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Flight Canceled After the FAA Ground Stop? Your Refund, and Each Airline’s Free-Change Window
Federal rules require a cash refund when an airline cancels your flight, whatever the cause. A hotel is another story. Here’s what you’re owed, what you’re not, and every major airline’s waiver after the Nov. 13 ground stop.
CheckedNov. 132026
The short answer
Yes, if the airline canceled your flight and you don’t want the new one. Federal rules require a full refund of the fare, taxes and fees you paid (bags and seat fees too) when an airline cancels a flight or changes it by 3 hours or more, whatever the cause. That includes the FAA’s nationwide ground stop on Nov. 13.
What you’re probably not owed is a hotel or meals. Airlines promise those only when the problem is their fault, and an air traffic control shutdown isn’t. Ask anyway; some help.
Delta, United, American, Southwest and JetBlue are also letting affected passengers move their flights with no change fee. The table below has each one’s dates and deadlines.
At a glance
- What happened
- FAA nationwide ground stop, Nov. 13, 2026, after “communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers” (FAA); about four hours
- Refund
- Full refund of fare, taxes and paid extras if your flight is canceled or significantly changed and you turn down the rebooking or credit. Any cause
- Significant change
- Leaving or arriving 3+ hours off schedule (6+ international), a different airport, more connections or a lower class
- How fast
- 7 business days to a credit card; 20 calendar days for other payments
- Hotel and meals
- Promised only when the airline caused the cancellation; an FAA ground stop isn’t that
- Free changes
- Delta, United, American, Southwest, JetBlue (dates below)
- Complaints
- U.S. Department of Transportation, after you ask the airline
- Last checked
- Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, against the sources at the end of this page
Free-change waivers after the Nov. 13 ground stop
5 on the list · status updates itself from each offer's dates
| Airline | What you can do | If you were booked | Deadline | Refund | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta (official page, opens in a new tab) |
Change with no fee and no fare difference, same cabinLater dates or a different origin or destination: a fare difference may apply. |
Any Delta flight Nov. 13–14 (systemwide), ticket issued by Nov. 13 |
Change by Nov. 21; new flight by Nov. 21 |
Cancel for an eCredit under the waiver. A canceled flight still qualifies for a refund under DOT rules |
On now · through Nov. 21 |
| United (official page, opens in a new tab) |
No change fee and no fare difference on a United flight, same cabin and citiesOther dates or another destination: still no change fee, but a fare difference may apply. |
Travel Nov. 13–14, ticket bought by Nov. 12 |
New flight departing Nov. 12–20 |
Full refund if you cancel or don’t take your trip |
On now · through Nov. 20 |
| American (official page, opens in a new tab) |
No change fee, any fare including Basic Economy; same cabin or pay the differenceThe airports: Atlanta, Austin, Baton Rouge, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greenville-Spartanburg, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York JFK and LaGuardia, Newark, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tallahassee, Tampa and Washington Reagan. A one-time change online; otherwise call Reservations. |
Travel Nov. 13–14 to, from or through 23 airports, ticket bought by Nov. 12 |
Book the change by Nov. 14; fly Nov. 13–17, same cities |
Or cancel and request a refund |
Ends today |
| Southwest (official page, opens in a new tab) |
Rebook or fly standby with no fare difference, same city pairGetaways by Southwest vacation packages: call 1-833-792-4899. |
Reservations for Nov. 13–16 |
Within 5 days of your original travel date |
Refund of the fare and paid extras (like an Extra Legroom seat) if Southwest cancels or significantly delays your flight and you cancel |
On now · through Nov. 21 |
| JetBlue (official page, opens in a new tab) |
No change fee, no cancel fee and no fare differenceJetBlue said it planned to resume flights Saturday morning, Nov. 14. Groups of 10 or more: call 1-800-538-2583. |
JetBlue-operated flights Nov. 13–14, booked before Nov. 13 |
Rebook for travel through Nov. 18, before your original flight leaves |
Cancel fee waived |
On now · through Nov. 18 |
Nothing in this view right now.
