US airlines required to automatically refund passengers for 'significantly' delayed, canceled flights
You book a flight, get excited, and then it gets canceled or delayed. If your ticket's non-refundable or can't be rescheduled, it can be a major headache. But now, in the United States, you can get a refund right away.
In a new policy, airlines in the US are now required to provide cash refunds for "significantly" delayed or canceled flights, even without a specific request.
This new Department of Transportation rule went into effect on Monday in anticipation of the upcoming holiday travel season.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who first proposed the rule in April, announced on X: “Today, our automatic refund rule goes into full effect,” Buttigieg posted. “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them—without headaches or haggling.”
When is one entitled to a refund?
The new policy ensures that if your flight is canceled or "significantly" altered, and you decline the airline's offered alternatives (rebooking or compensation), you're eligible for a full refund.
Additionally, if your checked baggage is significantly delayed, you're eligible to get your money back from the bag fee. To claim this refund, you'll need to file a mishandled baggage report and ensure the bag isn't delivered within a specific timeframe after your flight's arrival.
If your domestic flight arrives, and your bag doesn't show up within 12 hours, you're eligible for a refund. For international flights, the timeframe is either 15 or 30 hours, depending on the flight duration.
If you ordered extra services such as WiFi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment and an airline fails to provide this service, they should give you a refund.
Those who paid using a credit card can get the refund within seven business days, while others who used another form of payment will get theirs within 20 calendar days, the US Department of Transportation said.
The refund must be issued in the same payment method used to purchase the ticket. Airline vouchers or credits are not allowed.
