CANCELLED FLIGHT CLAIM GUIDE

Cancelled flight: refund or compensation? 2026 claim guide

A cancelled flight does not create one universal payment. It can create a choice of refund or rerouting, a claim for reasonable care expenses, and sometimes a separate fixed compensation claim. The correct request depends on the itinerary, operating airline, notice, cause and alternative offered.

Updated 1 September 2026

The short answer

Ask first what outcome you need: abandon the trip and recover the unused ticket, continue on alternative transport, recover necessary expenses, or claim additional compensation where the applicable rules allow it. Do not merge these into one unexplained amount, and do not assume a rule from one country applies worldwide.

Four requests that should stay separate

Ticket refund

Repayment of the unused ticket when you reject or do not accept the alternative offered, subject to the rules covering the itinerary.

Rerouting

Alternative transport to the final destination, either as soon as possible or later where the applicable rules provide that choice.

Care expenses

Reasonable meals, hotel and transport during the disruption when the airline had a duty to provide care. Itemised receipts matter.

Fixed compensation

An additional standard amount available only in some jurisdictions and circumstances. Notice, cause, distance and final delay can affect it.

The rule changes with the itinerary

Use this as a routing check, then read the official authority for the flights involved.

European Union

For covered flights, cancellation normally brings a choice between reimbursement and rerouting, plus care. Compensation of €250, €400 or €600 may apply when notice and cause conditions are met; extraordinary circumstances can remove fixed compensation without automatically removing every other right.

United Kingdom

UK rules similarly distinguish refund or alternative travel, care and possible compensation. The CAA says eligibility depends on notice, cause, distance and the timings of the replacement flight.

United States

DOT rules focus on a prompt automatic refund when the airline cancels or significantly changes a flight and the passenger does not accept rebooking, credit, voucher or another alternative. US federal rules do not create a general fixed cash compensation for cancellation.

Canada

Canadian rules distinguish disruptions inside or outside airline control and safety-related events. Rebooking, refund, treatment and compensation can differ, so record the reason given by the airline and use the CTA process that matches it.

Evidence to save before the screens change

  • Booking confirmation, ticket number and payment record
  • Flight number, route, operating airline and scheduled times
  • Cancellation notice and the exact time it reached you
  • Reason communicated by the airline, including later updates
  • Replacement flight, voucher, credit or refund offer and whether you accepted it
  • Actual arrival time if you travelled on an alternative
  • Itemised receipts for necessary meals, hotel and transport
  • Every previous claim, case number, response and deadline

Build a claim the airline can answer

  1. Reconstruct one chronology from booking to the latest airline response.
  2. Identify the operating airline and the jurisdictions connected to the itinerary.
  3. Choose refund or rerouting before asking for mutually inconsistent outcomes.
  4. List care expenses separately and attach each receipt.
  5. Assess fixed compensation separately, using notice, cause, distance and final arrival.
  6. Send one evidenced request and preserve the submission confirmation before escalating.

Already travelled but arrived late? Read the EU flight-delay guide →

Cancelled flight refund FAQ

Is a refund the same as compensation?

No. A refund returns the price of an unused ticket. Compensation is an additional remedy available only under certain rules and facts.

Does every cancellation pay €600?

No. €600 is one EU band, not a worldwide standard. Coverage, distance, notice, rerouting, cause and extraordinary circumstances all matter.

What if the airline rebooked me?

Keep the new itinerary and actual arrival time. Rebooking can satisfy the transport request but does not automatically decide care expenses or possible compensation.

What if my refund has not arrived?

Keep proof of the refund choice, the date it became due and all follow-ups. Use the regulator or dispute path for the applicable country if the airline misses the official process.

Does VEYDOIT decide whether the airline must pay?

No. VEYDOIT structures the facts, evidence and request. The airline, competent authority or court determines the outcome.

Explore the complete free flight case check →

Official sources

General information, not legal advice. Rights depend on the itinerary, operating carrier, facts and rules applicable on the disruption date.