Your flight has been canceled.
The airline’s app offers you another flight tomorrow afternoon.
Then you look at the departure board and see something infuriating:
Another airline has a flight to the same city leaving in two hours.
Can you make your airline put you on it?
Sometimes.
Several major U.S. airlines have formally committed to rebooking passengers on a partner airline—or another airline with which they have an agreement—at no additional cost when a cancellation or significant delay is within the original airline’s control.
Others have made no such commitment.
And even when an airline has made the commitment, it does not mean you can buy any ticket you find online and send the airline the bill afterward.
Here is how rebooking onto another airline actually works, which U.S. carriers currently promise to do it for controllable disruptions, and what I would ask for before accepting an overnight wait.
Quick Answer: Does an Airline Have to Rebook You on Another Airline?
There is no general U.S. rule requiring every airline to put you on a competitor’s flight whenever yours is delayed or canceled. There hasn’t been in many decades.
But the U.S. Department of Transportation tracks voluntary customer-service commitments made by major airlines. Voluntary commitments those airlines made to avoid government regulation.
For controllable cancellations and significant controllable delays, several large carriers currently commit to rebooking passengers at no additional cost on a partner airline or another airline with which they have an agreement.
Others do not make that commitment.
The important words are:
“with which it has an agreement.”
Your airline is not promising to buy you a seat on absolutely any carrier simply because you find one available.
Which Airlines Will Rebook You on Another Airline?
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s current Airline Customer Service Dashboard, these are the commitments major U.S. airlines have made for controllable cancellations:
| Airline | Commits to Rebooking on Partner/Other Airline? |
|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | Yes |
| Allegiant | No formal commitment |
| American Airlines | Yes |
| Delta Air Lines | Yes |
| Frontier | No formal commitment |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Yes |
| JetBlue | Yes |
| Southwest | No formal commitment |
| United Airlines | Yes |
The same group currently makes the same basic commitment for significant delays that are within the airline’s control.
A “No” in the DOT dashboard does not mean the airline is prohibited from putting you on another carrier.
DOT specifically notes that airlines that have not made a formal commitment may still provide the service in individual cases.
It means you should not assume they have promised to do so.
What Is a Controllable Cancellation or Delay?
This is the first thing I would find out.
DOT’s dashboard applies these customer-service commitments to disruptions considered within the airline’s control.
Examples may include operational problems such as:
- some maintenance problems;
- crew scheduling issues;
- and other airline operational failures.
Weather, air traffic control restrictions and many other events outside the airline’s control generally fall into a different category.
So when the flight is canceled, ask the airline directly:
“Is this cancellation considered controllable?”
I would use those words, again, factoring in the fact that the agent may not even be fully aware of the reason for the delay.
That classification can affect not only rebooking but also meals, hotels and ground transportation.
Our broader guide to what airlines owe you after a delayed or canceled flight explains those other protections.
Don’t Just Ask, “Can You Rebook Me?”
If the airline offers you tomorrow’s 2 p.m. flight and you know a competitor has seats tonight, be specific.
I would say something like:
“I see that Delta has a flight to Chicago at 7:20 tonight with seats available. Can you rebook me onto that flight instead of tomorrow’s flight?”
That gives the agent something concrete to investigate.
You can also ask:
“Can you check partner or interline options that will get me there sooner?”
The airline may have access to options that do not appear automatically in its app. Also, just because they may not have committed to putting people on other airlines in a weather situation doesn’t mean it hurts to ask.
Why Doesn’t the App Offer the Other Airline?
Automated rebooking systems tend to prioritize the airline’s own flights.
That does not necessarily mean another-carrier option is impossible.
An airport agent or reservations representative may have more ability to examine alternative transportation.
This is one reason I would not automatically accept a terrible replacement itinerary without first looking at what else is operating.
If the disruption is substantial, quickly search flights yourself so you know what reasonable alternatives exist before speaking with the airline.
Your Airline Does Not Have Agreements With Everyone
This is the biggest limitation.
The DOT commitment is to rebook you on a partner airline or another airline with which your carrier has an agreement.
That is very different from promising:
“Pick any available flight on Google Flights and we’ll pay for it.” If someone at an airline promises that, make sure you have some sort of evidence.
