“Airlines can no longer issue refunds in forms of vouchers or credits when consumers are entitled to receive cash.”
The DOT now defines a significant delay as more than three hours domestic and six international, and refunds are due in cash within seven days. Until now the airlines decided what counted as a delay, and they paid in vouchers. Their trade group brags that the 11 largest carriers refunded $43 billion from 2020 through 2023. That number is the case for the rule.