--- source_url: "https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/what-to-do/flight-is-delayed-or-cancelled" title: "What To Do if Your Flight Is Delayed or Canceled | World Nomads USA" mirrored_at: 2026-08-09T01:07:24.729Z host: www.worldnomads.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/what-to-do/flight-is-delayed-or-cancelled" --- > **Original source:** https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/what-to-do/flight-is-delayed-or-cancelled _For information relating to policies purchased prior to October 23 2024, please check the Policy Wording provided with your purchase. You can contact us if you need this sent to you again. For plans purchased after October 23 2024, please see below._ - [What to do if your flight has been canceled or you’ve missed a connection](#1) - [Talk to your airline about rebooking, compensation or a full refund](#2) - [Get the essential details in writing from your airline](#3) - [Keep your receipts for reasonable expenses](#4) - [How might travel insurance help if your flight is delayed or canceled?](#5) - [Handy tips in case your plans get affected by a delayed or canceled flight](#6) So you’re stuck at the airport … we’ve all been there. If your flight has been delayed or canceled, or you’ve missed your connection, your airline should always be your first port of call. But travel insurance\* may be able to help in certain circumstances. Read on for more info. ## What to do if your flight has been canceled or you’ve missed a connection In many cases, if your flight has been cancelled or you miss a connection, your airline will automatically rebook you. Before travel, download your airline’s app, and refresh the app as soon as you realize you’ve got flight issues. If your airline has not automatically rebooked you, head to the service desk or call their customer care line. But don’t rush to buy a new flight, as the airline is not likely to reimburse you for a flight purchased on your own and travel insurance can only reimburse you if your flight is canceled for a reason specified by your plan. ## Talk to your airline about rebooking, compensation or a full refund Your airline is obligated to rebook you if your flight has been canceled or you’ve been bumped from an oversold flight. Travel insurance won’t reimburse you if you’ve been bumped, so seek compensation directly from your airline. If they can’t get you on a new flight until tomorrow, ask to be rebooked on another carrier, or request meal and hotel vouchers. You must accept any reasonable alternative options offered by the airline. If you do end up making a travel insurance claim, you’ll need proof that you first sought reimbursement from your airline or other travel provider. ## Get the essential details in writing from your airline If the airline is unable to provide meal or hotel vouchers, you may be able to claim for reimbursement of out-of-pocket meal and lodging expenses under your [trip delay](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/whats-covered/trip-delay) benefit. You’ll need written confirmation from your airline that includes: - the reason for the delay - scheduled departure and return times - actual departure and return times. Head straight to the airline desk to get this critical information or ask a telephone agent to email you these details on the spot. ## Keep your receipts for reasonable expenses Remember to keep receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses you incur during your delay – you’ll need these to make a claim. Your trip delay benefit may cover local transportation, lodging and meals while you’re delayed. And if your bags are delayed too, by more than 12 hours, keep receipts for the essential toiletries and a change of clothes that you had to buy until your trip resumes, and you’re reunited with your bag. As soon as you realize your bag has been misplaced by the airline, you should also contact our [Delayed or Lost Baggage Tracking and Delivery service](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/whats-covered/all-non-insurance-services). This non-insurance service partner will get on the case and will update you every step of the way as they find and retrieve your bags If you do need to make a claim, check out our [how to make a claim article](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/help/insurance/emergency-claims/how-to-claim) for step-by-step guidance. ## How might travel insurance help if your flight is delayed or canceled? Travel insurance may be able to step in where your airline falls short. Here are some situations where travel insurance may be able to provide some relief. - If an airline refused to provide meal or lodging vouchers, you may be able to claim for reimbursement of those expenses after a [delay of six or more hours](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/whats-covered/trip-delay). - If your delayed or canceled flight caused you to miss pre-paid accommodation or tours, you may be able to claim for reimbursement of those unused, prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs. - If your flight is canceled or delayed for at least 24 consecutive hours due to a [strike](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/help/insurance/managing-policy/does-travel-insurance-cover-strikes), you may be able to claim reimbursement for new flight tickets that you had to purchase out of pocket. - If you miss the start of your trip due to a covered [missed connection](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/whats-covered/missed-connections) reason, you may be eligible for reimbursement to ‘catch up’ and join, instead of having to cancel your plans. - If you’re stuck overnight and your airline can’t deliver your checked baggage for more than 12 hours, you can claim for reimbursement of essential toiletries