Long delay: what to do

Have this ready

• confirmation number
• scheduled and actual times
• cause given by the airline
• receipts for meals and hotel

Steps for any company

1. Ask the airline what it provides for this delay and cause. Save receipts for costs.

2. Submit receipts through the airline's reimbursement channel.

3. If a long delay is a significant change, ask for a refund instead of travel.

A company playbook below replaces these generic steps with the company’s own forms, phone numbers and deadlines.

Company playbooks (9)

• Alaska AirlinesFor a delay caused by Alaska, ask for a meal after 3 hours and a hotel if stranded overnight 100+ miles from home.
• Allegiant AirFor a controllable delay of 3+ hours, ask for a meal voucher; for an overnight delay, a hotel or reimbursement. Weather delays get no expenses.
• American AirlinesFor a delay American causes, ask for a food and beverage credit at 3 hours and a hotel voucher if delayed overnight away from home.
• Breeze AirwaysControllable delays earn Flight Credit scaled to the delay; meals and hotels are a courtesy, not an obligation.
• Delta Air LinesFor a Delta-caused delay of 3 hours or more, ask for meal vouchers and a hotel; claim receipts afterwards.
• Frontier AirlinesAsk for a meal voucher at 3 hours; ask for a refund instead of travel if the delay is more than 3 hours domestic.
• JetBlue AirwaysFor a controllable delay of 3+ hours, JetBlue owes a $12 meal voucher, a hotel if overnight, and 5,000 TrueBlue points to members.
• Southwest AirlinesFor a delay within Southwest's control of 3+ hours, ask for a food voucher, lodging and transport if needed, and claim receipts within one year.
• United AirlinesFor an extensive delay United caused, ask for food and beverage vouchers; the Contract of Carriage does not set an hour threshold.

Guides

• Airlines — how complaints work