Airlines operating in the United States must provide full monetary refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled if they choose not to travel, according to Department of Transportation rules.
The federal mandate ensures that travelers do not have to accept flight credits when disruptions occur.
"If a flight does get canceled, travelers are owed a full refund for the ticket, full stop.
If they are presented with a credit, they have the right to refuse and ask for monetary refund," said Katy Nastro, spokesperson for travel site Going.
com.
Nastro also recommends that passengers check for existing credit card protections before buying extra insurance.
Expert Tips for Disrupted Travel
Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, advises travelers to target early morning departures because they experience fewer delays.
"Travelers should consider looking at flights that are very early in the morning — as these are typically less delayed, too," Napoli said.
He also suggests that booking refundable tickets or securing travel insurance can mitigate sudden operational issues.
Going. com founder Scott Keyes emphasizes monitoring flight statuses online to avoid unnecessary airport trips.
"Check your flight status before you go the airport. Most of these notifications are not happening at the last minute," Keyes said.
Keyes advises that passengers who are already at the airport should act quickly to reach customer service desks.
"It’s going to make a difference who arrives first. It’s first-come, first-serve.
Positioning yourself close to the desk can pay off," Keyes said.
He notes that maintaining a polite demeanor with airline staff significantly increases the likelihood of receiving assistance.
"Honey attracts more flies than vinegar," Keyes said.
Keyes explains that airline employees possess the most direct power to resolve rebooking issues for passengers.
Going.
com product operations specialist Lousson Smith notes that airlines frequently leverage interline agreements to transfer displaced passengers to competitor flights.
Points Path founder Julian Kheel highlights that frequent flyer miles can serve as an alternative resource for finding last-minute seating.
"You’ll need to be prepared to spend a lot of miles, and you may not get the best value for them," Kheel said.
Kheel explains that flexible mileage cancellation policies allow travelers to book multiple backup options without penalty.
"Most US airlines now allow you to cancel flights booked with frequent flyer miles without any fee or penalty right up until departure time.
That means you can book multiple alternate flights on different airlines using your miles in case one of them ends up delayed or canceled," Kheel said.
However, Kheel cautions passengers against booking duplicates on a single carrier to avoid automatic system cancellations.
