Before you take to the air this holiday, learn your flight refund rights. AAA expects this to be an extremely busy travel season, with a record 119.33 million people traveling between now and the end of the year.
Whether you're headed to a country where the dollar is strong or one of Kiplinger's great places to live in Texas to see family, there's a good chance you could experience flight delays or cancellations due to high travel volume and potential winter weather. So, how can you get your money back if you're affected?
Storms could disrupt travel
With much of the country incurring winter weather, it's common for storms to pop up. If you live in or plan to travel in an area where winter weather is common, make sure to pay close attention to weather forecasts.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Even with preparation, things can happen that cause delays: Airline staffing issues, computer glitches and delays from connecting airports can cause a ripple effect that could add time to your travel.
Airlines aren't always prepared to respond, despite years of warnings. Compensation for passengers can be slow and painful to extract.
So educate yourself before you head to the airport, and use the compensation guidance below if your travel plans get derailed.
How to get your refund
So your flight was canceled or delayed — now what? Visit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) Airline Customer Service Dashboard, where you can compare the refund and reimbursement policies of the 10 biggest U.S. airlines.
According to the DoT's information, Alaska and JetBlue are the top carriers in terms of assisting customers with disrupted travel plans, while Frontier is by far the worst.
Find your airline in the tables below and check if your disruption is covered under their policies.
Airline customer service list
Once you've determined whether your airline covers your situation, contact them via their respective customer service website:
- Alaska Airlines
- Allegiant Air
- American Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- United Airlines
Holiday travel tips:
- Download your airline's app: If your flight delays, chances are customer service phone and physical lines will be long. Often, you can reschedule flights through your airline on their app quicker.
- Consider an airport lounge: Airports charge excessive prices for food and water. Instead of waiting in long lines, an airport lounge gives you a quiet place to relax, have a good meal, and even with a delay, you can rest comfortably.
- Have a credit card with trip insurance: Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer trip cancellation insurance if a flight cancels due to unexpected inclement weather, sickness and other covered events.
Related Content
-
What Stock Pros Expect to See in 2025The jury's out on the 2025 stocks forecast: will investors enjoy higher interest rates that dampen the market, or another year of double-digit returns?
-
How to Avoid These 10 Retirement Planning MistakesMany retirement planning mistakes are easily avoidable. Here are 10 to have on your radar so you don't end up running out of money in your golden years.
-
Do Wildfires Have You Worried About Your Insurance Coverage? Here's What to DoWith the California wildfires causing billions of dollars in damage, now is a good time to assess your homeowner's insurance and ensure it covers disasters.
-
Women, What Is Your Net Worth?Many women have no idea what their net worth is, or even how to calculate it. Many also turn to social media finfluencers for advice. Here's what to do instead.
-
Medicare’s 2025 Drug Negotiation List Includes Ozempic and WegovyThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services wants to lower the cost for 15 more drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy.
-
California Wildfires and Insurance: Looking for HelpLos Angeles-based insurance expert Karl Susman shares the view from his agency’s office as all hands are on deck to help their policyholders.
-
A Strategic Way to Address the Tax-Deferred DisconnectWhat you don't know could cost you a fortune. Here's how to make the most of a tax-deferred retirement account and possibly save your heirs a bunch on taxes.
-
CPI Report Keeps the Fed on Track: What the Experts Are Saying About InflationCPI Disinflation in key areas of consumer prices should help the Federal Reserve stick to its policy path of gradual cuts to interest rates.
-
To Insure or Not to Insure: Is Life Insurance Necessary?Even if you're young and single with no dependents, you may need some life insurance. Here's how to figure out what and how much you may need.
-
How to Organize Your Financial Life (and Paperwork)To simplify the future for yourself and your heirs, put a financial contingency plan in place. The peace of mind you'll get is well worth the effort.
