Delta Air Lines might owe you money for canceled flights, but you have to file a claim soon

It wasn’t unusual to see flights canceled during the early days of the pandemic. Most airlines were required to offer cash refunds to passengers whose flights were canceled. But Delta Air Lines instead offered passengers credits for future travel. Now the airline is settling a class action lawsuit that alleges Delta breached its contracts of carriage by offering travel credits instead of cash refunds. Here’s what you need to know.

Who is covered under this settlement? Anyone who is a United States citizen who purchased a nonrefundable ticket in U.S. dollars on a Delta flight scheduled to depart between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021, according to the settlement FAQ. Additionally, the flight must have been subsequently canceled by Delta and the passenger must have verifiably requested a refund for the ticket but did not receive it, instead receiving a credit that has not been used, or has been only partially used, by January 13, 2023.
What does the settlement include? Delta will give affected passengers the option of either receiving a cash refund for the value of their remaining credit or will let them keep their credit and have an additional 7% of their credit’s value added onto it.
How will I get my refund? If you are eligible to be included in the settlement offer, you must file a claim online by September 15, 2023. Additionally, you can mail the claim form in via snail mail.
What if I do nothing? If you do nothing by the filing deadline, you will give up your rights to further compensation or the ability to file suit against Delta on your own. Alternately, you can exclude yourself from the settlement, if you want to keep the right to file a suit against Delta on your own. If you exclude yourself you must do it by August 31, 2023.
Has Delta admitted wrongdoing? No, but companies that opt to settle class action lawsuits rarely do.