Airline policies · O'Hare & Midway
Airlines differ on compensation. See what United, American, Delta and Southwest owe you for a cancelled or delayed flight — vouchers, rebooking, and reimbursement. Policies are applied at gate-agent discretion and change over time; always confirm with the airline directly.
Last verified: September 2026
O'Hare's primary carrier. Hotel vouchers for controllable overnight cancellations, meal vouchers ($7–$15), and a formal 30-day receipt reimbursement process.
Read the guide →Major O'Hare carrier (Terminal 3). Meal vouchers for 3+ hour controllable delays, hotel vouchers for overnight controllable cancellations, oneworld rebooking.
Read the guide →Midway's dominant carrier (~80% of traffic). Rarely provides hotel vouchers and has no interline partners — plan accordingly.
Read the guide →Focus city at O'Hare (Terminal 2). Meal vouchers ($10–$15), hotel + transportation in select controllable situations, 30-day receipt portal.
Read the guide →U.S. airlines are not required by law to provide hotel or meal accommodations when a disruption is caused by weather or air traffic control. For "controllable" issues (maintenance, crew scheduling), each airline's policy decides what you get — which is why the cancellation reason you're given matters. Save all receipts, get the reason in writing, and check your credit card's trip-delay insurance (many premium cards cover up to ~$500 per ticket after a 6–12 hour delay).
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