Flight delayed for Thanksgiving? Here are YOUR rights for claiming a refund

Thanksgiving travel chaos is kicking in as millions of Americans make their way to celebrate with family and friends across the country. 

Over 55 million Americans are set to travel over the holiday period, according to AAA forecasts, with 4.7 million people flying to their destination. This is the highest number of Thanksgiving air travelers since 2005. 

Crowds are flocking to the nation's busiest airports - with video showing massive lines forming at Reagan Washington National Airport early Wednesday. 

According to tracker FlightAware, as of Wednesday morning 1,032 flights within, into, or out of the US had been delayed and 45 cancelled. 

And the Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday alone.

When it comes to your rights if your flight is delayed or canceled, a key distinction is whether or not the disruption is within the control of the airline or not, according to the Department for Transportation. 

If the disruption is within the carrier's control, airlines have made promises to customers to provide certain compensation - and they can be held accountable if they fail to keep these pledges.

But if the delay or cancelation is out of their control - for example if it is caused by bad weather - it can get a little more complicated.

What happens if a delay is within the airline's control?

According to the Department of Transportation, customers are entitled to a refund if there is a 'significant' delay.

Currently, there is no exact definition for what constitutes a 'significant delay' - it depends on a variety of factors including the length of the delay and the length of the flight.

The airline will judge whether or not a customer is eligible on a case-by-case basis.

However, all airlines are required to provide status updates 30 minutes (or sooner) after they become aware of any status change which could cause a delay - and all the major US carriers have promised to rebook passengers on the same airline at no additional cost for significant delays.

What else you can expect also depends on which airline you are flying with.

For controllable delays, all the major US airlines have committed to providing a meal or meal voucher if the wait exceeds three hours.

All major airlines apart from Frontier will offer free accommodation if a delay means you are stranded overnight - including transport to and from the hotel. 

But do not expect cash compensation on any major US airline if you are forced to wait for more than three hours for your flight. 

What if a delay or cancelation is out of the airline's control? 

You are always due a refund if the flight is canceled - even if it is due to bad weather, traffic delays or other reasons out of the airline's control. 

The National Weather Service forecasts major rain and snow storms across the country Wednesday that could disrupt Thanksgiving travel. 

Widespread rain is forecast across the East Coast and parts of northern New England, particularly Maine, are expected to see snowfall.

The northern and central Rockies are predicted to have a white Thanksgiving this year due to a blast of artic air.

If your flight is disrupted by bad weather - or another reason out of the airline's control - there are fewer protections for consumers.  

Each airline has its own rules for what it will do for delayed passengers stuck in the terminal, but there are currently no federal requirements. 

Ask staff whether the airline will pay for meals or a phone call. Investigate other flights on that airline which are headed to your destination and ask an agent if they can get you on one of them without charging extra change fees.

Check what's available on a partner airline, and see if they might be able to book you onto a different flight for free. Remember, however, that airlines are not legally obligated to do this.

If you have travel insurance, look to see if you are eligible for any reimbursement for costs incurred because of a delay, including meals, accommodations, communication and transportation.

The Department of Transportation put forward proposals in August 2022 to expand passenger rights by forcing airlines to give customers a refund if a carrier significantly changes a flight - regardless if the reason is out of their control. 

It also set forward plans to codify a 'significant' delay as three hours or more for a domestic flight and six hours or more for an international flight. This would make it easier for passengers to claim compensation from airlines. 

It is not yet known when this proposals could be approved. 

What if a flight cancelation is within the airline's control?

A controllable flight cancelation is effectively one caused by the airline - which includes problems with the crew, cabin cleaning or issues with baggage loading or fueling.   

If your flight is canceled, you are always entitled to a refund regardless of the reason that it did not go ahead - or to be booked onto another flight with the same airline for free. 

This includes those with non-refundable tickets, should the passenger choose not to accept any alternative options offered by the airline, such as being rebooked onto another flight. 

If you have any problems getting your money back, you can file a complaint with the US Department of Transportation.  

Whether or not you are able to receive any other compensation beyond the flight refund will depend on the airline.

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, and United have an option to rebook on a partner airline at no additional cost, while this is not an option for other carriers such as Southwest or Spirit. 

All the major US airlines have pledged to provide a meal or meal voucher when a cancelation results in a stranded passenger waiting for more than three hours in the terminal. 

Plus, all carriers apart from Frontier will pay for travelers to stay in a hotel if they are affected by an overnight cancellation. They also fund transport to get passengers to and from those hotels. 

Passengers are advised to speak to airline staff at the airport to arrange their accommodation and transport if their flight is canceled. 

Alaska Airlines is the only major US carrier which offers both the option of frequent flyer miles or a travel voucher if a cancellation results in a passenger waiting more than three hours after their original departure time - while JetBlue provides the option of a travel voucher.  

None of the main airlines, however, offer the option of cash compensation if passengers are kept waiting for longer than three hours for controllable cancellations.