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United Airlines Compensation for Delayed or Cancelled Flight and Refund
United Airlines says in their promise to customers that “When you book with United, we’ve got your back”, but do they when it comes to delayed and canceled flights? In the Cirium airline on-time performance ranking for 2023, United landed fourth place with 80.04% on-time performance out of 1,513,432 flights. But what if you’re one of the passengers affected by a United flight delay or cancellation?
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AirAdvisor can help you obtain flight compensation of up to $650 per passenger, and we'll only get paid if you get paid, so there's no risk at all in working with us. With over 7 years of expertise we have achieved an impressive 98% win rate in 230,000 cases for flight disruptions.
Just click on the button below to start your free United Airlines flight compensation claim.
How it works
It only takes minutes to finish it! That way you’ll find out your preliminary eligibility – and the size of the compensation.
Our experts will be checking your eligibility in depth, contacting the airlines, working with the authorities and so on.
Once we receive the compensation, we will transfer the money to you.
In this guide, we’re going to explore when you can get compensated and how much you can get if you run into flight disruptions with United Airlines.
Your Air Passenger Rights
As a United passenger, your rights depend on where you’re traveling. So, no matter what country you call home, you will still be protected by the airline regulations of each region or country.
EU and UK Air Passenger Rights Regulations
If your travels take you to the EU or the UK, then you will enjoy some of the best air passenger rights protections in the world with the United Kingdom’s UK261 and the European Union’s EU 261/2004 regulations. These two sets of rules mirror each other and provide passengers departing from an EU or UK airport with care and assistance, refunds, rebooked flights, and, in some cases, even monetary compensation for delays, cancellations, and denied boarding caused by oversales.
Canada
Traveling to the Great White North? If so, then you will be similarly protected by the Canadian Transportation Agency’s rules. More specifically, Canadian law requires United to compensate you for flight disruptions depending on your specific situation. This can include cash compensation, refunds, flight rebooking, and care and assistance.
United States
On domestic United Airlines flights, your rights are protected by the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT). While there are no rules requiring airlines to compensate you for delays and cancellations, you can still expect to get refunds and a rebooked flight as determined by each individual airline. In the case of involuntary denied boarding, United is required to provide you with compensation in addition to a rebooked flight or refund.
Here’s a table that will help you see how different regions protect air passenger rights.
Air Passenger Entitlements by Region | ||
Flight Delays | Flight Cancellations | Denied Boarding |
EU and UK | ||
Up to $650/€600 in compensation Care & Assistance | Up to $650/€600 in compensation Rebooked flight OR Refund Care & Assistance | Up to $650/€600 in compensation Rebooked flight OR Refund Care & Assistance |
Canada | ||
Up to $1,000 CAD in compensation Care & Assistance | Up to $1,000 CAD in compensation Care & Assistance | Up to $2,400 CAD in compensation Rebooked flight OR refund Care & Assistance |
United States | ||
None | None | Up to 400% of your one-way fare or $1,550 USD (whichever is lower) |
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Flight Delay Compensation from United Airlines
Looking specifically at United delays, we find that they had 148,386 delays for the entirety of 2023 or 20.27% based on a report by the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Let’s look at how United takes care of its passengers who are affected by delays.
United Flight Delays in the EU and UK
United flights departing from the EU and UK must provide passengers with the following if flight operations are delayed:
- Between $270/€250 and $650/€600
- Complementary meals, refreshments, communication, hotel stay
- Full ticket refund
The length of your delay determines the amount of compensation you get. Cash compensation is based on the length of your delay and the overall distance of your flight.
EU and UK Delay Compensation | |
Length of Delay | Compensation |
2 hours or more |
|
3 hours or more |
|
5 hours or more |
|
United Flight Delays in Canada
If you’re traveling to Canada and your flight is delayed, then you will receive the following:
- Complementary meals and refreshments
- Access to communication
- Hotel accommodation and transport there and back
- Ticket refund
- Rebooked flight
Passenger rights regulations in Canada also base compensation on the length of your delay as seen in the table below.
Canada Delay Compensation | |
Length of Delay | Compensation |
2 hours or more |
|
3-6 hours |
|
6-9 hours |
|
9 hours |
|
United Flight Delays in the States
As we mentioned, reparations for delays are decided by each individual airline. So, if your United flight is delayed and caused by something within their control, they say they will provide you with the following if your flight is delayed by 3 or more hours:
- Hotel accommodation for one night when the delay lasts 4 hours or more between 10pm and 6am and transportation to the hotel
- Meal vouchers for “extensive delays”
Have you had a delayed flight with United? See if you’re eligible for compensation. It only takes a few minutes, it’s free, and all you have to do is enter your flight details.
