Delayed Flight: What Your Airline Owes You
Your flight is late: the meal, hotel, credit and refund your airline owes you, and EU or UK compensation.
All 9 airlines on DOT’s dashboard promise a meal — or a full refund if you choose not to flyAlaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Southwest add a travel credit; Alaska and Hawaiian also give miles. None promises cash.
What to do now
- Ask for the meal voucher now that the wait has reached 3 hours.
- Ask to be rebooked if a sooner flight leaves: at no cost, on a partner airline too (not Allegiant, Frontier and Southwest).
- After the trip, if you flew Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue or Southwest, check that the travel credit (and with Alaska or Hawaiian, the miles) arrived.
- Or take the refund: you may turn down the delayed flight and any voucher, and the airline must pay within 7 business days on a card, 20 days otherwise.
A controllable flight cancellation or delay is essentially a delay or cancellation caused by the airline.
(US Department of Transportation)
Significantly delayed or changed flight means a covered flight itinerary with a delay or change made by a covered carrier where, as the result of the delay or change: (1) The consumer is scheduled to depart from the origination airport three hours or more for domestic itineraries and six hours or more for international itineraries earlier than the original scheduled departure time; (2) The consumer is scheduled to arrive at the destination airport three or more hours for domestic itineraries or six or more hours for international itineraries after the original scheduled arrival time;
(14 CFR 260.2 (eCFR))
A covered carrier that is the merchant of record must provide a full and prompt refund of the airfare, including any taxes and ancillary fees, as set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section to a consumer that holds a nonrefundable ticket on a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States for any cancelled flight or significantly delayed or changed flight where the consumer chooses not to: (i) Fly on the significantly delayed or changed flight or accept rebooking on an alternative flight; or (ii) Accept any voucher, credit, or other form of compensation offered by the air carrier or foreign air carrier pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.
(14 CFR 260.6 (eCFR))
Read 2026-10-04: DOT’s Cancellation and Delay Dashboard (updated 2025-09-11), 14 CFR 260 on the eCFR, the European Commission’s Your Europe page and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Check your airline’s own plan before you fly.
What each US airline promises when it delays you (DOT’s dashboard)
| When the airline delays you | Alaska | Allegiant | American | Delta | Frontier | Hawaiian | JetBlue | Southwest | United |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New flight, same airline, no cost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On a partner airline, no cost | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Meal after a 3-hour wait | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hotel overnight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ride to the hotel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cash after 3 hours | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Travel credit after 3 hours | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Miles after 3 hours | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Quick answer: In the US, all 9 airlines on DOT’s dashboard promise a meal once a delay they cause reaches 3 hours, and all but Frontier a hotel overnight; none pays cash. From 3 hours late on a domestic trip (6 international) you may take a full refund instead. Leaving the EU or UK, 3 hours late can mean €250–600 or £220–520.
How to use it
Pick whose rules cover your flight, the airline, why it is late and how late, and for a US trip whether it is domestic or international. For a flight leaving the EU or UK, add the distance. The answer lists what you get for this wait, what to do at the airport now, and the law’s or DOT’s own words with links; under it, every US airline’s promises side by side.
The US: the airline’s promises, and a refund by law
No US law pays you for a delay. What you get is what each airline promises on DOT’s Cancellation and Delay Dashboard for a delay it controls: A controllable flight cancellation or delay is essentially a delay or cancellation caused by the airline.
All 9 promise a meal or a meal voucher once the wait reaches 3 hours; Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest and United promise a hotel and the ride to it for an overnight delay (not Frontier); Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Southwest add a travel credit, and Alaska and Hawaiian miles. None promises cash.
The law’s part is the refund. 14 CFR 260.2 calls a flight significantly delayed when you are scheduled to arrive at the destination airport three or more hours for domestic itineraries or six or more hours for international itineraries after the original scheduled arrival time
, and 260.6 then gives a full refund of the fare, taxes and fees if you choose not to fly it or accept a voucher. On a card it is due within 7 business days, otherwise within 20 days. It applies whatever caused the delay, weather included.
