Refund timelines vary by airline and region. In the US, airlines like Delta and American Airlines must issue refunds within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 days for cash or check payments. In the EU, carriers such as Lufthansa and Ryanair are required to refund tickets within 7 days, while travel agents have 14 days. Passengers should confirm the refund request with the airline and check their bank or credit card statements to ensure payment has been processed.
For travellers who booked through the platform, understanding your wider passenger rights is only one part of the process. This guide to requesting a Kiwi.com refund explains how to review the options linked to your booking, what may happen when an airline cancels or changes a flight, and when credit, rebooking, or a monetary refund may be available.
When Refunds Must Be Paid
The regulations on paying when you are eligible for a refund and how long you have to wait for the refund to be paid differ from region to region.
US
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to pay refunds automatically in cases of flight cancellations, significant delays (three hours for domestic flights, six hours for international flights), or substantial itinerary changes, regardless of the reason, if you reject the offered alternative flight or compensation. The refund should be in the original form of payment, and passengers have the right to demand it instead of accepting a travel voucher or credit. Airlines must automatically issue refunds; you shouldn’t have to demand it.
What are “significant” itinerary changes?
According to the DOT, significant itinerary changes are:
| A domestic flight departs 3+ hours earlier or arrives 3+ hours later than scheduled |
|---|
| An international flight departs 6+ hours earlier or arrives 6+ hours later than scheduled |
| The origin or destination airport is changed |
| The number of connections is increased |
| The passenger is downgraded to a lower class of service |
| Connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating if you are a person with a disability. |
| If you file a mishandled baggage report and your bag is not delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight arriving at the gate or within 15 or 30 hours of an international flight arriving at the gate |
| If you have paid a fee for an ancillary service – such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment – and airline has failed to provide it |
Exceptions
Consumers who purchase non-refundable tickets but are unable to travel for a personal reason, such as being sick or late to the airport, are not entitled to a refund. A consumer who has a bad experience with the airline or the flight is not entitled to a refund. A consumer who incurs incidental expenses such as a rental car, hotel room, or meal due to a significantly delayed or cancelled flight is not entitled to a refund of the incidental expenses.
EU/UK
EU Regulation 261/2004 requires airlines to pay refunds when your flight is canceled and you choose not to travel as a result, you’re denied boarding due to overbooking, your flight is delayed more than 5 hours, or your flight is downgraded (e.g., moved from business to economy). Refunds must cover the full ticket price for the unused portion of travel.
Exceptions
Compensation will not be paid if the cause for the delay or cancelation is due to extraordinary circumstances, which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. This includes severe weather, strike action, air traffic control restrictions, political instability, security risks and other unforeseen circumstances that represent a safety hazard beyond the airline’s control.
Full refunds
Passengers whose flight to or from the European Union or the UK is delayed for 5 hours or more may choose to cancel the flight and ask for a full refund. This includes any unused flight segments in their booking. The refund must be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer or by bank check. You do not have to accept a voucher for compensation unless you have signed an agreement to do so.
Partial refunds
If an airline places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, it is obligated to refund 30 % of the price of the ticket for all flights of 1500 kilometers or less, 50 % of the price of the ticket for all flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometers, or 75 % of the price of the ticket for all other flights.
If you’re denied boarding or your flight is canceled or delayed by 3 hours or more on arrival due to reasons within the airline’s control, you’ll be entitled to a refund of between €250 and €600, depending on the length of the flight.
Canada
Under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) , airlines must provide a refund or rebooking for flight cancellations or lengthy delays and their alternative travel arrangements don’t meet your needs or if they cannot get you to your destination within 48 hours from departure. Airlines are also required to fly you back to your original point of departure if a delay or cancellation occurs en route and you choose not to continue your trip.
Air Canada’s policy highlights that if a schedule change adds extra connections or moves you to a different airport, you can decline the rebooking or credit and request a refund instead. This aligns with Canadian regulations but makes clear how such “involuntary refunds” are applied in practice.
When and How the Refund is Paid
US
The US Department of Transportation stipulates that US airlines and ticket agents, such as online travel agencies, must pay the refund “promptly” and “automatically,” without the consumer demanding it. “Promptly” means within 7 business days if a passenger paid by credit card and within 20 days if a passenger paid by cash or check.
US Airlines with Poor Refund Histories
According to PIRG , complaints against U.S. airlines increased by nearly 9% in 2024, even though the volume of passengers increased by only 4% compared with 2023. Most of those complaints concerned the way they handled refunds. The airlines with the most complaints in 2024 were Frontier, Spirit and Jet Blue.
