Airlines Are Now Required to Issue Cash Refunds to Passengers for Late Flights—Here’s What That Means for Honeymooners and Destination Wedding Guests

Whether or not you’re a regular jet-setter, you’ve likely heard about the issues that have plagued airlines (and by default, passengers) over the past few months. Missing luggage, hour-long flight delays, airplane safety concerns, and forced landings—in 2024, there’s something amiss with air travel. But if you’re flying to a wedding-related event this year, whether it’s your own, a friend’s, a honeymoon, or a far-flung bachelorette party, you can take a big sigh of a relief: New federal protections were just put in place to make up for a few of these concerns, namely delayed flights and luggage.

The new rules, which were announced on Wednesday, April 24, by the United States Department of Transportation, officially mandate all U.S. airlines to issue cash refunds to passengers who experience substantial flight delays or cancellations—not travel credits or vouchers. “From now on, when your flight is canceled for any reason, you are entitled to an automatic cash refund and it has to be prompt,” Pete Buttigieg, the Transportation Secretary, told CNN, noting that these protections extend to other flight-related inconveniences, as well. “If you get delayed significantly, that means three hours domestically, six hours internationally, or if there’s another significant change to your itinerary—like maybe you were going to go into one airport, they actually changed the airport on you or something like that—you’re going to get your money back.”

The mandate also requires airlines to issue baggage fee refunds for luggage that arrives more than 12 hours late; passengers will also be reimbursed for add-ons, including in-flight WiFi or seat upgrades, if the airline drops the ball. These laws, which do not impact the rebooking process, also prevent travelers from paying double on airfare. Though most airlines have done away with change fees, Buttigieg told CNN that he’s heard stories of travelers forced to book other flights on another airline to make it to events (like your sister’s wedding, perhaps?) on time, after their original flight experienced extensive delays (but wasn’t technically canceled). “That’s just one example of the kinds of scenarios that we hear from passengers time and time again. We’re putting a stop to it now,” Buttigieg said.

So what does that mean if you’re traveling for any and every wedding-related reason this year? Ultimately, this is great news for you. If you’re flying from New York City to Nashville for your bachelorette party and your airline cancels or delays your flight over three hours? You’re entitled to apply for a cash refund “without headaches or haggling,” Buttigieg affirmed. And if your bags are still in the U.S. when you arrive in Leonardo da Vinci-Rome Fiumicino Airport for your Italy honeymoon? You’ll be getting your money back for the trouble. Considering the fact that the worldwide Boeing shortage is already putting a strain on flight availability (which could force cancellations this summer), this additional protection ensures that you get where you need to go—whether that’s your sorority sister’s destination wedding in Jamaica or your wedding dress fitting in Los Angeles—without paying unfair airfare to get there.