A delayed or cancelled flight is stressful, and the hour after the announcement matters. A calm, ordered response protects your options. The rules differ between regions, so treat this guide as a method rather than a legal opinion.
The first hour
Check the airline's app and your email
Airlines often rebook automatically. See what has already been offered.
Ask for a rebooking and the reason
Record the new flight and the stated cause in writing, by message or email.
Say what you need
If the delay is long, ask about meals, a hotel and transport, and keep receipts.
Keep the evidence
Boarding pass, booking confirmation, delay announcement and screenshots.
Do
- Ask for the cause and the rebooking options in writing
- Keep receipts for reasonable meals, hotel and transport
- Check the rules that apply to your route
Avoid
- Accept an offer you do not understand at the counter
- Pay for a new ticket before asking about rebooking
- Throw away your boarding pass
How the rules differ
Europe
Passenger rights rules can give a right to care, rebooking or refund, and in some cases compensation, depending on the route and the cause.
United States
Refunds are generally owed for cancelled flights, and the airline's own commitments describe care and rebooking.
Elsewhere
Rules vary widely. Read the airline's conditions of carriage and look at the local regulator's page.
Day 0
Disruption
Rebook, collect receipts and note the cause.
Within days
Ask for compensation or a refund
Use the airline's form, and attach proof.
Weeks later
Escalate
Contact the national regulator or an alternative dispute body if the airline refuses.
Paying with a card helps
If the airline or a travel seller fails to provide the service you paid for, you can ask your card issuer to look into it. See disputing a card charge. Before you do, ask the seller for a refund in writing and keep the answer.
Common mistakes
Leaving the airport without a record. Ask for a written note of the delay.
Buying a new ticket too fast. Ask about rebooking first, or you may lose your claim.
Mixing up refund and compensation. A refund returns what you paid. Compensation is a separate payment for the disruption.
Missing deadlines. Claims have time limits. Start within days, not months.
Stay polite and persistent. Agents can often offer more than the first reply suggests, and a clear, calm message with your evidence is the best way to get it.
Questions people ask
Am I entitled to compensation for every delay?
No. Compensation rules apply to specific routes and causes, and they have thresholds for delay length. Weather or air traffic control problems are often treated differently from an airline's own faults. Check the rules that apply to your route.
Should I accept a voucher instead of a refund?
You can, but a voucher is the airline's offer, not your right. If the airline cancels your flight and you do not want to travel, ask whether a cash refund is available before you accept a credit.
Sources
Written from these pages and checked against them on October 5, 2026. Programs and rules change, so check the provider’s current terms before you decide.
General information, not financial, legal or travel advice. Your own card terms and the provider’s current rules always come first.