What Are Your Rights If You Get Bumped From an Overbooked Flight?

Getting bumped from an overbooked flight is not only frustrating, but it prevents you from traveling to your destination in a timely manner. That’s why it’s important to know your rights if this happens to you. 

We asked lawyer Erika Kullberg (Instagram: @erikankullberg) — who has built a huge online following (19M+ combined followers) for reading and explaining companies’ terms-and-conditions to make sure consumers know their rights — to answer common travel policy questions like what to do if you get bumped from a domestic flight.  

As she famously says in her videos, she reads the fine print so you don’t have to! 

So, should you seek compensation if this happens? If so, how much money should you ask for? 

Erika Says... 

Yes, you absolutely should. In fact, the Department of Transportation (DOT) says that if you’re bumped from a domestic flight because it's overbooked, the airline will not only try to get you on the next available flight, they may be obligated to give you compensation.  

However, the amount of compensation depends on how delayed your arrival time is.   

0-1 Hour Delay 

There’s no compensation, but it’s rare that flights are this close in time.  

1-2 Hour Delay 

You should receive 200% of your one-way fare. 

Over 2-Hour Delay 

You’re entitled to 400% of your one-way fare. For example, if your fare was $250, you should be getting $1,000 in cash. 

What About International Flights? 

According to DOT, you will get 200% of your one-way fare if your flight is delayed 1-4 hours, and 400% of your one-way fare is your flight is delayed over 4 hours. 

But just like domestic flights, if your flight is delayed for an hour or less, you are not entitled to any compensation. 

Be sure to check out Erika’s tips on canceled flights, price-matching flights, lost or delayed luggage and getting comped hotel rooms if your flight is delayed.