Flight delayed or cancelled in the US: your rights and how to claim

Is the airline having trouble?

Check the service page on this site. It shows status based on reports from other visitors in the last 24 hours. The airline's official website also displays known problems.

If your airline publishes an official status page, you will find a link here.

Reports here come from visitors, not the airline. No reports do not mean the service works. You can report your own issue if others are affected.

• Use the official website, the airline's status page, and reports here to tell if this is widespread or just your issue.

What to do right away

Go to the airline's official website or app now. This is where you find updates about your flight. The service page links to the airline's help and contact pages.

If you see others with the same problem, report it here using the button on the service page.

• Report to help others, and save records for any future complaint or dispute.

Who can confirm a problem, and how to reach the airline

For the real status, use only official sources: the airline's website, app, status page, and customer service. Reports here are helpful but not official.

Contact the airline through official channels linked on this site. Note the date, time, and any reference number they give you.

• Use only the airline's official website, app, status page, and direct contact lines.

Your rights and how to claim in the United States

Complaints about air travel service go to the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection at the US Department of Transportation, which uses them to look for trends and to investigate. If an airline owes you a refund and you cannot get it, for instance because it cancelled your flight, you can complain to it in writing.

When you file a complaint, the airline has 30 days to acknowledge it. They must send you a full answer within 60 days. If you paid by credit card, write to your card company within 60 days of the date the first statement showing the charge was mailed. Your card company should then give the amount back to your account.

After you turn down the airline's offer, it has 7 business days to refund a credit card payment and 20 calendar days for other forms of payment. If you accept rebooking, tell them before their deadline. When an airline asks for payment at the time of booking, it has to let you cancel within 24 hours and get a full refund. If the airline was responsible for the delay, you may be entitled to be paid back for some expenses and amenities.

• File a written complaint with the US Department of Transportation, or dispute the charge with your credit card company.