by Emily Thompson, Newsletter & Partnerships Editor
As we look ahead to the holiday travel season, many of us are already dreading the cancellations and delays that seem inevitable each year. If you were affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown of 2022 or the IT outage earlier this year, you may be especially worried.
But there is some good news for travelers. Last month, new rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation went into effect that make things somewhat better for those experiencing travel woes.
Even before these rules came into play, airlines were required to offer passengers a cash refund in many instances of a canceled or delayed flight. Now, these new rules aim to make it easier for travelers to get the refunds they’re entitled to.
If your flight is delayed by at least three hours on a domestic trip or at least six hours on an international one (and you don’t accept alternative transportation), you’re entitled to an automatic refund within seven to 20 business days (depending on your payment method).
Still, there are some significant caveats to what you’re entitled to when your flight plans are changed.
While travel insurance isn’t the flashiest benefit on most cards, it’s often the one we’re most grateful to have when our travel plans go awry. If you don’t already have a card with insurance, do your holiday self a favor and add one to your wallet before booking those often-fraught flights.
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