Imagine that you get to the airport ready for your flight and then find out that your plane is grounded indefinitely due to mechanical issues. You wait for hours and then the airline rebooks you on a flight that leaves the next morning. Because of this, you end up paying for a hotel, dinner, and a taxi, but can you get reimbursed for these extra expenses?
While the official U.S. Department of Transportation rules do not require airlines to repay you for essential purchases caused by flight disruptions, there is still a good chance you can get your money back. Here’s what you need to know.
Reimbursement vs Refund: What’s the Difference?
Before we go any further, let’s clear up how airline reimbursement is different from a refund.
A reimbursement is when the airline pays you back for any out-of-pocket expenses you had as a result of a flight delay, cancellation, or other issue related to your travels. So for example, if your flight was delayed overnight and you had to pay for hotel accommodation and meals as a result, then the airline might reimburse you for those expenses.
A refund is when an airline returns the amount of money you paid for your ticket. This can happen when your flight is canceled or significantly changed, and you decide not to accept a rebooking provided by the carrier.
So:
- If your flight was canceled or significantly changed you’re owed a refund.
- If you had a flight disruption that forced you to pay for essentials like meals and hotel accommodation, you can request reimbursement.
When You Can Request Airline Reimbursement
You can request reimbursement any time a flight disruption puts you in a situation where you have to spend extra money for essentials. Here are some examples:
- Your flight was canceled, and you had to spend money on accommodation, meals or transport yourself.
- You missed your connecting flight because your first leg was disrupted, forcing you to pay for meals and other expenses until your rebooked flight departs,
- You had an extensive flight delay, and the airline re-booked you on a much later flight and you incurred extra costs waiting.
- Your flight was canceled and rather than accepting a rebooking from the airline, you book a new flight
Airlines in the U.S. will only reimburse you for “out-of-pocket” expenses if the disruption was their fault, and even then, only certain costs will be covered.
Disruptions that are within the airline’s control
Also, the Department of Transportation notes that airlines are not legally required to pay for incidental expenses unless they’ve committed to it in their Customer Service Plan, but many will on a goodwill basis.
Examples of Direct + Indirect Flights and Reimbursable Expenses
Direct Flights: You fly from JFK to LAX, and your evening flight is canceled because of an airline staffing issue. You accept a rebooking, but the next flight isn’t until the following morning. As a result, you pay for dinner and a hotel near the airport. If you kept the receipts, you can claim reimbursement from the airline (assuming the disruption was their responsibility).
Indirect Flights: Let’s say you’re flying from Miami to Las Vegas with a connection in Dallas. The Miami-Dallas flight is delayed enough that you miss your connection to Las Vegas, so you are forced to pay for an overnight stay in Dallas. This means you pay for a hotel and taxi as well as 2 meals. As long as you have proof of these expenses and the delay was avoidable, you could be reimbursed for the amount you paid out-of-pocket.
What Counts as a Valid Expense?
Any reasonable and necessary purchase you had to make as a result of a flight disruption could qualify for reimbursement, including:
- Hotel or accommodation when you’re stranded overnight.
- Taxis, rideshare or ground transport connected to the disruption.
- Meals, drinks, toiletries or basic essentials you’d not have needed if your flight hadn’t been disrupted.
- Basic replacement clothing if your checked luggage was delayed, and you had to buy something immediately.
Documentation You Need for a Reimbursement Claim
All purchases that you want reimbursed by the airline must be paid with your own money (not covered by the airline with vouchers), and you must have proof of the purchase which can be receipts, bank/credit-card records, or screenshots. Without these, you probably won’t get repaid.
So, to make your life easier (and your case stronger), compile the following documents and information for your reimbursement claim:
- All receipts and invoices for hotel, meals, transport and essentials.
- Your flight details including your boarding pass, itinerary showing the original vs new flight, and the boarding pass for the alternate flight.
- Proof of disruption. This can be an email or alert from the airline, a screenshot of the delay or cancellation message, or a re-booking confirmation.
- A short timeline of events to show when your flight was disrupted, what happened and how it led to your extra expenses.
How to Submit an Airline Reimbursement Claim
- Visit the airline’s website and locate their “Customer Feedback”, “Claims”, or “Expense Reimbursement” section.
- Choose the relevant topic like “Out-of-Pocket Expenses”.
- Add your flight information including your flight number, booking reference, and contact details.
- Upload your receipts, disruption notices, timeline and other supporting documents
- Write a brief explanation about what happened, how you were disrupted, and what you spent as a result.
