US DOT mandatory flight refund rules
Under the US DOT final rule, airlines must automatically provide 100% cash refunds within 7 to 20 days if a flight is significantly delayed (3+ hours domestic, 6+ hours international) and the passenger declines alternate rebooking.
Airlines must also automatically refund paid baggage fees if bags are delayed past 12 hours domestically or 15 to 30 hours internationally, plus unused fees for paid amenities.
Worked example: US domestic delay refund
A traveler with a $420 domestic airline ticket delayed by 4 hours who declines alternate rebooking, whose checked bag ($35 fee) was delayed past 12 hours, and who paid $20 for unused in-flight Wi-Fi receives a total mandatory cash refund of $475.
Inputs for the flight delay compensation US calculator
Itinerary Type
Domestic flight (3-hour threshold) or international flight (6-hour threshold).
Delay Hours
Difference between scheduled arrival time and actual gate arrival time.
Ticket Purchase Cost
Total price paid for the airfare eligible for prompt cash reimbursement.
Declined Rebooking
Whether you rejected alternate flight options offered by the carrier.
Baggage Delay Status
Whether checked luggage was delayed past statutory DOT timeframes.
Baggage Fee Paid
Paid baggage fee eligible for mandatory automatic cash refund.
Ancillary Fees
Paid seat selection, Wi-Fi, or amenity charges not received.
CALCULATOR QUESTIONS
US flight delay refund calculator questions
Can an airline force me to accept travel vouchers instead of a cash refund?
No. Under US DOT regulations, airlines cannot force passengers to accept vouchers or credits when entitled to a mandatory refund; refunds must be paid in original payment currency.
How quickly must US airlines issue delayed flight refunds?
Airlines must issue refunds within 7 business days for credit card purchases and within 20 calendar days for other payment methods.