Bumped from a US flight: what compensation you are owed

By the Jumbo Flights editorial team · Published November 3, 2026 · Updated November 4, 2026

Key takeaways

Under 14 CFR Part 250, an involuntarily bumped passenger is owed no cash if the airline gets you to your destination within 1 hour of your original arrival time.
On domestic flights, a 1 to 2 hour delay means 200% of your one-way fare (maximum $1,075); 2 hours or more means 400% (maximum $2,150).
On international flights leaving the US, the same two tiers apply, but the 200% tier runs from 1 to 4 hours and the 400% tier starts at 4 hours.
Volunteers can negotiate any amount; only passengers denied boarding against their will get the fixed formula, and airlines must pay cash or a check on the day, unless you choose a voucher after being told the cash amount.
Once your boarding pass has been scanned at the gate, an airline generally cannot remove you from the flight for being oversold.

If a US airline bumps you from an oversold flight against your will, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires it to pay you cash unless it gets you to your destination within one hour of your original arrival time. The amount is 200% of your one-way fare (capped at $1,075) for a short delay, or 400% (capped at $2,150) for a longer one.

This guide explains the tiers, what counts as voluntary versus involuntary, when you get nothing, how to ask for what you are owed, and how to avoid being bumped in the first place. The dollar caps and thresholds below come from 14 CFR Part 250 as published on eCFR, current through October 30, 2026. DOT reviews the caps every two years using inflation data, so check the regulation if you are reading this long after that date.

What does it mean to be bumped from a flight?

Being bumped, formally called denied boarding, means the airline sold more seats than the plane has and did not let you on despite a confirmed reservation.

The regulation says that when a flight is oversold, the airline must first ask for volunteers before using any other boarding priority, and must keep involuntary denied boardings to the smallest practicable number. If too few people volunteer, the airline may bump others using its published boarding priority rules. Those rules may consider factors such as check-in time, whether you had a seat assignment, the fare you paid, frequent-flyer status, and disability or unaccompanied-minor status.

The rules apply to scheduled flights on aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats, within the US and on nonstop flights that depart a US airport for abroad. Bumping is different from a cancellation or an operational delay, which fall under other rules; see our guide to when a US airline owes you a cash refund.

How much compensation do you get for being bumped?

You get a percentage of your one-way fare, capped at a dollar amount, and the percentage depends on how much later the airline gets you to your destination.

The fare used is the one-way fare to your destination or first stopover. The table below summarizes 14 CFR 250.5.

Arrival delay with the airline's alternate transportation	Flights within the US	International flights departing the US
Up to 1 hour	No compensation required	No compensation required
More than 1 hour, under the upper limit	200% of one-way fare, up to $1,075 (under 2 hours)	200% of one-way fare, up to $1,075 (under 4 hours)
At or above the upper limit, or no alternate offered	400% of one-way fare, up to $2,150 (2 hours or more)	400% of one-way fare, up to $2,150 (4 hours or more)

The regulation says compensation shall be "at least" these amounts, so an airline may legally pay more. The dollar caps are adjusted for inflation on a two-year cycle under the rule.

Because the amount depends on your fare, a cheap ticket produces a smaller payment. The formula looks at what you paid for that one-way trip, and for a "zero fare" ticket such as one bought with miles, the regulation uses the lowest cash or card price charged for a ticket in the same class of service on that flight.

What is the difference between volunteering and being bumped involuntarily?

A volunteer takes the airline's offer in any amount, while an involuntary passenger is entitled to the fixed formula.

Under 14 CFR 250.2b, a volunteer is someone who responds to the airline's request and willingly accepts compensation in exchange for giving up a confirmed seat. Anyone else who is denied boarding counts as involuntary, even if they accept the airline's payment afterward.

That has practical consequences:

The airline must tell each person it asks to volunteer whether they are in danger of being involuntarily bumped and, if so, what compensation it would owe.
If the airline offers free or reduced-rate travel to volunteers, it must disclose material restrictions such as fees, advance-purchase rules and blackout dates before you decide.
Airlines must proactively offer to pay compensation to a passenger who is voluntarily or involuntarily denied boarding, rather than waiting to be asked.
Because volunteer offers are negotiable, you can ask for more than the first offer, along with a confirmed seat on a specific flight and meal or hotel help if the wait is long.

If you are considering volunteering, ask about the rebooked flight time before accepting. That time decides what you would have been owed as an involuntary passenger, which is a useful benchmark for what to ask for.

When are you not owed bumping compensation?

You are not owed compensation if you did not meet the airline's requirements, if a smaller plane was substituted for safety or operational reasons, or if the airline gets you there within an hour of your original arrival.

The exceptions in 14 CFR 250.6 are:

You did not fully comply with the airline's contract of carriage regarding ticketing, reconfirmation, check-in and acceptability for transportation, for example by missing the check-in deadline.
The plane was replaced with one of lesser capacity for operational or safety reasons, or, on an aircraft with 60 or fewer seats, weight and balance limits stopped the airline from carrying you.
You were offered a seat in a different cabin at no extra charge. If that cabin has a lower fare than the one you paid, you are entitled to an appropriate refund of the difference.
The airline arranged comparable transportation that is planned to arrive within one hour of your original arrival time.

The most common reason people lose out is the check-in deadline. Each airline sets its own cutoff in its contract of carriage, so check it for your flight and be at the gate on time.

Can a US airline remove you after you have boarded?

Generally no. Since 14 CFR 250.7 was added, an airline may not deny boarding to a passenger with a confirmed reservation, or involuntarily remove them, once they have checked in before the deadline and their boarding pass has been scanned and accepted at the gate.

The rule has exceptions for safety, security or health risks and for obscene, disruptive or unlawful behavior. It does not stop an airline from asking for volunteers on board, but you are free to decline. Being scanned at the gate is one more reason to arrive early on an oversold flight.

What should you do if you are bumped? Step by step

Stay calm, get the offer in writing, and check the arrival time of any replacement flight before you agree to anything.

Ask whether you are being denied boarding voluntarily or involuntarily. The airline must tell you at the time it asks you to volunteer.
Get the written statement. Under 14 CFR 250.9, the airline must hand you a written explanation of denied boarding compensation and its boarding priority rules immediately after you are bumped involuntarily.
Find out the new arrival time. Compare it with your original planned arrival to see which tier applies.
Ask for payment on the spot. Airlines must tender cash or an immediately negotiable check on the day and place of the denied boarding. If the replacement transportation leaves before payment can be prepared, payment is due within 24 hours.
Be careful with vouchers. An airline may offer free or reduced-rate travel instead of cash only if its value is at least equal to the cash due, it tells you the cash amount and your right to decline, and it discloses all restrictions in advance.
Request refunds of optional fees. The airline must refund unused optional ancillary fees, such as a paid seat selection on the flight you did not take. It does not have to refund fees for services provided on your replacement flight.
Keep records. Save your boarding pass, receipt, the written statement and the names of agents. If the airline does not pay as required, you can file a complaint with the DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection office.

Note that compensation is separate from hotel, meal or ground-transport help. The regulation sets the payment amounts, while what else you get depends on the airline's own policies, so ask.

How can you lower your chances of being bumped?

Check in early, pick a seat in advance, and avoid the lowest fare classes when a flight is tight, because those factors often drive an airline's boarding priority.

Check in as soon as check-in opens. Check-in time is a listed priority factor in 14 CFR 250.3.
Get a seat assignment. Seat assignment before the gate is another listed factor. If you are traveling on a basic fare that does not include seats, read what you give up before buying.
Join the airline's loyalty program. Frequent-flyer status is a common priority factor.
Be flexible if you want to be bumped. If you could take a later flight, tell the gate agent early that you are willing to volunteer.
Look at routes with many daily flights. A busy route such as Los Angeles to Las Vegas or Chicago to New York offers more alternative departures if you are rebooked. Our route pages show fare calendars to help you pick dates.

If you are rebooked onto a later flight and end up stuck overnight at an airport, the airport transfers tool can help you get to a hotel and back. For flights departing the EU or UK, different rules apply; see our EU261 guide.

Do the same rules apply on international flights?

The US rule covers nonstop flights that depart a US airport, using the higher four-hour threshold for the top tier, while flights leaving other countries follow local law.

For a flight from the US to another country, 14 CFR 250.5(b) uses the same dollar caps ($1,075 and $2,150) but widens the 200% tier to delays of more than one hour but less than four, with the 400% tier at four hours or more. A flight departing the EU or UK falls under EU261 or UK261, which set fixed euro or pound amounts by distance instead of a percentage of your fare.

A connecting itinerary can be more complicated, since the regulation applies to each nonstop segment that originates in the US and the "first stopover" is used when calculating the fare. If you are bumped on a connection, ask the airline to explain which segment and fare it used.

What if the airline refuses to pay?

You can file a complaint with the DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection office and dispute the charge with your card issuer if you paid for a replacement ticket yourself.

Start by asking the airline in writing to apply 14 CFR 250.5, and quote the tier that matches your delay. Keep your receipts. If the airline still declines, a written DOT complaint puts the matter on record, and DOT can enforce the regulation against carriers that do not follow it. If you took a voucher without being told the cash amount, you may be able to argue that the airline did not meet the disclosure conditions in 250.5(c).

A different airport problem is a bag that does not arrive; see what to do if an airline loses your luggage.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation do I get if I am bumped from a flight in the US?

It depends on how late you arrive. For flights within the US, you get 200% of your one-way fare up to $1,075 if you arrive 1 to 2 hours late, or 400% up to $2,150 if you arrive 2 hours or more late or are not rebooked. No cash is due if you arrive within an hour of your original time.

Is volunteering to be bumped different from being bumped involuntarily?

Yes. A volunteer accepts whatever the airline offers, in any amount, and the fixed formula does not apply. A passenger who is denied boarding against their will is covered by the formula, even if they accept payment afterward.

Can the airline give me a voucher instead of cash?

Only if the voucher is worth at least as much as the cash you would be owed, you are told the cash amount and that you can decline the voucher, and all restrictions are disclosed before you decide.

When must the airline pay me?

DOT rules require cash or an immediately negotiable check on the day and place the denied boarding occurs. If the airline arranges alternate transportation that leaves before payment can be prepared, it must tender payment within 24 hours.

Does this apply to flights from the US to Europe?

The US rule covers nonstop flights departing a US airport on aircraft with 30 or more seats. Flights departing from the EU or UK are covered by EU261 or UK261 instead.

Am I owed anything if the flight is cancelled instead of oversold?

The denied boarding formula covers oversold flights, not cancellations. For cancellations, see the DOT refund rules in our refund guide.

General information, not legal advice. Found an error? Tell us and see our corrections policy.