Flight Delay Compensation In Canada: Here’s What You’re Entitled To

Delays have become a common part of flying, but you do have rights as a passenger. According to Canada’s Transportation Agency, airlines have to follow specific regulations and provide compensation in specific instances.

We’ll explain how airlines should communicate during delays and cover your rights. We’ll also throw in our favourite credit cards that come with useful travel delay insurance.

Flight delay compensation regulations in Canada

There are rules that are followed when it comes to airline compensation, and they are governed by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). They are also the ones you'll turn to if you believe the airlines aren't giving you the compensation you deserve.

What you’re entitled to largely depends on the airline’s size and the level of control the airline has over the delay.

According to the CTA, although exact regulations vary by airline size, companies generally have to follow these flight delay regulations:

• Airlines must communicate: You must be informed of the delay, what caused the delay, what assistance they have available to you, what compensation is potentially available, and what recourse you have.
• Airlines must give regular updates: While you’re waiting, the airline must give updates every 30 minutes until you’ve been rebooked or a new departure time is confirmed.
• Airlines must offer assistance: If the delay was within the airline’s control or required for safety, the airline must offer food and drinks, access to communication services, and transportation or hotel accommodation.
• Airlines must assist you with rebooking: If your original flight is delayed by at least 3 hours, the airline must work with you to rebook your flight. Depending on the situation and size of the airline, you might be entitled to a refund or compensation.

If you’re travelling internationally, you are entitled to make a claim under the Montreal or Warsaw Convention for damages caused by the delay. There’s a 2-year statute of limitations to make your claim with the airline you booked with.

When does the airline owe you compensation?

The airline only owes you compensation if they were fully in control of causing the delay. For instance, if they made a booking error or mis-scheduled a flight, it’s up to them to compensate you.

On the other hand, if the delay was caused by weather or something outside of the airline’s control, they aren’t required to compensate you for the delay.

How much compensation can you get?

There are a couple of things that determine how much compensation you get: the size of the airline and how long you were delayed.

Large airlines include some of Canada’s biggest carriers, like Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge), WestJet, Sunwing, and Transat. Their compensation requirements are, naturally, higher:

• $400 if you arrive late at your destination by 3 hours or more but less than 6 hours
• $700 if you arrive late at your destination by 6 hours or more but less than 9 hours
• $1,000 if you arrive late at your destination by 9 hours or more

Small airlines include Porter, Canada North, and other regional carriers. They have lower compensation requirements:

• $125 if you arrive late at your destination by 3 hours or more but less than 6 hours
• $250 if you arrive late at your destination by 6 hours or more but less than 9 hours
• $500 if you arrive late at your destination by 9 hours or more

If you’re not sure what size airline you’re flying with, look at your ticket under the terms and conditions.

Are you eligible for compensation?

If you think you might be eligible for compensation, ask yourself if any of the following are true:

• The cause of the delay was fully in the airline’s control
• You were informed of the delay or cancellation 14 days or less before your original departure time
• You arrived late at your final destination by 3 hours or more
• You filed a request for compensation in writing with the airline within 1 year of the delay or cancellation

How to claim flight delay compensation in Canada

You won’t file a flight delay claim with CTA. Instead, you’ll need to file one directly with the airline. Typically, you can search for something like "(name of airline) file flight delay compensation claim," and you’ll get a direct link to the web page.

For instance, here’s Air Canada’s compensation claim page. You’ll be asked to enter the ticket number and your last name to determine if you’re eligible. From there, follow the prompts to submit your claim.

The exact details may vary by airline. For instance, WestJet requires your boarding code, first and last name, and date of birth.

Your credit card travel insurance can help

Some credit cards include flight delay or trip interruption insurance as a benefit. To access the coverage, you simply need to charge the full cost of the trip to your card. You’ll also need to provide proof that you were actually delayed.

Here are our top picks for credit cards that come with travel insurance:

Credit card	Trip cancellation coverage	Trip interruption coverage	Flight delay coverage	Baggage delay coverage	Current offer	Apply
American Express Cobalt Card	Can purchase optional coverage	Can purchase optional coverage	$500	$500	Up to 15,000 bonus points (terms)	Apply
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard	Up to $1,500 per person, max $5,000 per trip	$2,000	$500	$500	$150 GeniusCash + Up to $480 cash back in the first year, first year free (terms)	Apply
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card	$1,500	$5,000	$500	$1,000	$25 GeniusCash + Up to 165,000 bonus points (terms)	Apply
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card	$1,500	$1,500	$500	$1,000	$60 GeniusCash + Up to 50,000 bonus points, first year free (terms)	Apply
RBC Avion Visa Infinite	$5,000	$1,500	$500	$500	$100 GeniusCash + 55,000 bonus points (terms)	Apply

FAQ

Is there compensation for a 2-hour flight delay?

Unfortunately, airlines aren’t required to compensate passengers for a 2-hour delay. You must be delayed arriving at your destination by at least 3 hours due to an issue within the airline’s control to be eligible for compensation.

How much is Air Canada's compensation for a 3-hour delay?

Since Air Canada is a large airline, it’s required to pay you $400 for a 3-hour delay, provided the reason for the delay was within their control.

How do I know if I am eligible for flight delay compensation?

If you were delayed 3 hours or more, you can submit a request for compensation with the airline. Whether or not you’re entitled to the compensation depends largely on the reason for the delay and if it was in the airline’s control.

Can you get a refund if your flight is delayed?

If the delay was within the airline’s control, you can accept its alternate transportation or get a refund. If you were stranded on a layover, the airline must book you a flight back to where you started for free, as well as refund your ticket and any additional services you purchased. The airline has 30 days to refund your money.

How long does Air Canada take to pay compensation?

Although Air Canada’s website doesn’t specify how long it takes to issue you a refund, many Air Canada customers report getting refunds within a few weeks. Some note that they had to wait several months.