- Submit the claim and note the reference number.
You don’t have to do it alone. AirAdvisor can help you! We make the process easy so you get reimbursed without the stress.
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Reimbursement Claims for Codeshare Flights
You booked with one airline but flew with another, it’s known as a codeshare flight. In these situations, you will need to submit the claim to the airline who caused the flight disruption.
For example, if you bought a ticket from Delta, but the flight was operated by AeroMexico, you need to file your reimbursement claim with AeroMexico. Always double-check your boarding pass or flight itinerary for the correct operating carrier.
When Airlines Provide Vouchers or Hotels
Sometimes airlines step in right away and offer you a hotel stay, meal vouchers or transport during a disruption. If this happens, you should accept these offerings rather than pay for the essentials yourself.
If you decline the offer and book your own accommodation instead, it may be harder to argue that the airline owes you reimbursement, unless you had a valid reason, like if they offered a hotel voucher but the hotel was unsafe or no rooms were available. If this happens, be absolutely sure to keep plenty of detailed records and receipts to strengthen your reimbursement case. The more details you can provide, the better.
Common Issues When Requesting Reimbursement
When you file a reimbursement claim, airlines don’t always make it easy. Here are some common obstacles you might encounter and how to deal with them:
The airline says the disruption was related to weather or air-traffic control
Airlines often reject claims by blaming events outside their control like storms or ATC delays. In these cases, reimbursement is unlikely unless you can show the airline caused additional problems like poor communication or a mishandled rebooking. If you can prove that their mismanagement of the problem caused you to spend extra money, then you have a better chance of getting repaid.
You don’t get a response
Airlines can take time to reply, especially during busy travel periods. So, don’t assume silence means rejection. Just follow up using your case reference or confirmation email.
The airline only offers to reimburse part of what you claimed
Some airlines will reimburse one or two receipts and ignore the rest. Double-check that all your documents were uploaded and itemised, then politely request they review the missing expenses.
Unclear or incomplete proof of the expenses
If your receipts are missing, hard to read, or not clearly linked to your travel dates, airlines may deny your claim. Remember to include every relevant receipt, payment confirmation, and timeline note to show exactly what happened and why the expenses were necessary.
Getting Reimbursed for Expenses on an International Flights
If your international flight was delayed or canceled, and you had to pay for things like food, a hotel, or transport, you might be covered under the Montreal Convention (1999), the global treaty that sets out airline liability for delays.
This means that if you are flying from the US, you can claim your actual expenses as long as the airline is at fault. The Convention says airlines are liable for “damage caused by delay” (Article 19). That includes real, out-of-pocket costs you had to pay because your flight didn’t run on time, such as meals, accommodation, or local transport.
Montreal Convention limits and deadlines
Under Article 22(1) of the Montreal Convention, an airline’s liability for damage caused by passenger delays is capped at 6,303 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger. This is the current limit following the latest adjustment that took effect in late 2024.
The exact dollar amount varies depending on exchange rates, but 6,303 SDR is typically in the region of USD $8,000 to $9,000. This figure is a maximum liability cap, not an automatic payout. Passengers must still prove their actual, reasonable losses, usually with receipts.
Claims under the Montreal Convention must be brought within two years, counted from the date the aircraft arrived, should have arrived, or when carriage stopped, as set out in Article 35.
International Flights from the US to the EU or UK
If your flight departs from the United States and lands in the European Union or the United Kingdom, you can get reimbursed under the rules of EU Regulation 261/2004 (or UK 261). These rules only apply if your flight is operated by a European or British airline or departing from airports in those regions.
Based on these rules, airlines must take care of you during long delays or cancellations. If the airline doesn’t arrange this care on the spot, you can pay for essentials yourself and claim reimbursement afterwards, as long as your costs are reasonable and you keep the receipts.
Even if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances like storms or air-traffic control strikes, this duty of care still applies.
How to Get Reimbursed by Your Credit Card
Many credit cards offer trip delay or disruption insurance that can cover hotel, meals or transport if you’re delayed beyond a certain number of hours. So, check your card’s fine print to see what’s covered, when to file a claim, what documentation you need to support your case.
But remember that this is separate from the airline reimbursement claim, however, you can sometimes claim from both the card’s protection and the airline (for different parts of expenses) but you can’t double-claim the same items.
Just remember that you don’t have to absorb the extra costs of flight delays and disruptions.Start Your Claim
Author:
Joanna Teljeur
Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead
Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development with a focus on consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work centers on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.