The EU and the UK: care, a refund after 5 hours, and money from 3 hours late
If an airline expects that your flight will be delayed beyond the scheduled departure time, you are entitled to meals and refreshments, in proportion to the waiting time, and 2 free telephone calls, emails or faxes.
The care starts at 2 hours late for flights up to 1,500 km, 3 hours up to 3,500 km and 4 hours beyond, and includes a hotel when the flight leaves the next day. If your flight is delayed at least 5 hours at departure, the airline must reimburse your ticket
. If you reach your final destination with a delay of 3 hours or more you are entitled to compensation if the delay is not caused by extraordinary circumstances.
The UK keeps the same rules: You may also be entitled to compensation if the delay means you reach your destination airport more than three hours late.
If the delay is more than five hours, you can choose not to travel and receive a refund.
Airlines do not have to pay compensation if they consider the delay to be caused by “extraordinary circumstances”.
| Rules | Meals | Refund if you do not fly | Compensation (short / medium / long) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US (DOT) | The airline’s promise, from 3 hours | From 3 hours late (domestic) or 6 (international) | None |
| EU 261 | From 2, 3 or 4 hours by distance | From 5 hours | €250 / €400 / €600 |
| UK 261 | From 2, 3 or 4 hours by distance | From 5 hours | £220 / £350 / £520 |
Worked examples
American is 3 hours late leaving Dallas. American promises a meal — or a full refund if you choose not to fly.
Your American flight slips to tomorrow morning. American promises a meal and a hotel tonight with the ride to it — or a full refund if you choose not to fly.
Frontier slips overnight. Frontier promises a meal, but no hotel — or a full refund if you choose not to fly.
Delta is 4 hours late to London. Delta promises a meal; the refund right starts at 6 hours late on an international trip.
Paris to New York lands 4 hours late. €600 compensation, plus meals and drinks while you wait: EU rules.
Common mistakes
- Asking for cash in the US: none of the 9 airlines promises it for a delay.
- Asking for the meal too early: every promise on DOT’s dashboard starts at a 3-hour wait.
- Taking a voucher you did not want. Once the delay is significant, you may say no and take the refund.
- Counting the departure for EU or UK compensation: it is how late you reach your final destination that counts.
- Forgetting to claim EU or UK compensation: it is not paid automatically.
Related
For a cancellation, the Cancelled Flight checker; for a missed connection, the Missed Connecting Flight checker; for EU or UK money from any two airports, the Flight Delay Compensation Calculator. Read the flight delay compensation you are probably owed, how to survive a long flight, the top airlines in the USA and the best time to book flights.
FAQ
What is American Airlines’ delay compensation?
American promises a meal once the wait reaches 3 hours and a hotel tonight with the ride to it if the delay runs overnight — or a full refund if you choose not to fly. No cash, and nothing for weather.
What is Delta’s flight delay compensation?
Delta promises a meal once the wait reaches 3 hours and a hotel overnight with the ride to it. No cash. From 3 hours late on a domestic trip (6 international), you may take a full refund instead.
What is United’s delay compensation?
United promises a meal once the wait reaches 3 hours and a hotel overnight with the ride to it. No cash or travel credit on DOT’s dashboard.
What is Southwest’s flight delay compensation?
Southwest promises a meal and a travel credit once the wait reaches 3 hours, and a hotel overnight with the ride to it. No cash.
What is JetBlue’s delay compensation?
JetBlue promises a meal and a travel credit once the wait reaches 3 hours, and a hotel overnight with the ride to it. No cash.
Can I get a refund for a delayed flight?
Yes, when it is significantly delayed: 3 hours or more late on a domestic trip, 6 or more on an international one (14 CFR 260.2), and you choose not to fly it. Leaving the EU or UK, after 5 hours.
Flight delayed 3 hours: what compensation?
In the US, the airline’s promises: a meal from all 9 on DOT’s dashboard, a travel credit from Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Southwest. Leaving the EU or UK, €250–600 or £220–520 when you land 3 hours late and the airline caused it.