How to reclaim your funds if you were left stranded by Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines has resumed full operations after a chaotic five-day period that resulted in over 5,000 flight cancellations from Friday to Tuesday. On Wednesday, the airline declared it was "fully staffed" and ready to operate its complete schedule.

By Thursday, the Atlanta-based airline had regained its typical reliability, recording just four cancellations across its entire network (with no further cancellations reported on Friday), according to FlightAware.

This cancellation rate—nearly 0%—stands in stark contrast to the 30% or higher cancellation rates experienced just days earlier, as the airline struggled to recover from a global IT failure. The situation has led to a U.S. Department of Transportation investigation.

According to estimates from the DOT, hundreds of thousands of customers were impacted by this disruption, and many may still be seeking compensation for the operational issues they faced.

Here’s what you need to know, whether you’re seeking a refund or reimbursement or planning to fly with Delta in the next few days.

Is Delta back to normal?

Yes. Following more than 1,100 cancellations each day from Friday to Tuesday, Delta's operations saw a marked improvement on Wednesday; since then, the airline has returned to its typical position as one of the nation's most reliable (regarding cancellation rates).

Requesting a refund from Delta

According to DOT policy, you have the right to a refund for any unused part of your ticket — refunded to your original payment method — if your flight was canceled or significantly delayed. This applies only if you decide not to travel and do not accept a rebooking.

How to request a flight refund

If your travel plans were impacted by Delta's disruption, you can submit a refund request through Delta's refund page.

What if you prefer not to fly with Delta in the upcoming days?

Delta has prolonged its travel advisory due to the ongoing irregular operations, now effective until Sunday, July 28.

The airline is providing extra flexibility for customers who prefer not to fly until Sunday; these passengers can choose to cancel their flights in advance and request a refund.

This is not typically required by DOT policy, so Delta is taking additional measures in this situation.

However, it’s important to note that the airline's operations have mostly stabilized.

How to seek reimbursement if you were stranded

If you experienced a significant delay or cancellation during Delta's disruption, you may be eligible for reimbursement for certain expenses incurred.

According to the DOT's Airline Customer Service Dashboard, Delta, along with other airlines, has made various commitments to customers regarding cancellations or significant delays that are "controllable," meaning they fall under the airline's responsibility.

The DOT has indicated that this disruption qualifies as controllable, unlike situations such as snowstorms or air traffic control issues.

You can submit your reimbursement request at Delta's reimbursement page.

What expenses are excluded?

Delta specifies that it does not reimburse prepaid costs at your destination, including vacation activities, concert tickets, sports events, and similar items.

In certain situations, you may be able to recover those expenses through a travel insurance policy or the travel insurance associated with your credit card. However, this is contingent on the policy being active prior to the disruption, and coverage will vary based on your specific policy.

What if you chose to fly with another airline?

On Wednesday, Delta acknowledged the numerous travelers who sought alternative travel arrangements during the disruption, whether by flying with other airlines, renting cars, or taking trains.

The airline has relaxed its reimbursement policy during the travel waiver period (July 19 to 28) and is permitting customers to claim reimbursement for certain expenses. This may include flights booked with other carriers in specific cases.

Here are the requirements:

• Travel must occur between July 19 and 28.
• Passengers who faced a cancellation or delay of three hours or more are eligible.
• You can claim the fare paid for a ticket on another airline in the same class of service, minus the value of any unused portion of your Delta ticket.
• You may also submit costs for alternative transportation, such as rental cars, rideshares, trains, or buses used to reach your destination — again, minus the value of the unused part of your ticket.

You can submit your reimbursement request at Delta's reimbursement page.

In case of a dispute

The DOT generally recommends that customers first attempt to resolve these expenses and refund requests directly with the airline.

If you don’t receive a timely response from the airline or believe your request was unjustly denied, you can find more information here about how to file a complaint with the agency.

Other important information

This week, Delta also mentioned that it's providing SkyMiles and travel vouchers to customers as a goodwill gesture, although the actual mileage amounts reported by TPG readers have varied widely — in some cases, significantly.