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United Canceled Flight Compensation
Generally speaking, flight cancellations happen less frequently than delays. In 2023, United had 10,270 canceled flights according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Recently, flight cancellations have been caused by severe weather affecting vast areas, but many flights are canceled because of staffing inadequacies both with the airline and with airports. Another huge factor affecting cancellation rates is the delays with and grounding of Boeing planes.
So, if your flight with United is canceled, here’s what you can expect in flight compensation.
United Flight Cancellations in the EU and UK
For canceled flights scheduled to depart from the UK or EU, affected passengers are entitled to the following compensation from United depending on the specifics of your situation.
- As much as $650/€600 if United cancels your flight with less than 2 weeks notice and the cancellation was caused by something within the airline’s control.
- The choice of an alternate flight or a full ticket refund.
- If you choose to accept a rebooked flight and you have to wait 2 hours or more, then you must be given complimentary meals, refreshments, and access to communication.
- If your alternate flight won’t leave until the next day, then you must be given an overnight hotel stay plus transportation to and from the hotel
Cash compensation is decided by the length of your delay and the distance of your flight. This table will help you see how much you could get in financial compensation.
Compensation in the EU & UK | |||
Delay Time | Flight Distance | ||
Flights under 1,500km | Flights between 1,500-3,500km | Flights over 3,500km | |
Over 3 hours | $270 USD (€250) | $433 USD (€400) | $650 USD (€600)* |
Under 3 hours | €0 | ||
* United might try to reduce this amount by as much as 50%, but AirAdvisor always works to get the full amount.
United Canceled Flights in Canada
Canadian law requires United to provide the following to passengers affected by flight cancellations:
- Up to $738 USD if United gives you less than 14 days notice and they are to blame for the cancellation.
- A choice between an alternate flight or a full ticket refund
- Free hotel accommodation for one night if your rebooked flight leaves the following day plus transport to and from the hotel
- Access to communication
- Complementary meals and refreshments
Cash compensation amounts are determined by the duration of your delay at your final destination.
Flight Compensation in Canada | |
Duration of Delay | Compensation Amount |
3 to 6 hours | $295 USD / $400 CAD |
6 to 9 hours | $517 USD/ $700 CAD |
9 or more hours | $738 USD/ $1,000 CAD |
United Flight Cancellations in the United States
If United cancels your domestic flight, then they are obligated to provide you with a full ticket refund if you choose not to continue with your travel plans. They will also offer to rebook you on the next available flight to your connection point or final destination at no extra cost. If the cancellation was not caused by severe weather or other extraordinary circumstances beyond United’s control, then the airline will also try to book you on a flight with a partner airline.
Likewise, United will help passengers with meal vouchers and even a hotel stay with transportation there and back if the canceled flight was caused by something that could have been prevented.
Unlike other countries and regions, the United States doesn’t require airlines to pay cash compensation to passengers who suffer because of canceled flights.
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Denied Boarding Compensation
Between January and September of 2023, United denied boarding to 220 passengers because of oversales.
For better cost efficiency, airlines like United will sometimes sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane. The trouble with this is that if everyone shows up on time to board, then someone must be bumped from the flight. If you are involuntarily denied boarding for this reason, then you can expect to receive compensation in most cases.
Denied Boarding in the EU and UK
EU261 and UK261 regulations mandate United Airlines to provide the following to its passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding because of an oversold flight:
- A flight rebooking to your final destination at no additional cost or a full refund of your ticket
- Complimentary care and assistance in the form of meals and refreshments if you’re delayed 2 hours before your rebooked flight
- As much as $650 USD in cash compensation the amount of which depends on the flight distance and delay duration.
Denied Boarding in Canada
If you’re denied boarding on a United flight in Canada, the airline must provide you with:
- An new flight to your final stop at no additional charge, or
- A refund, and
- Food and drink, and
- Up to $1,773 USD cash compensation determined by the amount of time you are delayed at your final destination.
Compensation for Denied Boarding in Canada | |
Duration of Delay | Amount of Compensation |
Up to 6 hours | $665 USD / $900 CAD |
Between 6 and 9 hours | $1,330 USD/ $1,800 CAD |
More than 9 hours | $1,773 USD / $2,400 CAD |
* Payment must be made to passengers as soon as they are denied boarding or within 48 hours of their flight.