and a change of clothes under your [baggage delay](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/whats-covered/delayed-baggage) benefits. Remember to also get in touch with our Delayed or Lost Baggage Tracking and Delivery service. This non-insurance service partner may be able to retrieve your lost bags quickly. World Nomads offers [four plans](https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/travel-insurance/whats-covered/plan-comparison), which each have different per day and maximum benefit limits. Read your chosen plan thoroughly to understand the benefit limits. _**Traveler tip 1:** Remember, travel insurance is for the unexpected. If a storm or strike, or any other event, was known when you bought your travel insurance plan, coverage may not apply._ **What’s excluded:** Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything. Exclusions include, but are not limited to: - You running late, getting stuck in traffic or a long security line and missing your flight. - Purchase of a new flight because you didn’t want to wait to be rebooked by your airline. - Luxury hotel suites and the most expensive thing on the menu. Travel insurance is meant to cover reasonable out-of-pocket expenses if you’re delayed. - Flight delays of less than six hours. - Baggage delays of less than 12 hours. - Expenses that have been reimbursed by your airline. _**Traveler tip 2:** if you are going to miss your flight because you’re just running late, contact your airline. Travel insurance won’t be able to reimburse you for your missed flight if you overslept._ ## Handy tips in case your plans get affected by a delayed or canceled flight. We know delays and cancellations are frustrating, but here are a few tips to help smooth the journey. 1. Prepare in advance. Download your airline’s app. Print or save a copy of your travel insurance plan documents. Check-in online if you can. 2. Allow plenty of time to get to the airport and through the security line (usually a minimum of two hours for domestic and three hours for international flights, but check with your airline for the most up-to-date guidance). 3. Be ready for delays and cancelations, which are increasingly common these days. Wear comfortable clothes; bring snacks; have reading, watching or listening material ready when you need it. 4. Carry on if you can. Having everything with you will minimize the chances of baggage loss if you miss a connection or your flight is canceled. If you need to check your bag, carry the essentials, including medications and a change of clothes, with you. 5. Know what your plan does and does not cover, and when. Trip delay benefits for U.S. resident plan holders start at six hours. Baggage delay benefits start at 12 hours. Know what types of delays are (e.g. weather) and are not (e.g. airline staffing issues) covered. 6. Be patient and kind. Delays and cancelations are frustrating. Be kind to the customer service agents who are dealing with dozens, if not hundreds, of other angry passengers. \*All information we provided here is a brief summary. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions of the plans described. Please carefully read your state specific plan documents for a full description of coverage. Travel insurance is included as part of your travel protection plan which contains both insurance benefits and non-insurance assistance services. Material included on this page does not represent, nor is it specific to, United States Fire Insurance Company or travel insurance benefits provided on United States Fire Insurance Company’s travel protection plans. INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW This advertisement contains highlights of the plans developed by Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand, which include travel insurance coverages underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, Principal Office located in Morristown, New Jersey, under form series T7000 et al, T210 et al and TP-401 et al and non-insurance Travel Assistance Services. The terms of insurance coverages in the plans may vary by jurisdiction and not all insurance coverages are available in all jurisdictions. **Insurance coverages in these plans are subject to terms, limitations and exclusions including an exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions.** In most states, your travel retailer is not a licensed insurance producer/agent and is not qualified or authorized to answer technical questions about the terms, benefits, exclusions and conditions of the insurance offered or to evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance coverage. Your travel retailer may be compensated for the purchase of a plan and may provide general information about the plans offered, including a description of the coverage and price. The purchase of travel insurance is not required in order to purchase any other product or service from your travel retailer. CA DOI toll free number is 800-927-4357. The cost of your plan is for the entire plan, which consists of both insurance and non-insurance components. Individuals looking to obtain additional information regarding the features and pricing of each travel plan component, please contact Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand; [we are licensed in all states;](https://www.tripmate.com/main/generali-global-assistance-insurance-services-licenses/) 880 SW 145th Ave, Suite 400, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027; 1-844-207-1930; [assistancefees@tripmate.com](mailto:assistancefees@tripmate.com). While Trip Mate markets the travel insurance in these plans on behalf of USF, non-insurance components of the plans were added to the plans by Trip Mate and Trip Mate does not receive compensation from USF for providing the non-insurance components of the plans.