FAA ground stop: Can you get a refund for your flight, hotel or meals?

Passengers whose flights were canceled during Friday's nationwide FAA ground stop can get their money back, even on nonrefundable tickets, if they choose not to take another flight.

Federal rules require airlines to refund passengers whose flights were canceled or significantly changed if they decline alternative travel or a credit, regardless of who caused the disruption. But those protections generally don't extend to hotel bills, meals or other expenses stranded travelers may face.

"That's true even when the FAA causes the problem," Christopher Elliott, a syndicated consumer travel columnist, told Newsday Friday in an emailed statement. "If you accept a rebooking or a credit, though, you give up the refund. Don't tap 'accept' in the airline app until you've decided."

Here's what travelers should know about refunds, rebooking and other expenses.

When are you entitled to a refund?

According to the DOT's refund rules, passengers are entitled to a full refund if an airline cancels their flight or makes a significant change to their itinerary and they decline the alternative flight or travel credit.

A significant change includes a flight scheduled to depart at least three hours earlier or arrive at least three hours later than originally scheduled for domestic travel. For international flights, the threshold is six hours. Other significant changes include being moved to a different airport, having additional connections added to the itinerary or being downgraded to a lower class of service.

A shorter delay does not automatically qualify passengers for a refund. Travelers who accept an alternative flight and take it generally cannot also claim a refund for the original ticket.

Refunds must include the unused portion of the ticket and applicable fees for services the passenger did not receive, such as checked baggage or seat selection. Airlines and ticket agents responsible for refunds must issue qualifying refunds to the original form of payment, within seven business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods. Passengers who book directly with airlines are entitled to automatic refunds when they qualify.

Passengers should keep cancellation notices, booking confirmations and receipts for additional expenses. If an airline refuses a required refund, travelers can contact the carrier and file a complaint with the DOT.

Will the airline pay for a hotel or meals?

Not necessarily. Federal rules do not generally require airlines to provide hotel accommodations, meals or cash compensation when flights are delayed or canceled.

Some airlines voluntarily offer meals, hotel rooms or transportation during certain disruptions. However, those commitments vary by carrier and may apply only when the disruption is within the airline's control. An air traffic control issue may fall outside those commitments.

Passengers should check their airline's policies and ask customer service what assistance is available. If an airline agrees to cover an expense, travelers should confirm the terms before booking a hotel or making other arrangements and keep receipts.

What about missed hotels, cruises and other plans?

The DOT's refund rule does not reimburse travelers for expenses beyond the airline ticket. That means passengers generally cannot rely on the airline refund process to recover the cost of a missed hotel stay, cruise, rental car or prepaid tour.

A nationwide ground stop does not automatically entitle travelers to compensation from hotels, cruise lines or other travel companies, Elliott said. He recommends contacting those businesses directly to ask whether they will waive cancellation fees or allow travelers to reschedule.

Some travel insurance policies may cover those losses. Comprehensive policies can include trip interruption, trip delay and missed connection benefits, which may help pay for prepaid reservations, additional hotel nights, meals or transportation, depending on the coverage.

"Most comprehensive policies treat an air traffic control shutdown as a covered reason under the trip delay benefit," Elliott said. However, travelers should confirm that their individual policies cover such disruptions before assuming they will be reimbursed.

Travel insurance comparison platform InsureMyTrip advised travelers to monitor their flight status for last-minute scheduling changes.

"Travelers should be aware that coverage varies by policy, and not all disruptions or circumstances are covered," the company said Friday in a statement.

Coverage may also depend on how long a delay lasts and the maximum amount travelers can claim.

Travelers should also check whether the credit card used to purchase their airfare includes trip delay or interruption protection. Elliott said some premium cards offer trip delay benefits that can reimburse eligible expenses after a qualifying delay. Chase Sapphire Reserve and the American Express Platinum Card offer up to $500 in reimbursement for certain expenses after qualifying delays of more than six hours. But coverage depends on the cause of the delay and other policy requirements, and an FAA outage may not qualify.

Travelers should keep receipts, cancellation notices, booking confirmations and documentation of the disruption and submit claims promptly.

Which airlines are offering rebookings?

Airlines may offer different rebooking options during the FAA disruption.

Delta, United and Southwest have announced rebooking options for travelers. The deadlines and conditions vary by airline.

Delta Air Lines is waiving fare differences for eligible passengers who rebook by Nov. 21, provided their new flight also departs by that date, according to the airline's website. Travelers can also cancel their flights and receive an eCredit toward future travel.

United Airlines is waiving change fees and fare differences for eligible flights originally scheduled to depart from Nov. 12 through Nov. 20, according to its website. To avoid additional charges, passengers must rebook in the same cabin and keep the same departure and destination cities. Travelers changing their destination can still avoid a change fee but may have to pay a fare difference. United is also offering full refunds for canceled flights.

Southwest Airlines is allowing eligible passengers affected by Friday's FAA ground stop to rebook or fly standby without paying a fare difference beginning at 8:30 p.m. Friday, the airline announced. The offer covers passengers scheduled to travel from Friday through Monday, Nov. 16. Eligible passengers can change their travel within five days of their original departure date, keeping the same city pairs.

The airline said the disruption stemmed from a national air traffic control frequency outage and resulting FAA ground stop measures, which were outside its control.