US DOT rules emphasize a refund when an airline cancels a flight or makes a significant schedule change and the traveler does not accept the changed trip, credit or alternative transportation. A general flight delay does not trigger an EU-style fixed cash award under US federal rules.
What counts as a significant change
DOT's refund guidance includes a departure or arrival shift of at least three hours for a domestic itinerary and six hours for an international itinerary, along with other specified changes such as a different airport or added connection. Check the actual rule and your facts rather than treating any small change as automatically refundable.
Follow the refund
Keep the original and new itinerary, the airline's notice, your acceptance or rejection of an alternative, the payment method and the refund request record. The DOT refund page also explains timing and original-payment-method requirements. Airline meal or hotel commitments are separate and can be checked on DOT's cancellation and delay dashboard.
Official sources
- Refunds — U.S. DOT
- Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard — U.S. DOT
- File a Consumer Complaint — U.S. DOT
- Bumping and oversales — U.S. DOT
- Fly Rights — U.S. DOT