Airline Refunds Complaint Rankings (2024)
Every U.S. airline ranked by refunds complaint rate.
Refund complaints exploded during and after the pandemic, and remain elevated in 2024. Many airlines were slow to return money for cancelled flights, issuing vouchers instead of cash. The DOT's automatic refund rule (October 2024) specifically addresses this, requiring airlines to process refunds within 7 business days for credit card purchases.
Your Rights: Refunds Issues
Airlines must refund your original payment method within 7 business days (credit card) or 20 days (other methods) for cancelled flights or significant changes. Vouchers are only acceptable if you explicitly choose them.
Airlines Ranked by Refunds Complaints
Only airlines where refunds was the top complaint category in at least one month. Source: DOT, 2024.
Had a Refunds Issue?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which airline has the most refunds complaints?
Frontier Airlines has the highest rate of refunds complaints at 23.5 per 100,000 passengers, with 5,131 total refunds complaints filed in 2024.
What are my rights for refunds issues?
Airlines must refund your original payment method within 7 business days (credit card) or 20 days (other methods) for cancelled flights or significant changes. Vouchers are only acceptable if you explicitly choose them.
How do I file a refunds complaint?
First contact the airline directly. If they don't resolve it, file a complaint with the DOT at airconsumer.dot.gov specifying "Refunds" as the issue type. Use Flight Check's Disruption Desk (flightcheck.live/disruption-desk) to generate a complaint letter and check what you're owed with the Compensation Calculator (flightcheck.live/compensation-calculator).
Other Complaint Categories
Source: DOT Air Travel Consumer Report, January–December 2024.