Canadian air passenger rights: A full guide
🗽TRUSTED BY TRAVELERS ACROSS THE U.S.
CANADIAN FLIGHT DELAYS MAY ENTITLE PASSENGERS TO
Up to $2,400 CAD per passenger
Complimentary rebooking
Help with delays, cancelations, and overbooking
If you’re an American traveler headed to or from Canada by air, you have rights. That’s right, the Canada Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) offer passengers protection regardless of nationality or airline.
APPR is Canada's equivalent of the EU's EC 261 regulations, complete with many similarities and a couple key differences.
Compensable events include denied boarding (bumps), flight delays/cancellations of 2+ hours, and lost or damaged baggage.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Canada's APPR policies tier compensation based on the size of the airline you fly (based on seats sold per year), rather than the distanced length of your flight.
Those flying larger carriers like WestJet or Air Canada not only have more options for rebooking, but higher compensation rates as well.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Canadian APPR air passenger rights
Passengers receive compensation following flight cancelations, delays of 3+ hours, or denied boardings. Factors like weather delays are not compensable.
Compensation varies from $125 CAD and $2,400 CAD based on the type of flight disruption you encounter and the size of the air carrier. These amounts are guaranteed by the Canadian APPR.
APPR covers all flights in and out of Canada, regardless of whether you fly a Canadian carrier or not. This is a large difference from other worldwide regulations like EC 261. So, it doesn't matter if you flew WestJet or American Airlines.
APPR protects passengers' right to food and drink, as well as lodging and complimentary transportation when required by policy.
How much compensation are passengers entitled to?
Compensation offered by the Canadian APPR depends upon the type of disruption or compensable event you encounter.
1. Involuntary denied boarding
Passengers that are involuntarily bumped to a later flight are entitled to immediate compensation at the airport in the following amounts:
-
$900 CAD if you arrive within 6 hours of your original time
-
$1,800 CAD if you arrive within 6-9 hours of your original time
-
$2,400 CAD if you arrive more than 9 hours past your original arrival time
Additionally, you’ll be owed some sort of food and drink in the meantime, which oftentimes comes in the form of an airport meal voucher.
File a claim with MyAirAdvocate
STEP 1
Submit your claim
Submit your claim with MyAirAdvocate in less than 2 minutes.
STEP 2
Sit back and relax
We'll do all the hard work and negotiate with your airline on your behalf.
STEP 3
Receive compensation
We'll send you your compensation right away. We don't win, you don't pay.
2. Flight delays/cancellations
Delayed/cancelled passengers on flights to or from Canada are entitled to:
-
$400 CAD for arrival delays between 3-6 hours
-
$700 CAD for arrival delays between 6-9 hours
-
$1,000 CAD for arrival delays greater than 9 hours
These rates include large airlines such as Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter.
Smaller, regional airlines have different compensation rates: $125 CAD, $250 CAD, and $500 CAD, respectively.
Similarly, you’ll also be provided a snack/drink or a meal voucher. In the event that you decide to be refunded instead of rebooked, you will be compensated $400 CAD/$125 CAD, depending on the size of your airline.
3. Lost or damaged luggage
In more good news for passengers, Canada’s APPR aligns with the Montreal Convention, meaning those with lost, damaged, or delayed luggage are protected up to $2,300 CAD, in addition to the refund of all baggage fees.
Passengers needing to replace necessities like clothing or toiletries should retain all proof of purchase and file for reimbursement.
Each airline has different baggage reimbursement policies. Here are Porter’s and Air Canada’s, for example.
MyAirAdvocate also helps passengers earn compensation for lost/damaged baggage.
CHECK EC 261 COMPENSATION
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
I'm a paragraph.
Do all Canadian flight delays qualify for compensation?
No, events outside of an airline’s control, like weather, do not carry the same eligible compensation figures. But that does not mean that you’re without rights. Once flight delays reach 3 hours in length, even outside of your carrier’s control, you’re still eligible to be rebooked on the next available flight at zero cost to you.
Importantly, in contrast to EC/UK 261 qualifying disruptions in Europe, passengers departing or arriving in Canada cannot file for compensation for mechanical problems tied to safety concerns. This means engine trouble, flight control issues, and structural concerns will not get you compensated, though lodging and other amenities are still guaranteed.
In cases where you can’t be rebooked within 48 hours, you can choose between:
-
A full refund for unused legs of your ticket
-
Alternate travel arrangements, like accepting a return flight home rather than continuing on
What delays do qualify for compensation in Canada?
Time for the good news! Nearly all other flight disruptions will get you compensated in Canada, including:
-
Staffing shortages
-
IT/Operational outages or issues
-
Mechanical issues not related to safety or outlined above
-
Late arriving crew or aircraft
-
Late servicing or aircraft
It can be hard to differentiate between compensable and non-compensable events, particularly when maintenance related, but MyAirAdvocate is happy to communicate with your airline and understand the true culprit for your disruption.
The next time you find yourself facing a delay, remember to take notes and ask a gate agent exactly what the cause of the disruption is.
How to file for APPR related compensation
The path to receiving compensation under APPR depends upon the type of disruption you encounter. Technically, if you over denied boarding on an overbooked flight, you should have received the compensation on the spot (as a check).
If you didn’t, or if your flight was delayed or cancelled, you'll need to go through your airline's specific process. Claiming compensation under APPR can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 3 months - or more - so you'll want to pack your patience. MyAirAdvocate files on behalf of travelers seeking APPR compensation, and we're proud to mention that we get quicker resolutions and larger payouts.
If you decide to file a claim yourself, here are some helpful links to point you in the right direction:
Remember - you're eligible even if you don't fly a Canadian airline.
Not surprisingly, airlines operating in and out of Canadian airports don't love APPR and its repercussions.
What other rights does APPR provide?
Canada's APPR regulations also offer other protections for passengers:
-
Rebooking
-
Hotels and transportation
-
Meals and vouchers
📆 Rebooking
In more good news for passengers, Canada’s APPR aligns with the Montreal Convention, meaning those with lost, damaged, or delayed luggage are protected up to $2,300 CAD, in addition to the refund of all baggage fees.
Passengers needing to replace necessities like clothing or toiletries should retain all proof of purchase and file for reimbursement.
Each airline has different baggage reimbursement policies. Here are Porter’s and Air Canada’s, for example.
MyAirAdvocate also helps passengers earn compensation for lost/damaged baggage.
🏨 Hotel stays and transportation
Canadian flight disruptions spanning an overnight period entitle passengers to a complimentary hotel room.
In fact, APPR guarantees lodging for up to 48 hours, so if your rebooked flight is two days in the future, you're guaranteed a hotel room for the duration of your delay.
You're also guaranteed transportation to and from the airport to your hotel, so if you can't locate a complimentary airport shuttle, remember to submit your Uber or taxi receipt for reimbursement.
🍔 Food and drink
Passengers may also be eligible to receive food and drink throughout the duration of their delay.