. Credit-card refunds are generally due within 7 business days; other forms of payment generally have a 20-calendar-day refund timeline in DOT guidance for rejected alternative offers. Always keep the cancellation or schedule-change notice, your original itinerary and proof of payment.
WHAT COUNTS AS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY OR CHANGE?
DOT defines several situations that trigger refund rights when the traveler decides not to take the changed trip. A domestic itinerary is significantly changed when the new schedule departs 3 hours or more earlier than originally scheduled or arrives 3 hours or more later. For international itineraries, the corresponding threshold is 6 hours.
A change can also be significant when the airline changes the origin or destination airport, adds more connection points, or involuntarily downgrades the passenger to a lower class of service. DOT also identifies certain changes involving connecting airports or aircraft accessibility features for travelers with disabilities.
The refund right depends on what you do next. If you accept and take the significantly changed flight or an alternative flight, DOT says you are not entitled to a full ticket refund under these rules simply because the original itinerary changed.
DO I HAVE TO ASK FOR THE REFUND?
For tickets purchased directly from an airline, DOT says a qualifying refund should be automatic when the airline cancels or significantly changes the trip and you do not accept the changed flight, a rebooked itinerary, a travel credit or other alternative compensation.
If the airline makes an alternative transportation offer and you reject it, the airline must issue the refund automatically. If you do not respond and do not take the offered alternative, DOT also requires a refund to the original form of payment once the applicable trigger occurs.
The practical step is to read every email, text and app notification after a disruption. An airline can set a deadline for accepting a rebooking offer. If you intend to take the alternative flight, respond within that deadline rather than assuming the seat will remain available indefinitely.
HOW FAST SHOULD THE REFUND ARRIVE?
DOT states that after a traveler rejects an alternative transportation offer, a refund is due within 7 business days for a credit-card purchase and within 20 calendar days for another payment method such as cash or check. DOT's current refund page also explains the timing for a traveler who does not respond to an alternative offer and does not fly it.
Keep the original payment statement and the airline's refund confirmation. If the refund does not appear after the applicable period, contact the merchant of record and preserve the correspondence before escalating a complaint.
WHAT IF I BOUGHT THROUGH AN ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY?
The merchant of record matters. DOT says ticket agents, including online travel agencies, that are the merchant of record are responsible for proper airfare refunds when a flight to, from or within the United States is canceled or significantly changed by the airline.
Check the charge on your bank or credit-card statement to identify whether the airline or the ticket agent is the merchant of record. DOT advises travelers who booked through an online travel agency or another ticket agent to contact that agent directly about the refund before contacting the airline.
Ancillary-service fees are different. DOT says ticket agents are not responsible for refunding optional service fees or delayed/lost checked-bag fees; those requests go to the airline.
CAN I GET A REFUND FOR A SEAT, WI-FI OR ANOTHER OPTIONAL SERVICE?
DOT says travelers are entitled to refunds of fees for ancillary services when the paid service is unavailable through no fault of the traveler. Examples can include advance seat selection, in-flight Wi-Fi or entertainment, seat upgrades, lounge access, meals, baggage transport and other optional services.
Do not assume every unpleasant service experience creates a refund right. The rule applies when the paid ancillary service itself was unavailable, not merely because the traveler disliked the service.
WHEN DOES A DELAYED BAG TRIGGER A BAG-FEE REFUND?
A checked-bag fee is refundable when the airline declares the bag lost or when the bag is significantly delayed under DOT's thresholds, subject to listed exceptions. For a domestic flight, DOT treats a bag as significantly delayed when it is not delivered within 12 hours after the flight arrives.
For an international flight between a U.S. airport and a foreign airport, the threshold is 15 hours when the flight is 12 hours or less in duration, and 30 hours when the flight is longer than 12 hours. DOT says the traveler must file a mishandled-baggage report with the airline to receive a bag-fee refund for significant delay.
There are exceptions, including some situations involving failure to pick up and re-check a bag at the first U.S. international entry point, failure to retrieve a bag that arrived on time, or a voluntary agreement to travel without the checked bag under a new delivery arrangement. Review the current DOT baggage guidance for the exact facts of your trip.
WHAT IS THE 24-HOUR AIRLINE BOOKING RULE?
For airline tickets purchased at least 7 days before scheduled departure, DOT requires airlines to provide one of two protections: either allow a reservation to be canceled for a full refund without penalty within 24 hours of booking, or allow the traveler to hold the reservation at the quoted price for 24 hours without payment.
An airline does not have to offer both choices. If it requires payment when you reserve, it must provide the 24-hour cancellation-and-refund option under the rule. The rule does not require free ticket changes, such as changing the travel date or correcting a name.
Importantly, DOT says the airline 24-hour hold/refund requirement does not apply to tickets booked through an online travel agency, travel agent or other third-party agent. A third party may voluntarily offer a similar policy, so read that seller's terms before purchase.
WHAT IF THE AIRLINE OFFERS A VOUCHER INSTEAD?
An airline may offer a voucher, credit, miles or other compensation, but DOT says the airline must also tell you when you are entitled to a cash refund. If you voluntarily accept the alternative, you may give up the refund path that would have applied if you declined it.
DOT says travel credits, vouchers or other compensation offered in lieu of a refund must be valid for at least 5 years and material restrictions must be disclosed. Compare the value and restrictions before accepting.
A PRACTICAL REFUND CHECKLIST
1. Save the original itinerary, ticket receipt and payment statement. 2. Save the airline's cancellation or schedule-change notice. 3. Compare the new itinerary with DOT's significant-change thresholds. 4. Decide whether you actually want the rebooked flight or prefer the refund. 5. Do not accept a voucher automatically if you want the original-form-of-payment refund and qualify for one. 6. Identify the merchant of record if you booked through a third party. 7. File a mishandled-baggage report promptly when a checked bag does not arrive. 8. Keep refund confirmations and dates so you can track the applicable deadline. 9. Recheck DOT's current page if the disruption happens after this guide's verification date.
VOICE-SEARCH ANSWERS
If my airline cancels my flight, do I automatically get my money back? If you do not accept the rebooked flight, credit, voucher or other compensation, DOT says a qualifying airline-direct refund must be automatic.
How late does a U.S. flight have to be before I can get a refund? DOT uses a 3-hour threshold for domestic early-departure or late-arrival schedule changes and a 6-hour threshold for international itineraries, along with several other types of significant changes. The refund applies when you choose not to travel on the changed itinerary.
How long can an airline take to refund my credit card? DOT says qualifying refunds after rejecting an alternative offer are due within 7 business days for credit-card purchases.
Does the 24-hour refund rule apply to Expedia or another travel website? DOT says the airline 24-hour hold/refund requirement does not apply to tickets booked through online travel agencies, travel agents or other third-party agents, although those sellers may voluntarily offer similar policies.
Can I get my baggage fee back if my bag is late? Yes in qualifying cases. DOT sets significant-delay thresholds and requires the traveler to file a mishandled-baggage report; exceptions can apply.
STATUS AND FRESHNESS
Last verified September 22, 2026 against the U.S. Department of Transportation's current airline-refund guidance. Airline policies, federal rules and agency guidance can change, so verify the DOT page and your carrier's current customer-service terms when a real disruption occurs.