Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation

A delayed or canceled flight can cost far more than a ticket: missed cruises, weddings, business meetings, prepaid hotels, and extra nights away from home. Your rights depend on whether the flight was domestic or international, where it departed, and which airline operated it. Muggeo & Associates helps travelers in Massachusetts, New England, and Florida understand and pursue their rights after flight disruptions.

Domestic U.S. Flights

• Refunds for cancellations and significant changes. Under DOT’s refund rule, if an airline cancels your flight or significantly changes it and you choose not to travel or accept an alternative, you are entitled to a refund. A significant change includes a departure or arrival change of more than three hours domestically or six hours internationally, a different airport, added connections, or a downgrade.
• Automatic and prompt. Refunds must be issued automatically when the right is clear, within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days otherwise, in cash or the original form of payment unless you accept something else.
• Refunds of unused services. Fees for services you paid for but did not receive, such as seat selection or Wi-Fi, must be refunded.
• No federal cash compensation for delays. DOT proposed requiring airlines to pay cash for controllable delays but withdrew the proposal in 2025. Meals, hotels, and vouchers depend on each airline’s own commitments and contract of carriage.
• Denied boarding (bumping). Passengers involuntarily bumped from oversold flights are generally entitled to compensation under federal rules, with maximums that DOT adjusts periodically (currently $1,075 or $2,150 depending on the length of the delay).

International Flights: The Montreal Convention

For most international trips, the Montreal Convention governs the airline’s liability. Under Article 19, the airline is liable for damage caused by delay of passengers and baggage unless it proves it took all reasonable measures to avoid the damage or that such measures were impossible. Recoverable damages can include out-of-pocket expenses and other provable losses, generally capped at 6,303 Special Drawing Rights per passenger for losses since December 28, 2024. Lawsuits must be filed within two years. See Montreal Convention Claims.

European and UK Flights: EU261 and UK261

Flights departing the European Union or the United Kingdom, and flights arriving there on EU or UK airlines, may qualify for fixed compensation of up to 600 euros (or the UK equivalent) for delays of three hours or more at arrival, late cancellations, and denied boarding, unless the airline shows extraordinary circumstances. See EU261 and UK261 Flight Compensation.

Canadian Flights

Canada has its own Air Passenger Protection Regulations, which can require compensation for certain delays and cancellations within the airline’s control on flights to, from, and within Canada. Many Vermont and northern New England travelers fly from Montréal, where those rules may apply.

When a Delay Becomes a Bigger Case

• A delay that caused you to miss a cruise departure, wedding, funeral, surgery, or business closing
• Stranding of elderly passengers, passengers with disabilities, or families with young children
• Tarmac delays with inadequate food, water, or medical care
• Injuries during a delay or rebooking chaos (see Airline Passenger Injuries)
• An airline that refuses a valid refund or EU261 claim
• Group or corporate travel losses

Related Pages

• EU261 and UK261 Flight Compensation
• Lost, Delayed and Damaged Baggage Claims
• Flight Delay and Baggage Claim Checklist
• Montreal Convention Claims
• How to Make a Montreal Convention Claim
• New England International Flights
• Claims by Airline

Frequently Asked Questions

Do U.S. airlines have to pay cash compensation for a delayed flight?

For domestic flights, there is currently no federal rule requiring cash compensation for delays. The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed one in 2024 but withdrew it in 2025. You are, however, entitled to a refund if the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you choose not to travel, and an airline’s own policies may provide meals, hotels, or vouchers.

What counts as a significant delay for a refund?

Under DOT’s refund rule, a change in departure or arrival time of more than three hours for a domestic flight or more than six hours for an international flight is a significant change. Changes in airports, added connections, and downgrades also qualify.

How fast does the airline have to refund me?

DOT requires refunds within 7 business days for credit card purchases and within 20 calendar days for other payment methods, and refunds must be in cash or the original form of payment unless you agree to something else.

Can I recover my expenses for an international delay?

Under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention, an airline is liable for damage caused by delay unless it proves it took all reasonable measures to avoid it or that it was impossible to do so. Recoverable damages, such as hotels, meals, and missed prepaid arrangements, are generally capped at 6,303 Special Drawing Rights per passenger for losses since December 28, 2024.

Is EU261 compensation available for flights from Boston?

EU261 covers flights departing an EU airport on any airline, and flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline. A Boston-to-Europe flight on an EU carrier, or a return flight from Europe on any carrier, may qualify for fixed compensation of up to 600 euros. See our EU261 and UK261 page.

When should I talk to a lawyer about a delay or lost bag?

Most refund and small baggage claims can be handled directly with the airline. A lawyer can help when the losses are significant, when the airline refuses a valid claim, when a delay caused you to miss a cruise, event, or business commitment, or when you were also injured.

Talk With an Aviation Attorney

If you have a flight delay, cancellation, or denied boarding problem, call Muggeo & Associates at (978) 741-1177, text the same number, or request a consultation online. We answer calls 24/7. Offices in Salem, Massachusetts and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Attorney Louis J. Muggeo has more than 2,000 hours of civilian flight time. Many small claims can be resolved directly with the airline, and we will tell you when that is the better route.

This page provides general information, not legal advice. Airline rules, government regulations, and treaty limits change, and outcomes depend on the facts. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Last reviewed November 2026.