You may not know it, but when airlines bump you from flights or lose your luggage, you're actually entitled to cash payouts to make up for the damages, not vouchers or free tickets for future travel on their airline. All you have to do is ask for them, and insist if they try to offer you something else.


We've mentioned the Passenger's Bill of Rights before, but a few things have changed since then, some of them in your favor. If you're planning some summer travel and wind up getting bumped from an overbooked flight, an airline will usually try and give you a voucher for a later flight or a flight on another day. If that's what you want, take it, but according to the folks at Airfare Watchdog, you can ask for more—specifically a cash payout of up to $1200 on the spot, depending on the delay in getting you to your destination.

Similarly, if your luggage is delayed and arrives later than you do, you're entitled to compensation for that as well. Some airlines will give you a few bucks to buy some toiletries or a discount on a future ticket, but the law says you can get up to $3300 on domestic flights and $1500 on international ones, depending on how long you're without your possessions. Remember, that's just for delayed luggage, luggage that's lost entirely is immediately eligible for the maximum payout.


The whole list, wrapped up at MarketPlace at the link below, has some other surprises as well, like the fact that you're allowed to lock in a ticket price for up to 24 hours without payment, although most airlines don't make it easy to do so. Hit the link below to read more.

Travel Advice from the Airfare Watchdog | Marketplace.org