Denied Boarding in the United States
US law requires United to provide you with the following if your are involuntarily denied boarding due to an overbooked flight:
- A flight rebooking at no additional charge
- Up to $1,550 USD if your delay at your final destination is greater than one hour. Also, compensation must be issued to you within 24-hours of your flight.
Compensation for Denied Boarding in the United States (Domestic Flights) | |
Delay Duration | Compensation Amount |
Less than an hour | None |
Between 1 and 2 hours | Up to $775 USD (or 200% of the one-way fare, whichever is less) |
More than 2 hours | Up to $1,550 USD (or 400% of the one-way fare, whichever is less) |
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All you have to do is submit the application and wait for the compensation to be received
Missed Connections
What happens if you miss a connection because an earlier leg of your journey suffered a delay of cancellation? Well, you can expect United to find another flight to help you get to your final destination as soon as possible, but you won’t receive any cash compensation unless you’re traveling from the EU or UK or in Canada. The United States doesn’t have any regulations for airlines to compensate passengers when they miss a connecting flight.
Extraordinary Circumstances
When your United flight is canceled or delayed due to extraordinary circumstances, it means that the airline had no way of preventing or avoiding the situation. Basically, they are not at fault. Here are some of the most commonly seen examples of extraordinary circumstances:
- Air traffic control restrictions
- Dangerous weather conditions
- Strikes or other airport disruptions
- Bird strikes
- Hidden manufacturing defects
Always try to discern what caused your flight disruption by asking airline or airport staff. Then make a note of their response, so you can submit this along with your paperwork when filing a compensation claim.
Or you can let the experts at AirAdvisor take care of the compensation claim for you. We take care of all the hard work involved in compensation claims including finding the cause of the delay or cancellation, and then doing all the leg work - even taking the airline to court if necessary!
Why You Can Trust AirAdvisor
- We have a no-win, no-fee pay structure which means we only get paid if you do.
- Over 230,000 passengers have turned to AirAdvisor
- We have a 98% win rate and 7 years of experience protecting air passengers’ rights around the globe.
You don’t have to fight airlines alone. Let AirAdvisor protect your rights and get you up to $650/€600 in airline compensation.
Together we can fight back to get the justice you deserve
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People Also Ask
What should you do if United gives you a voucher instead of a refund?
You should only accept vouchers if you fully understand and agree to their terms. In many cases, vouchers come with blackout dates and other restrictions, but most importantly, accepting one can eliminate your chances of getting compensation if you wanted to file later. Bottom line, you are entitled to a refund, so you don’t have to accept a voucher if you don’t want to.
What happens if your seat is downgraded to a lower class cabin after a canceled flight?
United will pay you for the difference if you are involuntarily downgraded, but how much depends on where you’re traveling.
Is there a deadline for filing a compensation claim with United?
The deadline for compensation claims, or statute of limitations, is different in each country. In Canada it is one year, but in the UK it is 6 years. Some countries have as much as 10 years to file, but most seem to set the time limit at around 3 years.
About United Airlines
- Founded in 1931
- Member of Star Alliance
- The third biggest airline in the world in terms of fleet size and number of routes
- A fleet size of 854 aircraft
- Serves 342 destinations
- On-time performance of approximately 84%, which is one of the best on-time performances of a major airline according to Cirium OTP data
- Cancellation rate of 1.31%, compared to the average of around 2% according to U.S. Department of Transportation
- Customer satisfaction score of 75, compared to the average of 76 based on Statista “American customer satisfaction index scores for airlines in the United States from 1995 to 2021”
- MileagePlus reward program allows passengers to earn miles that never expire in a variety of ways and use them for free flights and rewards, with enough miles to pay for a free flight after approximately 15 trips
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Recent Comments
UA952 on 12/1/23 - boarded and sat on runway 8 hours with just 1 bottle of water because of "mechanical issues". Then after 8 hours they said the flight was cancelled, brought back to gate and rebooked to 2 days later because the snow storm cam through Munich later that night. We were rebooked on UA3020 on 12/3 and again boarded and sat on runway for 10 hours, were "diverted to Newark (where we booked a hotel) and then never took off. We deplaned and rebooked 12/4 and finally got to Chicago 12/4.
airplane had techinical issues when it left ewr coming to lis and was going to be grounded for 3 days
The first flight was delayed over 2 hours which caused me to miss my connecting flight and I did not arrive to RDU until very late.