Airlines have commercial and ticketing relationships that make transferring passengers between some carriers much easier than between others.
That is why an airline may be willing to put you on one competitor but not another.
The fact that you can see an empty seat for sale does not necessarily mean your original carrier can or will issue that ticket.
Can You Buy the Other Flight Yourself and Get Reimbursed?
Do not assume so.
This is where a stranded passenger can turn a bad situation into a very expensive one.
Suppose your original airline offers you a flight tomorrow.
You decline it, spend $700 on a same-day ticket with another carrier, and expect your first airline to reimburse the $700.
That reimbursement is not automatically guaranteed by the federal refund rules.
If your original flight was canceled and you decline the replacement transportation, you may have a right to a refund of your original ticket.
That does not necessarily mean the original airline owes you whatever it costs to buy a last-minute replacement from somebody else.
Try to get the original airline to arrange the alternate-carrier booking before purchasing it yourself.
What If the Airline Refuses to Put You on the Other Flight?
Then you have a decision to make.
You can:
- accept the airline’s proposed replacement flight;
- ask whether there are better alternatives on its own network;
- ask again about partner or other-airline options;
- or, if the flight was canceled or otherwise qualifies under federal refund rules, decline the alternative and take the refund.
You can then make your own travel arrangements.
But compare the numbers first.
A refund of a $180 ticket may not feel particularly helpful when the only remaining same-day ticket costs $850.
A Refund and Rebooking Are Different Choices
This causes a lot of confusion during disruptions.
If an airline cancels a flight, current U.S. Department of Transportation rules generally entitle the passenger to a refund when the passenger does not accept the airline’s alternative transportation or other compensation.
That applies regardless of why the airline canceled the flight.
But suppose you still need to get to the destination.
Then the refund may not be your best outcome.
You may be much better off asking the airline to transport you—especially if it can put you onto another carrier at no additional cost.
Once you accept the rebooking and travel, you generally should not expect to receive a full refund of the original airfare as well.
What Counts as a Significant Delay for Refund Purposes?
The federal refund rules now use specific standards for a significant change.
Among them, an itinerary can qualify when you are scheduled to arrive:
- three hours or more later than originally scheduled on a domestic itinerary; or
- six hours or more later on an international itinerary.
Other changes can also qualify, including a different origin or destination airport, additional connections and certain downgrades.
If you do not accept the significantly changed itinerary or alternative transportation, you may be entitled to a refund.
But again, if you still need to make the trip, ask about better rebooking options before walking away.
What If Your Cancellation Is Caused by Weather?
Weather makes this harder.
The DOT dashboard commitments discussed above apply to controllable cancellations and delays.
A snowstorm or severe thunderstorm generally is not an airline-controlled event, though there is a debate about whether this applies if the weather is in a city not on your itinerary.
An airline may still help you and may still be able to move you to another carrier, but you should not assume the dashboard’s voluntary other-airline commitment applies.
Your underlying refund right is different.
If the airline cancels your flight and you decline its alternative transportation, weather does not eliminate your federal right to a qualifying refund.
What If the Other Airline Is a Partner?
This may make your request considerably easier.
Large airlines maintain partnerships with other carriers, particularly for international travel.
If your itinerary breaks, an airline may be able to move you to a partner with which it already has ticketing and commercial arrangements.
Again, ask.
Do not assume the replacement itinerary shown automatically is the only possible one.
What If You Have Checked Bags?
Bags can complicate a move between airlines.
If another-airline rebooking is being arranged after you have already checked luggage, ask:
- whether your bags will be transferred automatically;
- whether you need to retrieve them;
- which airline will ultimately deliver them;
- and whether the new carrier has the correct baggage information.
Do not assume that because your boarding pass changed, your bag has magically learned about the new plan.
What If You Already Missed a Connection?
If the delayed first flight and the missed connection were on the same ticket, your airline is generally obligated to rebook you to your final destination.
That may also be a good time to ask about another carrier if your airline’s next available connection is much later.
See our detailed guide to what happens when you miss a connecting flight because of a delay.
What If the New Flight Isn’t Until Tomorrow?
Before settling for an overnight delay, I would do three things.
- Search other airlines for seats leaving sooner.
- Ask whether your cancellation is considered controllable.
