Flight refunds & compensation
Bumped from your flight? Don't settle for a voucher.
Involuntary denied boarding has the strongest passenger rights anywhere: fixed compensation paid on the day, plus a refund or new flight and care while you wait.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 844 557-2216 — our agents can also rebook you.
Free eligibility checker
60 seconds. No account. We tell you what you're owed and who can get it for you.
Volunteer vs. involuntary
When a flight is oversold, airlines first ask for volunteers and negotiate a benefit (vouchers, miles, cash). Accept and you're bound by that deal. If nobody volunteers and you're denied boarding against your will, fixed legal compensation kicks in — and it's usually more than the voucher on offer.
EU and UK rules
Involuntary denied boarding pays the full distance-based amount (€250 / €400 / €600 or £220 / £350 / £520) immediately, plus the choice of refund or rerouting, plus meals, calls and a hotel if needed. No "extraordinary circumstances" defence exists for overbooking.
US DOT rules
If the airline gets you to your destination within 1 hour of schedule, nothing is owed. 1–2 hours late (1–4 international): 200% of your one-way fare, up to $1,075. More than that: 400% of the one-way fare, up to $2,150. You can demand cash or a cheque instead of a voucher, and it must be paid the same day or mailed within 24 hours.
What isn't denied boarding
Arriving after the check-in deadline, missing documents, or being refused for safety or security reasons doesn't qualify. Being moved to a lower class does — you're owed 30–75% of the fare back under EU/UK rules.
Common questions
The gate agent said I was late, but I was there before the gate closed. What now?
Keep your boarding pass and note the time. If you met the airline's own published cut-off, this is denied boarding and you can claim.
I accepted a $500 voucher. Can I still claim the legal amount?
Usually not — volunteering is a settlement. Before accepting, ask what the involuntary compensation would be; in the US it is often higher.
I was downgraded from business to economy. Am I owed anything?
Yes. In the EU/UK the airline must refund 30%, 50% or 75% of the ticket price depending on distance, within 7 days.
How it works
Enter your flight
Airports, airline, date and what went wrong. Our checker applies EU261, UK261, US DOT and Montreal Convention rules instantly.
See what you're owed
A clear answer: compensation amount per passenger, refund rights, care you were entitled to — and the exceptions airlines use to say no.
Hand it to a claim partner
For compensation cases we connect you to licensed no-win-no-fee firms that chase the airline, including in court. You pay nothing unless they win.
Flight disrupted in the last 6 years?
It takes a minute to find out what the airline owes you.