The refund rule, in plain words
Since 2024, U.S. Department of Transportation rules (14 CFR Part 260) spell out when an airline owes you money back. You’re owed a refund when both of these are true:
- Your flight was canceled, or significantly changed: departing or arriving 3 hours or more early or late on a domestic trip (6 hours international), from or to a different airport, with more connections, or in a lower class.
- You didn’t accept the new flight, or a voucher or credit instead.
Then the airline owes you the full fare plus taxes and fees, including bag fees and things like paid seats you didn’t get to use. You don’t have to fight for it: the rule calls it an automatic refund.
- Timing: within 7 business days if you paid by credit card, 20 calendar days otherwise.
- Credits: the airline can offer one, but can’t treat you as having accepted it unless you say yes. A credit offered instead of a refund has to last at least 5 years.
- The cause doesn’t matter. DOT’s own page says it plainly: “regardless of the reason.”
One trap: if you rebook through a waiver or fly the changed flight, you’ve accepted it. Decide whether you want the trip or the money before you click.
Why you probably won’t get a hotel
Beyond the refund, DOT says each airline sets its own policy on meals, hotels and compensation. What exists are promises each big airline made to DOT, and DOT holds them to those. But they cover only “controllable” problems: crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling, bags. An FAA ground stop is outside the airline’s control.
This is what each airline promises when a cancellation is its fault, from DOT’s dashboard. None promises cash.
| Airline | Meal (3+ hour wait) | Hotel and ride (overnight) | Rebook on a partner airline | Credit or voucher (3+ hours) | Miles (3+ hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Allegiant | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| American | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Delta | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Frontier | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Hawaiian | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| JetBlue | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Southwest | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| United | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
That matters for the next few days. Delta said it will take time to get planes and crews back where they belong. If your flight on Nov. 14 or 15 is canceled because the crew or plane isn’t there, ask the agent what reason the airline is giving. If it’s the airline’s own problem, the promises above apply.
What to do if your flight is still canceled
- Check the app first. Delta says it rebooks canceled passengers on the next best itinerary automatically.
- Don’t want the new flight? Decline it and ask for a refund, not a credit.
- Want to fly another day? Use the waiver in the table, before its deadline, to avoid a fare difference.
- Booked through a travel site? The rule makes the airline tell the site whether you’re owed a refund; ask the site first.
- No luck? File a complaint with DOT after you’ve asked the airline.
Same rules for Thanksgiving week. Any canceled flight, whatever the reason, comes with the right to a refund.
Watch
0:59What we don't know yet
- Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines’ waiver. Alaska’s site refused our connection; check alaskaair.com or the app.
- Frontier, Spirit and Allegiant: we didn’t find a ground stop waiver on their sites.
- What caused the communication failure. The FAA called its statement preliminary.
- How airlines will code cancellations on Nov. 14 and 15, while crews and planes get back in place: as air traffic control (no perks) or as their own (perks apply).
When any of this is confirmed, it goes into the page and the update history below.
Questions people ask
Do I get a refund if my flight was canceled because of the FAA ground stop?
Yes, if you don’t accept the rebooked flight or a credit. DOT rules require a full refund of the fare, taxes and paid extras for any canceled flight, regardless of the reason.
Will the airline pay for my hotel after the ground stop?
Probably not. Airlines promise hotels and meals only when the cancellation is within their control, and an FAA ground stop isn’t. Some help anyway, so ask; if a later cancellation is due to crew or maintenance, the promises apply.
How long does an airline refund take?
Seven business days if you paid by credit card and 20 calendar days for other payments, under DOT’s refund rule.
What counts as a significant flight delay for a refund?
Departing or arriving 3 hours or more off schedule on a domestic flight, or 6 hours internationally. A different airport, more connections or a lower class also count.
Can the airline give me a voucher instead of a refund?
Only if you agree to it. A voucher or credit offered instead of a refund must be valid for at least five years.
Can I change my flight for free after the ground stop?
On Delta, United, American, Southwest and JetBlue, yes, within each airline’s dates. American’s change must be booked by Nov. 14; United’s new flight must leave by Nov. 20; Delta’s by Nov. 21.