For example, United Airlines confirms that refunds to credit cards are processed within 7 business days and within 20 business days for cash or check payments. This is consistent with DOT rules but helps set expectations for customers about how long their refund might take.
EU/UK
Airlines must pay the refund within 7 days of a cancelled flight or significant delay, regardless of how it was paid. For bookings made through an intermediary such as an online travel agency, consumers must receive their refund within 14 days. If a flight is part of a package holiday, the tour organizer is primarily liable for the refund, not the air carrier.
EU policy strongly favors cash refunds over vouchers, with travelers having the right to a monetary reimbursement within a mandatory timeframe if they don’t accept a voucher for services that have not been provided. In addition, The European Court of Justice has declared that “refund” means monetary reimbursement and, while vouchers can be offered, they don’t remove the traveler’s right to a cash refund.
Exceptions
Some EU airlines may have different policies regarding refund timelines and the use of vouchers. For example, KLM declares on its website that “the processing time for your request is usually from two to four weeks.” In addition, it also states that “if you’re entitled to compensation, you’ll get a travel voucher” and that the voucher will either be non-refundable or provided as a cash payment. Make sure you know your airline’s policy and demand a cash payment if you don’t want a voucher.
Virgin Atlantic explains that with non-refundable tickets , government and airport taxes are usually refundable, even if the fare and fuel surcharges are not. Fully flexible fares, however, allow for a refund of the full amount paid. This shows how refund amounts can differ depending on ticket class.
Canada
The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) requires airlines to pay the refund in the original form of payment within 30 days of the request. The amount of compensation owed depends on how late you arrive at your final destination and on the size of the airline . Large airlines are those that have carried more than two million passengers in each of the two preceding years. All other airlines are considered small.
A quick comparison of refund timelines across the US, EU/UK, and Canada—highlighting how long airlines have to return your money © Kiwi.com
Understanding your refund rights is just as important as finding a great deal, especially when plans change around major football fixtures. This guide explains what airlines owe passengers and how to claim efficiently—learn how to get your flight refund fast.
For UK travellers, understanding refund timelines is only part of feeling confident when plans change. The wider conversation around Kiwi.com refunds and the new standard for peace of mind in travel shows how clearer refund processes, stronger traveller support, and more transparent expectations can help passengers make informed decisions before and after disruption occurs.
Recourse in Case of Late Refund or Non-Payment
US
Contact the airline or ticket agent directly if your refund is late. If your demand is refused, file a complaint with the DOT here . Do not accept anything other than a refund. Read the law to the customer service rep if necessary.
EU/UK
Get in touch with your airline via its website. If the situation is not resolved, contact your National Enforcement Body. They are listed here .
Canada
If you have not received a response from the airline within 30 days, ask the CTA to review your case here . Research your rights on your region’s civil aviation or transportation authority and, in all cases, politely read the law to your airline’s customer service representative if that becomes necessary.
Your Flight Refund Questions Answered
1. When am I due a full refund for my disrupted or canceled flight?
You are entitled to a full refund if you reject rebooking or compensation when your flight is canceled or significantly disrupted: in the U.S. (e.g., Delta, United, American Airlines) this applies for cancellations, delays of over 3 hours domestic or 6 hours international, major itinerary changes, or downgrades; in the EU/UK (e.g., Lufthansa, British Airways) for cancellations, delays of over 5 hours, denied boarding, or downgrades; and in Canada (e.g., Air Canada) if the airline cancels or delays your flight and cannot get you to your destination within 48 hours.
2. What is the timeline for airlines to pay the refund?
US airlines and ticket agents must pay the refund automatically within 7 business days if a passenger paid by credit card, and within 20 days if a passenger paid by cash or check. In the EU and UK, airlines must pay all refunds within 7 days; travel agents have 14 days to pay the refund. In Canada, the refund must be issued within 30 days of the request.
3. How reliable are airlines in paying the refund?
Airlines usually pay refunds, but reliability varies. Frontier and Spirit have poor records, while KLM states refunds may take 2 to 4 weeks. Always request cash instead of vouchers if you want the full amount back.
4. What can I do if the airline is late in paying the refund and does not react to my demands?
In the US, contact the airline or ticket agent directly. If necessary, file a complaint with the DOT here. In the EU, get in touch with your airline via its website or contact your National Enforcement Body, listed here. In Canada, ask the CTA to review your case here.
5. What can I do proactively to ensure that I receive my refund?
Research your rights on your region’s civil aviation or transportation authority, keep a record of all communications and receipts, and check your bank or credit card statement regularly to make sure the refund has been paid.
