US air passenger rights: refunds and bumping compensation.
The United States has no EU-style fixed cash compensation for delays. Instead, US Department of Transportation rules focus on refunds for cancelled or significantly changed flights and on compensation when passengers are involuntarily bumped.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
What are US air passenger rights?
Key takeaways
- The US has no fixed cash compensation scheme for delays, unlike EU261 or UK261.
- DOT rules make the airline refund you promptly when it cancels or badly changes a flight and you decide not to travel.
- The airline must refund you the way you paid, not just in travel vouchers.
- Involuntary denied boarding (bumping) on oversold flights carries set compensation, up to statutory caps.
- Care such as meals or hotels during delays generally depends on each airline's own customer service commitments.
- The DOT handles complaints; for international journeys the Montreal Convention may also apply to baggage and delay losses.
Which situations qualify, and which usually don't?
May qualify for compensation
- An airline under US DOT rules flew you — typically a flight to, from or within the United States.
- For a refund: the airline cancelled or badly changed the flight and you turned down the alternative.
- For denied-boarding compensation: the airline bumped you from an oversold flight against your will, after you met the check-in and boarding rules.
- You held a confirmed reservation on the affected flight.
Usually excluded
- Fixed cash compensation simply for a delay, which US rules do not provide.
- Situations where you voluntarily gave up your seat in exchange for agreed benefits (that is a negotiated deal, not statutory bumping compensation).
- Cases where the airline gets you to your destination within the short time windows that reduce or remove bumping compensation.
- Care expenses during delays where the airline's own commitments do not cover them.
- Denied boarding for reasons such as safety, security or failure to meet the airline's conditions of carriage.
What do DOT passenger rights cover, next to EU261?
Under DOT rules the airline owes you a prompt refund of the unused ticket when it cancels or badly changes your flight and you turn down the alternative.
The airline must refund you the way you paid, not just in vouchers, unless you accept something else. The refund also covers certain extra fees for services you never got.
What can you get under US rules compared with EU261?
US DOT rules next to EU261, by situation
| Flight | Amount |
|---|---|
| Delayed flight, under US DOT rules | No fixed cash payment |
| Delayed flight arriving 3+ hours late, under EU261 | €250–€600 |
| Cancelled or badly changed flight you do not take, under US DOT rules | Prompt refund, the way you paid |
| Bumped from an oversold flight against your will, under US DOT rules | Cash, up to the DOT's statutory cap |
EU261 applies only where the journey falls under it, for example a flight departing the EU, or arriving in the EU on an EU carrier.
What should you do to get US denied boarding compensation or a refund?
- 1Keep your reservation confirmation and any cancellation or schedule-change notice.
- 2If the airline offers a voucher after a cancellation, ask instead for a refund to your original payment method.
- 3If you are bumped involuntarily, ask the airline for a written statement of your denied-boarding rights.
- 4Keep receipts for any expenses and note your rebooked arrival time.
- 5Check your eligibility and, if needed, file a complaint with the airline and the DOT.
Which documents should you keep?
How do you claim?
- 1Enter your flight and journey details to get a preliminary assessment.
- 2Add your booking, any cancellation or bumping notice, and receipts.
- 3We help you request the refund or compensation from the airline and follow up.
- 4If a payment is recovered, you receive the airline's award and pay our fixed €39 fee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get compensation for a delayed flight in the US?
There is no fixed cash compensation for delays under US rules. What you receive during a delay generally depends on the airline's own customer service commitments. For cancelled or significantly changed flights you may be entitled to a refund, and involuntary bumping carries separate compensation.
When am I entitled to a refund?
DOT rules require a prompt refund when your flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you choose not to accept the alternative offered. The refund should be in your original form of payment, not just a voucher, unless you agree otherwise.
How much is bumping compensation?
For a bump off an oversold flight, the payment follows how late you arrive and what you paid, up to the DOT's cap. Very short delays to arrival can reduce or remove the amount, so the exact figure depends on the circumstances.
Does EU261 ever apply to US flights?
It can. A flight departing the EU, or arriving in the EU on an EU carrier, may be covered by EU261 even if it involves the US. For international trips the Montreal Convention may also apply to baggage and delay losses.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
Does your flight qualify?
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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