Cancelled Flight Compensation: Your Refund and Rerouting Rights
After a cancellation, several rights can exist at the same time. A refund or replacement flight solves the unused ticket; care covers the wait; compensation addresses qualifying disruption.
What to know
- A ticket refund and statutory compensation are different remedies.
- Under EU rules, notice given less than 14 days before departure may support a claim, subject to rerouting times and the cause.
- Choosing a refund can end the airline’s obligation to reroute you, so compare the options before accepting.
Choose between refund and rerouting carefully
When EU261 or UK261 applies, the airline should generally offer a choice between reimbursement and rerouting. If you still need to travel, accepting an automatic refund too quickly can leave you buying a costly replacement ticket yourself.
For flights to, from or within the United States, DOT refund rules can require a refund when the airline cancels or significantly changes a flight and the passenger does not accept the alternative offered.
When cancellation compensation may apply
Under EU rules, cancellation notice received fewer than 14 days before departure can lead to compensation unless the substitute itinerary stays within specified timing limits or extraordinary circumstances caused the cancellation. UK rules use a related framework for covered flights.
- Save the first cancellation message with its timestamp.
- Compare the replacement flight’s departure and arrival times with the original itinerary.
- Ask for the cancellation reason in writing.
Care during the wait
If rerouting leaves you waiting, covered European and UK journeys can include reasonable food, communication and, when necessary, accommodation and transport. If the airline does not provide them, keep itemized receipts and avoid unnecessary luxury spending.
Document the whole itinerary
Keep the original reservation, the cancellation notice, replacement boarding passes, receipts and any conversation identifying the cause. A single reservation matters when a cancellation breaks a connection or changes arrival at the final destination.
Official sources
Rules change. Confirm your situation with the relevant authority: