How Long Do Airlines Have to Refund Your Money? DOT Timelines Explained
Loren Castillo
Founder, TravelStacks
DOT rules set specific deadlines for airline refunds: 7 business days for credit card payments and 20 calendar days for other methods. Here is what those timelines mean and what to do if the airline misses them.
The DOT Refund Deadlines
The rule: Airlines must process refunds within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for all other payment methods, starting from the date the refund is approved or requested for a qualifying cancellation or significant change.
These timelines are set by 14 CFR Part 259 and apply to all US carriers and foreign carriers operating flights to or from the United States. The clock starts when the refund is determined to be owed, either because the airline canceled the flight or because you requested a refund for a qualifying significant change.
What Counts as the Starting Date
For canceled flights, the starting date is when the cancellation occurs (or when you notify the airline that you want a refund rather than rebooking). For significant changes you decline, the clock starts when you formally reject the change and request a refund.
If the airline is asking you to wait for 'processing,' check whether the delay falls within the 7 or 20-day window. Airlines sometimes conflate 'processing time' with the statutory deadline, using them interchangeably. The DOT rule means the refund must appear on your account within 7 business days, not just be initiated.
For context on when a refund is owed, see DOT refund rule significant changes and airline credit vs cash refund rights.
What to Do If the Airline Misses the Deadline
If the airline has not issued your refund within the statutory window:
- 1
Contact the airline in writing (email or chat) citing the specific deadline
- 2
Reference the relevant rule: 14 CFR 259.5 (refunds required within 7 or 20 days)
- 3
If still unresolved, file a DOT complaint citing the missed deadline
- 4
If you paid by credit card, initiate a chargeback with your card issuer
Claim filing: TravelStacks can file your DOT refund claim for $19 and handles the follow-up with the airline and DOT on your behalf.
Credit Card Refund Timing vs Bank Processing
The 7-business-day rule requires the airline to submit the refund to your credit card issuer within 7 business days. Once submitted, your bank or card issuer may take an additional 1-5 business days to post the credit to your account. This additional bank processing time is not a violation of the DOT rule.
If 7 business days have passed since you requested the refund and your card still shows no pending credit, contact the airline to confirm the refund was submitted. If they cannot provide a submission date or reference number, the 7-day window may have been violated.
For more on when refunds are owed and how to request them, see the US passenger rights guide.
EU261 Refund Timelines
EU261 does not specify a precise refund window the same way US DOT rules do. Under EU261, the airline must offer a refund 'without penalty' when a flight is canceled or a passenger is denied boarding. In practice, EU enforcement bodies expect refunds within 7 to 14 days of a written request.
UK261 mirrors EU261 on this point. If you are pursuing an EU or UK claim, national enforcement bodies (UK CAA, Spain AESA, Germany LBA, etc.) can be escalated to if the airline does not comply. See the EU261 rights guide for the full process.