- Ask specifically whether the airline can rebook you onto one of the other flights you found.
If the airline still cannot get you out until tomorrow, ask what else it is providing.
For controllable overnight disruptions, many major U.S. airlines make commitments involving hotel accommodations, and most also commit to transportation between the airport and hotel.
See our guide to when an airline will pay for your hotel after a delay or cancellation.
The Other Airline’s Flight Is Sold Out. Should You Still Ask?
Yes, if it is your best option.
Publicly visible seat inventory can change quickly during a major disruption.
But I would also look for several alternatives rather than focusing on one flight.
When hundreds or thousands of passengers are simultaneously being rebooked, available seats disappear fast.
Speed matters.
What I Would Do Immediately After a Cancellation
While everyone else is lining up at the gate, I would:
- open the airline app and see what it has already offered;
- search the airline’s later flights;
- search competing airlines serving the same destination;
- look for nearby airports if practical;
- contact the airline through the fastest available channel;
- ask whether the disruption is controllable;
- and request a specific alternative if I found a much better one.
You are much easier to help when you can say:
“Can you put me on American 1234 at 6:40?”
rather than:
“You need to fix this.”
Don’t Accept a Bad Rebooking Too Quickly
An automatic rebooking is an offer. Airlines know that their customer service staff is going to get flooded whenever there is a major disruption and they have developed automated rebooking tools that try to make the best decisions they are empowered and capable of making.
It may be a perfectly good solution.
It may also be terrible.
If your flight is canceled at noon and the airline automatically books you for the following afternoon, take a minute to see whether a reasonable same-day alternative exists.
Depending on the carrier and why the disruption occurred, the airline may be willing to move you to another airline.
Once you understand the alternatives, you can make a much better decision about whether to:
- accept the replacement;
- push for another carrier;
- wait until tomorrow;
- or abandon the trip and take a refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an airline rebook me onto another airline?
Yes. Airlines can and sometimes do rebook disrupted passengers onto another carrier. Several major U.S. airlines formally commit to doing so at no additional cost for controllable cancellations and significant controllable delays when they have an agreement with the other airline.
Does an airline have to put me on a competitor?
Not in every situation. There is no blanket U.S. requirement that every airline put passengers onto any competing carrier after a cancellation. Airline commitments and commercial agreements vary.
Which U.S. airlines promise to rebook passengers on another carrier?
DOT’s current dashboard shows such commitments for controllable disruptions from Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue and United, among others listed by DOT. Check the current dashboard because airline commitments can change.
Will Southwest put me on another airline?
Southwest currently does not make the DOT dashboard commitment to rebook passengers on a partner or other airline after controllable cancellations or significant delays. That does not prevent Southwest from providing assistance in an individual situation, but it is not one of its formal dashboard commitments.
Can I buy my own replacement flight and bill the airline?
You should not assume the airline will reimburse it. A right to a refund of the canceled original ticket is not the same thing as a right to reimbursement for any replacement ticket you choose to buy yourself.
What should I say to the airline agent?
If you found a better flight, give the agent the airline, flight number and departure time and ask whether you can be rebooked onto it. Also ask whether your original disruption is classified as controllable.
What if the cancellation is caused by weather?
The DOT customer-service commitments for other-airline rebooking apply to controllable disruptions. Weather is generally outside an airline’s control. The carrier may still assist you, but the formal commitment may not apply.
Can I get a refund instead?
If the airline cancels your flight and you decline alternative transportation or other compensation, U.S. DOT rules generally entitle you to a refund of the ticket. Significant itinerary changes can also create a refund right if you decline the changed transportation.
The Best Replacement Flight May Not Belong to Your Airline
When a flight is canceled, most passengers look only at whatever replacement appears in the airline app.
I would look further.
If another airline can get you where you are going many hours earlier, find the flight number and ask about it.
Some airlines have specifically promised to consider that sort of rebooking when they caused the disruption.
Others have not.
Either way, knowing what is actually flying gives you a much stronger position than simply accepting the first itinerary a computer assigns you.
If the best alternative still leaves you stranded overnight, see whether your airline should pay for a hotel. And if the replacement itinerary no longer makes the trip worthwhile, review our guide to refunds and other passenger rights after a delayed or canceled flight before accepting a voucher or abandoning the journey.
