More than 1.5 million travelers had their flight plans upended on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, after the Federal Aviation Administration announced a rare nationwide ground stop, according to flight data firm Cirium. That stop lasted more than four hours.
While that ground stop lifted at 8:15 p.m. ET on Friday, the ripple effects could be massive. Planes are out of position for the weekend, and some travelers are still trying to reach their destinations or get refunds on flights and other expenses.
NerdWallet travel writer Craig Joseph was among those affected. He was flying out of Asheville, North Carolina, for a one-night trip to a college football game, and learned his flight was delayed by three hours. Because it was a quick trip anyway — and because he booked the flight with airline frequent flyer miles that could be redeposited to his account — he canceled. Moments later, his flight — and every other one on the departures board — flipped to canceled.
He canceled his hotel before the deadline, too, so his only sunk cost is the football ticket. But not all travelers will be so lucky.
If your travel plans were impacted, here's how you can get your money back.
If you need a refund or a new flight
Don’t count on a phone customer service number. Major airlines have been overwhelmed with customers asking for help.
As of Friday night, Southwest’s automated phone number said it would take several hours to get a callback from a human. American Airlines’ automated line said it would take at least two hours to reach a human. Frontier Airlines wouldn’t even let us speak to a human, and instead sent us to a chatbot.
Skip the chatbots and long waits. Instead, do this:
Check the airline’s app or website, and look for any emails or other alerts. Most airlines are proactively notifying affected passengers with rebooking options. You may be automatically rebooked, and most airlines also allow you to adjust your booking on their app or website.
Get a refund or rebook using a waiver online or through the airline's app. Every major airline has issued a travel waiver due to the ground stop, which gives you more flexibility to rebook without a change fee, often without charging for fare differences. See the waiver links below for your specific airline.
Check your travel insurance (you may have it through a credit card). Because the ground stop was outside the airlines' control, they may not be offering vouchers for hotels or food. If you paid these costs out of pocket, you might be able to get reimbursed from your credit card's travel insurance coverage — or your travel insurance policy, if you purchased one. More on that below, too.
Know the airline policies
Under U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rules, you are entitled to a full refund if your flight is canceled — no matter the reason — and you decide not to travel. The money must be delivered to your original payment method, even if you book nonrefundable tickets.
If you booked with points or miles, you'll generally get those redeposited to your loyalty account, plus a refund of any taxes and fees you paid.
But if you still want to forge on with your travels, most airlines are allowing affected passengers to rebook new flights without owing a change fee or fare difference, which is more generous than usual. Most airlines are offering flexible change policies to people whose original travel dates were Nov. 13 or 14, and the airfare was purchased on or before Nov. 12 or 13, 2026.
Some airlines are even more flexible. For example, Southwest’s more generous rebooking policy applies to flights scheduled through Monday, Nov. 16.
Just note that each airline has its own limitations on when you must take that new flight, so check with your airline to ensure you book within the allowed window. Here are the current links to where you can find travel waivers and support being offered by some of the major airlines.
Consider alternate routes
Right now, you and everyone else who was supposed to be on that Friday afternoon flight are vying for limited seats on aircraft flying the same route over the next few days. Get creative if the flight you need is booked up. Consider whether a nearby airport might be possible. You might also need to consider a train or rental car.
If you need money back for other bookings and expenses
If your flight disruption also cost you a hotel night, a rental car, a concert or sports ticket, or some other prepaid piece of your trip, here's your best chance at getting that money back, too:
Call the hotel or rental property directly. Although not guaranteed, your hotel may waive a cancellation penalty or late-arrival no-show fee for a documented flight disruption like this one. Have your canceled or delayed flight confirmation handy, and ask kindly.
For nonrefundable, nontransferable event tickets like concerts or sports games, you’re unlikely to get a direct refund. Check the specific event's refund policy first (and it never hurts to ask!), but your best bet in most cases is reselling the ticket through a platform like StubHub, SeatGeek or Vivid Seats rather than counting on a refund from the original seller.
Keep every receipt and email confirmation. Whether you're asking a hotel for an exception or filing an insurance claim, having your original flight confirmation, the cancellation or delay notice and your other prepaid reservations documented in one place will make every one of these conversations faster.
Look to travel insurance
If you have a standalone travel insurance policy: Travel delay and missed connection benefits may cover you for a disruption like this one. If you already hold a policy, contact your provider's 24-hour emergency assistance line directly rather than waiting to file a claim after the fact.
If you don't think you bought travel insurance, check again. Many premium travel credit cards include trip delay and trip cancellation/interruption coverage as a card benefit, assuming you paid for the trip with your card. Here are some of the best credit cards that provide travel insurance.
Travel insurance is separate from — and can potentially stack with — whatever refund or rebooking you got from your airline. Just because the airline refunded your ticket doesn’t mean you’re ineligible to get coverage for extra costs.
Coverage can often include refunds for prepaid reservations, but some policies also reimburse costs incurred due to the delay, such as an additional hotel night for stranded passengers, and even sometimes replacement clothes and toiletries for passengers separated from their bags. Check your insurance policy to understand what’s covered — and always save all your receipts.
What to expect going forward
The backlog from Friday's ground stop is expected to keep disrupting flights into the weekend. If you have a flight in the coming days, recheck your specific flight status before heading to the airport even if things looked fine an hour ago.
And whatever you were counting on — a refund, a rebooking or an insurance payout — make sure you move fast, document everything and don't assume you only have one option. Between airline waivers, DOT refund rules and travel insurance you may not have known you had, most travelers affected by this one have more ways to recover their money than it first appears.
As for Joseph, he’s still trying to resell his football ticket.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
