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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) withdrew its proposed Airline Passenger Rights rulemaking on November 17, 2025. The action was an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, not a final rule: its proposed cash compensation and disruption services never became binding federal requirements. Separate DOT refund rights remain in effect.
What DOT withdrew—and what it would have done
DOT withdrew an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) titled “Airline Passenger Rights.” The agency had issued the notice on December 11, 2024, to seek public comment on possible protections for passengers affected by significant airline disruptions. An ANPRM invites feedback; it is not itself a final rule or a source of new compensation rights.
The proposal asked whether airlines should have to provide some combination of:
- Cash compensation for passengers affected by significant disruptions.
- Free rebooking, meals, and lodging for overnight delays, including transportation to and from the lodging.
- Clear information about passenger entitlements and a prompt, straightforward process for receiving them.
- Free rebooking when a needed accessibility feature was unavailable.
These were topics for consideration, not adopted requirements. The Unified Agenda records the rulemaking as a completed action and the withdrawal notice as published November 17, 2025.
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Why the administration withdrew the proposal
DOT said the withdrawal was consistent with Executive Order 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” and Executive Order 14219, “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementation of the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Agenda.” The Unified Agenda classifies the completed action as deregulatory. The withdrawal means DOT is no longer pursuing that 2024 proposal; it does not cancel the separate refund framework.
What passengers can still get after a cancellation or change
DOT’s separate refund rules provide a refund when an airline cancels a flight and the passenger chooses not to travel or accept a travel credit or other compensation, regardless of the reason for the cancellation. A refund may also be due after a qualifying significant change or delay if the passenger declines the changed travel or offered credits. DOT’s examples include:
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- An early departure or late arrival at least three hours different from the original itinerary for a domestic trip, or six hours for an international trip.
- A change to the origin or destination airport, or an increase in connections.
- An involuntary downgrade.
- Certain itinerary or aircraft changes that affect a passenger with a disability.
For qualifying refunds, DOT’s 2024 refund-rule summary says refunds must be issued automatically within seven business days for credit-card payments and within 20 calendar days for other payment methods. The framework also covers refunds for certain paid ancillary services that were not provided and for significantly delayed checked baggage. A refund is different from cash compensation for a disruption: eligibility depends on the circumstances and, in the cases above, the passenger declining the travel or credits offered.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Refunds, disruption assistance, and airline commitments are different
A ticket refund returns money for travel a passenger does not take under the applicable refund rules. The withdrawn ANPRM would have explored additional mandatory disruption assistance, such as meals, lodging, and cash payments; it created no such entitlement. Separately, an airline may make customer-service commitments in its own plan. To check assistance for a specific trip, consult the carrier’s current customer-service plan and DOT’s airline customer-service dashboard. The dashboard and plans are the relevant places to verify carrier-specific commitments; they do not turn the withdrawn proposal into federal law.
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- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
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