Back in April 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced a new Department of Transportation rule that may have you thank, thank, thankful just in time for that *joyous* Thanksgiving Turkey day travel. 🦃
In a nutshell, if a flight is canceled, significantly delayed, and service is not as provided, airlines are now required to automatically issue a refund back to the original form of payment within a week.
But wait! The key is that a passenger must decline vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation.
To be more specific, this includes:
- If a flight is canceled
- If a flight is significantly changed or delayed, with departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally
- If a flight includes a changed departure or arrival from a different airport
- If a flight increases the number of connections
- If a passengers is downgraded to a lower class of service
- If the connection is changed to a different airport
- If the flight is changed to a different planes that is less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability 🌻
For those checking baggage, the checked bag fee will be refunded if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate.
Passengers are also entitled to a refund for Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment fees if an airline fails to provide this service. (I can't tell you how many times I've paid for Wi-Fi and can barely get it to work!)
Better yet, it also makes additional allowances and protections for passengers-under a medical note-who are suddenly unable to travel due to a communicable disease.
Though a week is the rule for a credit card refund, airlines and ticket agents do have 20 calendar days for other payment methods.
Read the full DOT rule and press release here.
