What to do if an airline changes your flight time
If an airline changes your flight time after booking, first check the new schedule and how it affects your connections, hotel and plans. Then you usually have three choices: accept the new time, ask the airline to move you to another flight at no cost, or decline and ask for a refund. In the US, you are entitled to a cash refund if the change is significant and you don't accept it; in the EU, a late schedule change can also bring compensation.
Step by step
- Open your booking in the airline app or website and compare the old and new times.
- Check connections: if the change breaks a connection, the airline should rebook you.
- Contact the airline (app, chat or phone) and ask for an alternative flight if the new time doesn't work.
- If nothing suitable is offered, request a refund in writing rather than accepting a voucher you don't want.
- If you booked through an agency, the agency handles the change.
Your rights
- US flights: under the Department of Transportation refund rule (in force since 2024), a significant change, for example departure or arrival moved by 3 hours or more on a domestic flight or 6 hours on an international one, or a change of airport or added connections, entitles you to a cash refund to your original form of payment if you decline it.
- EU and UK rules (EU261): for flights from the EU/UK or on EU/UK airlines into them, you may get €250–600 in compensation if the airline changes the schedule less than 14 days before departure, depending on distance and how much the times shift. The same rules cover delays of 3 hours or more on arrival, unless caused by extraordinary circumstances.
- Other countries have their own passenger rights rules.
FAQ
Can an airline change my flight time?
Yes. Schedule changes are allowed under the contract of carriage, but you have the right to a refund if the change is significant.
If an airline changes my flight time, can I cancel?
Yes. On US flights (DOT rule), if the change is significant, you can cancel and get a refund even on a non-refundable ticket. For smaller changes, it depends on the airline's policy; many offer a free change or a credit, so ask.
What if my flight keeps getting rescheduled?
Check the latest time each time you get a notice. If several small changes together move your flight a lot, ask the airline for a refund or a better flight; whether they count as one significant change is up to the airline and the rules that apply, so keep the airline's messages as a record.
Am I entitled to compensation for a flight time change?
In the US, usually only a refund, not extra compensation. Under EU261, late notice of a change can bring fixed compensation.
How do I check if my departure time has changed?
Turn on notifications in the airline app and check your booking a few days before and on the day of travel.