Denied Boarding Compensation in the US (2026): Amounts and Vouchers

If a US airline bumps you involuntarily from an oversold flight, it owes you 200% or 400% of your one-way fare, up to a federal cap. The amount depends on how late the replacement flight gets you to your destination. You are entitled to that money in cash or by check, and you can refuse a voucher. That right exists only if you were bumped against your will. If you volunteered, whatever you agreed to is final.

The rules come from the US Department of Transportation (DOT), in a regulation called 14 CFR Part 250. Here is how they work and where travelers lose money.

Volunteer or involuntary: the distinction that decides everything

When a flight is oversold, meaning the airline sold more confirmed seats than the plane has, the gate agent must first ask for volunteers. Volunteers are paid whatever they negotiate with the airline. There is no legal minimum and no maximum. The offer can be a voucher, cash, frequent-flyer miles or an upgrade.

Once you accept a volunteer deal, you have no further claim. You can't later argue that the involuntary rate would have paid more.

If not enough people volunteer, the airline picks who stays behind. That is involuntary denied boarding, usually called "bumping." Only then does the federal compensation formula apply.

Before you raise your hand as a volunteer, ask three questions:

• Is cash available instead of a voucher? Sometimes it is, if you ask.
• What are the voucher's restrictions? Check the expiry date, blackout dates, whether it covers taxes and fees, and whether someone else can use it.
• When is the confirmed replacement flight? A seat on standby is not a confirmed seat.

Use the involuntary amounts below as your benchmark when negotiating. A volunteer voucher worth less than the cash you would get if bumped is a poor deal unless the later flight genuinely suits you.

When the federal rules apply, and when they don't

To qualify for involuntary compensation, all of the following must be true:

• Your flight departs from a US airport on an aircraft with more than 30 seats.
• The flight was oversold.
• You had a confirmed reservation.
• You checked in by the airline's deadline.
• You were at the gate by the boarding deadline.

The rules do not cover these situations:

• You missed the check-in or gate deadline. That includes deadlines that are earlier than you might expect on some international flights.
• The airline swapped in a smaller plane for safety or operational reasons. You're owed a refund of the unused ticket, but not bumping compensation.
• Weight-and-balance limits on small aircraft forced passengers off.
• You were downgraded to a lower cabin. You're owed the fare difference instead.
• Charter flights.
• Flights into the US on a foreign airline. The rule covers flights departing the US. A flight from Europe to the US may instead fall under the European rules described in our EU261 compensation guide.

A cancellation or long delay is a different problem with different rules. See your rights when a flight is cancelled or badly delayed.

The dollar amounts

The payment is a percentage of your one-way fare. That means the fare to your next stopover or final destination, not your whole round trip. The percentage depends on how much later than planned the airline's replacement flight gets you there.

As of October 2026, the caps are roughly $1,075 for the 200% tier and $2,150 for the 400% tier. These are the DOT-published caps at the time of writing, from the figures set for the 2024–2025 cycle. DOT adjusts them for inflation every two years, so check the current figure on DOT's "Bumping & Oversales" page at transportation.gov/airconsumer.

A worked example, per person. You paid $300 for a one-way domestic flight. You're bumped, and the airline's replacement flight lands 3 hours after your original arrival time.

• More than 2 hours late on a domestic flight means the 400% tier applies.
• 400% of $300 is 4 × $300 = $1,200.
• $1,200 is below the roughly $2,150 cap, so you're owed $1,200.

You also keep your seat on the replacement flight.

Two details are easy to miss:

• Compensation is on top of your transport, not instead of it. You get the money and the rebooked flight. If you decide not to travel at all, you get the money and a refund of the unused ticket.
• Award tickets and staff passes still qualify. Compensation is based on the lowest cash fare in your cabin on that flight.

When you can refuse a voucher

This is the part airlines don't always volunteer. If you were bumped involuntarily, these rules apply:

• You can demand cash or a check on the day. If you have to leave the airport before the airline can pay, it must pay within 24 hours.
• The airline may offer a voucher instead, but only after telling you in writing about any restrictions. You may refuse it and take cash.
• Any voucher offered in place of cash must be worth at least the cash amount.

A voucher can be worth taking if you fly that airline often and it carries a higher value than the cash. It is worth less than cash if it expires before you'd use it, excludes the routes you fly, or can't be transferred to a family member.

A simple test: take the voucher only if you're confident you'll spend its full value before it expires. Otherwise, take the check.

Who gets bumped, and what to do at the gate

Each airline sets its own order for choosing who to bump. Common factors are being last to check in, having the lowest fare, or having no frequent-flyer status. Airlines must publish these rules and apply them consistently. They may not remove a passenger who is already seated on the aircraft, except for safety, security or health reasons.

Your best protection is checking in as early as the airline allows. If you are bumped:

1. Ask for the written statement of your rights. The airline is required to give it to you at the time. If it isn't offered, request it.
2. Keep your boarding pass and the written notice.
3. Note the gate agent's name and the time.
4. Confirm the replacement flight's scheduled arrival time. That time determines your tier. You can track it on our live flight status page.
5. Ask for cash or a check if that's what you want, and don't sign anything that describes you as a volunteer.

If you're flying to a cruise or another fixed departure, a bump can cost far more than the compensation covers. This is one reason we recommend that you fly in the day before a cruise.

If the airline won't pay

Start by writing to the airline's customer relations department. Attach your boarding pass, the written notice, and the details you noted at the gate.

If that doesn't work, file a complaint with DOT at transportation.gov/airconsumer. The airline must acknowledge a DOT complaint within 30 days and respond within 60.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get compensation if I volunteered to give up my seat?

Only what you agreed to with the airline. Volunteer deals are negotiated, and once you accept one you have no further claim under the federal rules.

Is there a minimum amount if my fare was cheap?

No fixed minimum. The payment is a percentage of your one-way fare, so a low fare produces a smaller amount. Award tickets are valued at the lowest cash fare in your cabin on that flight.

Does this apply if my flight was cancelled rather than oversold?

No. Bumping compensation applies only to oversold flights. Cancellations fall under refund rules, explained in our guide to what counts as a significant change.