Your rebooking rights after a flight disruption
When your original journey cannot continue as planned, you may have a right to alternative travel rather than being left to make new arrangements yourself. The options depend on what happened and which passenger-rights rules cover your journey.
At a glance
Rebooking rights
Purpose
Help you continue your journey after a qualifying disruption
Options
Alternative travel, later travel or a refund depending on the rules
Airline
Another carrier may sometimes have to be considered
Important
Understand your options before accepting a refund
Rebooking, refunds and fixed compensation are related but separate rights. The choice you make can affect what happens next.
Quick answer
You may have the right to another way to reach your destination
After many covered cancellations and denied-boarding situations, the airline must give you a way to continue the journey or another remedy such as a refund. Some passenger-rights systems also impose rebooking duties after serious delays.
If you still need to travel, understand the alternative-flight option before accepting a refund. In several regimes, choosing one remedy can mean giving up the others.
On this page
When it applies
When the airline may need to arrange alternative travel
Rebooking rights are not identical everywhere. The type of disruption, route, operating airline and applicable rules determine whether alternative travel must be offered and what that alternative needs to look like.
Cancelled flight
A covered cancellation can give you the right to alternative travel rather than simply leaving you to make new arrangements yourself.
Denied boarding
If you are involuntarily denied boarding, the applicable rules can require the airline to arrange another way for you to reach your destination.
Serious delay
Some passenger-rights systems require rebooking after a sufficiently long delay. Others may instead give you a right to stop travelling and request a refund.
Disrupted connection
If disruption affects a connecting journey, the airline may need to help you continue to the final destination depending on the booking and rules that apply.
Your options
Decide whether you still need to travel
The first question is practical: do you still need to reach the destination? If you do, alternative travel may be more important than a refund. If the journey no longer serves its purpose, reimbursement may be the better option where the rules allow it.
Travel as soon as possible
Where the applicable rules provide rerouting, you may be entitled to an alternative journey to your final destination at the earliest available opportunity.
Travel at a later date
Some passenger-rights systems let you choose alternative travel at a later date that suits you, usually subject to seat availability and other conditions.
Use another airline
Depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances, the original airline may have to consider another carrier when its own replacement option would leave you waiting too long.
Choose a refund instead
If you no longer want or need to continue the disrupted journey, the applicable rules may let you choose reimbursement instead of alternative travel.
How the rules differ
The alternative the airline must offer can vary
Some systems give passengers a defined choice between refund and rerouting. Others set different rebooking obligations depending on the airline, the disruption or how long you would otherwise have to wait.
European Union
EC261
Cancellation gives three main choices
For a covered cancellation, EU rules provide a choice between reimbursement, rerouting to the final destination at the earliest opportunity, or rerouting at a later convenient date under comparable transport conditions, subject to seat availability. Once you choose one of these options, you generally give up the other two.
United Kingdom
UK261
Choose a refund or alternative travel
For a covered cancellation, UK rules require the airline to offer a refund, an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity, or alternative travel at a later date that suits you, subject to availability. If you choose to continue travelling, care can also be due while you wait.
Canada
APPR
Airline size affects the rebooking options
Under Canada's APPR, airlines must ensure passengers can complete their itinerary as soon as possible after qualifying delays and cancellations. Large airlines have broader obligations to use other airlines when they cannot rebook within specified periods, while small-airline requirements are more limited.
Saudi Arabia
GACA
Alternative flights must be offered after cancellation
For a cancelled flight, GACA requires the carrier to offer available alternative flights. If you accept the alternative, cancellation compensation is not payable under the cancellation rules and the delay provisions apply to the time difference. If you do not accept an alternative, you can terminate the contract and seek the applicable ticket refund.
Türkiye
SHY-YOLCU
Refund or rerouting options can apply
Where SHY-YOLCU's refund and rerouting provisions apply, passengers can choose reimbursement, rerouting to the final destination at the earliest opportunity, or rerouting at a later convenient date under similar transport conditions, subject to seat availability.
Oman
Oman CAA
Choose an alternative or a refund
For a qualifying cancellation, Oman’s rules provide an alternative flight or the option to end the contract and request the applicable refund. Check what happens to assistance if you choose a refund.
Thailand
CAAT 101
Refund or alternative travel after disruption
Thailand’s rules provide refund and alternative-travel choices for qualifying delays and cancellations. The flight type, length of disruption and offered replacement matter.
Mexico
Mexico LAC
Choose the remedy that suits your journey
For an airline-attributable cancellation or a delay over four hours, Mexico offers a choice that can include a refund, the first available flight with care, or later travel.
India
DGCA
Cancellation options and compensation are separate
India’s rules provide refund or alternative-flight remedies in qualifying cancellation cases. An accepted replacement can affect whether cash compensation is payable.
If no suitable option is offered
Ask what else is available before booking for yourself
A poor replacement option does not automatically mean you should buy another ticket and expect reimbursement. First establish what the airline is prepared to offer and what the applicable rules require.
Decide first whether you still need to reach your destination or would rather stop the journey and take a refund where that option is available.
Ask the airline for the earliest suitable alternative and confirm the proposed departure and arrival times.
If the offered replacement would leave you waiting much longer, ask whether another airline or reasonable route is available under the rules covering your journey.
Before buying replacement travel yourself, keep evidence of what the airline offered, what you asked for and why you considered the available option unsuitable.
What to keep
Keep a clear record of the alternatives you were offered
Rebooking questions often turn on timing and available alternatives. Keep the original journey and the replacement options visible side by side.
Original itinerary
Keep the original booking, flight numbers and scheduled departure and arrival times before the journey is changed.
Alternative flights offered
Save screenshots, emails or messages showing each replacement option the airline offered and when it would travel.
Replacement journey
Keep the new itinerary, boarding documents and actual arrival details for the journey you eventually took.
Airline correspondence
Save messages showing what you requested, whether another option was available and any explanation the airline gave.
Keep exploring
Related passenger-rights guides
Refund vs compensation
Understand why getting your ticket money back is different from receiving flight compensation.
Read guideMeals and hotel rights
See what assistance may apply while you wait for an alternative journey.
Read guideCancellation notice periods
Learn why the timing of a cancellation notice can affect compensation even when rebooking is available.
Read guideCheck your journey
Find out whether your disrupted flight may qualify
Travaro checks your journey against the passenger-rights rules we support and can manage an eligible compensation claim from assessment through resolution.
Free eligibility check · No upfront service fee