Gate Plot.

The Travel Desk

Your flight changed. Now what?

Clear next steps when flying doesn’t go to plan.

Guide finder

Start with what happened

The departure lounge / Field notes

Before you leave
the airport.

Three things worth keeping.
Select an object to see why.

Illustrated airport lounge with a flight itinerary, a phone showing a cancellation, and a receipt on a table.
Illustration · Keep a record of the trip, the change and the cost.

01 / The itinerary

Save the
before picture.

Keep your original itinerary and the replacement offer. Compare arrival times, airports, connections and cabin before deciding.

See which changes matter →Your original trip is the reference point.

02 / The notice

Keep the
airline’s words.

Save the cancellation message and any rebooking or voucher offer. Keep a record of how you responded, too.

See what to save and say →A screenshot now can help with follow-up later.

03 / The receipts

Keep the proof.
Check the promise.

Save itemised receipts for meals, hotels and transport. Ask what the airline will cover before paying; a receipt alone does not guarantee reimbursement.

Check U.S. airline commitments ↗Ask about approval, limits and claim deadlines.
Changing a booking? Three checks before you confirm

The visual desk

Policy at a glance

See how a specific rule works in a decision card, timeline, cost breakdown, or ticket comparison.

U.S. Passenger Rights

Refund or rebook?

Compare your options after an airline cancellation on a flight to, from or within the U.S.

Rebook

Check the new arrival time, airports and connections before accepting the replacement.

Refund

If you want a refund, decline replacement travel and offers made in place of the refund. Save your response.

Voucher

Check when the voucher expires, who can use it and where you can redeem it before accepting.

Read the U.S. flight refund guide →U.S. DOT refund guidance ↗

The 30-second explainer / U.S. rules

Same cancellation.
Two different answers.

Can you get a refund or hotel after a weather cancellation?
Your ticket and your overnight stay follow different rules.

Your ticket01

Refund rights
still apply.

If the airline cancels and you decline replacement travel and any vouchers or other compensation offered instead, you are entitled to a refund for unused travel—even on a non-refundable ticket.

The reason does not remove this right.

DOT refund rules ↗
Your hotel & meals02

Not automatically
covered.

Weather cancellations fall outside the DOT dashboard’s airline-controlled commitments. Ask your airline what help it offers.

Check before paying out of pocket.

DOT airline commitments ↗
Your hotel & meals02

Check your airline’s
commitments.

For problems within the airline’s control, meal or overnight hotel assistance may apply. Check your U.S. airline’s commitments and eligibility conditions.

Ask about meal and hotel assistance.

DOT airline commitments ↗
The detail to remember

No hotel offer does not mean no refund right.

Read the full U.S. refund guide →

Refund guidance: flights to, from or within the U.S. Hotel and meal commitments: U.S. airlines, subject to each airline’s conditions. Other routes may follow different rules.

Sources checked

Policy news Brief No. 01

Gate Plot Briefing

What changed, who it affects, and what to do next.

Example · The airline rebooks you and only the flight number changes.

U.S. passenger rights · Refunds

New flight number? Check what else changed.

The U.S. DOT extended its enforcement pause for certain refund requirements when an airline rebooks you under a new flight number and the flight operates without a significant change or delay.

Who’s affected
Passengers rebooked on a renumbered flight to, from, or within the U.S.
Extension dates
Effective . Scheduled to expire .
What to do
Compare the two itineraries. An airport swap, extra connection, or cabin downgrade can still matter for refund eligibility.

Source reviewed

Read the official notice (PDF) ↗Check the U.S. refund guide →

The illustrated series

Gate Plot Stories

Story 01 · U.S. passenger rightsYour flight is cancelled. The app offers a voucher.Walk through the choices before you tap accept.Start story · 5 slides →Close story ↑

01 / The alert

Your flight is cancelled.

The airline app offers travel credit. This example covers a flight to, from or within the U.S.

02 / The choice

What works for your trip?

  • Rebook if you still need to travel.
  • Refund if you want the money back and decline replacement travel and alternative compensation.
  • Voucher if you prefer travel credit and can use it.

03 / The fine print

Read the voucher terms.

When offered instead of a refund you’re entitled to under U.S. DOT rules, the voucher must be valid for at least five years. Check the expiry and restrictions before accepting.

04 / Your next move

Before you respond

  1. Save the cancellation notice.
  2. Compare the replacement itinerary and the voucher terms.
  3. If you want a refund, decline replacement travel and credit or other compensation offered in its place.

From the editors

How do we verify a rule?

  1. Start with the official sourceWe link to the airline or regulator behind the guidance.
  2. Check where it appliesWe flag where route, fare, or ticket seller can change the answer.
  3. Show when we checked itEach guide carries a source review date.
Read our editorial standards ↗