These US Airlines Will Compensate You For Flight Delays & It’s About To Get Even Better
"When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill."
Delta and Hawaiian Airlines planes. Right: Travelers walking inside an airport.
Desk Editor, Texas
May 10, 2023, 2:59 PM
May 10, 2023, 1:54 PM
Flight delays and cancellations are every traveler’s nightmare and something many deal with while waiting to board a plane to that destination they’ve been dreaming of for a long time. However, these uncomfortable situations could soon become a bit less of a problem, as U.S. airlines would compensate you after keeping you stranded.
For the first time ever, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is planning to launch an initiative that would require airlines to compensate and cover the expenses of travelers affected by flight delays and cancellations controlled by the flight companies.
This means it would be mandatory for airlines to cover things like meals, hotels, and rebooking for passengers when the carriers are responsible for flight disruptions.
"When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill," DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release.
This planned regulation includes the following:
- Compensation for passengers when there’s a controllable flight cancellation or significant delay;
- Requirement for airlines to offer a meal or meal voucher, accommodations, ground transportation to and from the hotel, and rebooking to stranded travelers;
- Timely customer service from the airline during and after disruptions;
- Definition of a controllable cancellation or delay.
Additionally, in order to offer travelers more transparency, DOT launched the FlightRights website and extended the Airline Customer Service Dashboard for passengers to get informed about the kind of services the different airlines offer.
With that in mind, here are the ten major U.S. airlines’ current commitments for controllable cancellations and delays:
Alaska Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Credit/travel voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time;
- Frequent flyer miles when cancellation result in passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Credit/travel voucher when delay results in passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time;
- Frequent flyer miles when delay results in passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time.
Allegiant Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
American Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
Delta Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
Frontier Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more.
Hawaiian Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
JetBlue Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Credit/travel voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Credit/travel voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time.
Southwest Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
Spirit Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
United Airlines
Controllable cancellations:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for three hours or more for new flight;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.
Controllable delays:
- Rebook passenger on same airline at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Rebook on partner airline or another airline with which it has an agreement at no additional cost for significant delays;
- Meal or meal cash/voucher when flight delay results in passenger waiting three hours or more;
- Complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight delay;
- Complimentary ground transportation to and from hotel for any passenger affected by an overnight delay.
Currently, none of these ten airlines offer cash compensations for cancellations or significant delays that result in the passenger waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.