How to handle a US tarmac delay: what airlines must do

How long can a U.S. airline keep you on board a domestic flight?

Some flights are held on the airport tarmac before take-off or after landing, with passengers still on board. [1] For a domestic flight, Department of Transportation rules prohibit most U.S. airlines from allowing the aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours, unless one of the exceptions below applies. [1] Both exceptions hinge on whether the aircraft can reach a gate, or another location where passengers can be deplaned. [1]

What limit applies to international flights to and from the United States?

For international flights, the requirement works differently. U.S. airlines operating international flights to or from most U.S. airports must each establish and comply with their own limit on how long those flights may stay on the tarmac. [1] In practice that means the passenger-facing limit is carrier-specific, and the duty on the airline is both to set a limit of its own making and to comply with it. [1]

The two-hour food and water obligation is not confined to domestic flights; it applies on international flights too. [1] If you are deciding which flights to book, the same guidance notes that a departure early in the day is less likely to be delayed than a later flight because delays ripple through the day, and that an early flight leaves more rerouting options if things go wrong. [1] If a connection is at risk, the missed connection action plan sets out the next steps.

What food, water and facilities must airlines provide on board?

The rule pairs its time limit with service obligations that start while the aircraft is still on the ground. On both domestic and international flights, U.S. airlines must provide passengers with food and water no later than two hours after the tarmac delay begins. [1]

While the aircraft remains on the tarmac, lavatories must remain operable and medical attention must be available if needed. [1] In practical terms, a delay that drags past the two-hour mark should already have produced water and food, a working toilet and a route to medical help, whatever the carrier's own departure limit may be. [1]

Does the rule cover waits inside the terminal?

No. The tarmac rule addresses aircraft held on the ground with passengers aboard; for passengers waiting at the airport, each airline has its own policies about what it will do for delayed travellers and there are no federal requirements. [1] Provision varies, and the DOT guidance notes that some carriers, often those charging very low fares, give no amenities to stranded passengers, while others may withhold amenities when the delay stems from bad weather or another cause beyond the airline's control. [1]

If you are stuck in the terminal, the guidance suggests asking airline staff whether the carrier will pay for meals or a phone call. [1] The general standard for what an airline owes during a disruption is discussed in duty of care in flight disruption.

Exceptions and limits

• Safety or security. The three-hour domestic limit does not apply where the pilot determines that there is a safety or security reason why the aircraft cannot taxi to the gate and deplane its passengers. [1]
• Air traffic control. It also does not apply where air traffic control advises the pilot that taxiing to the gate, or to another location where passengers can be deplaned, would significantly disrupt airport operations. [1]
• Coverage of carriers. The guidance describes the three-hour prohibition as applying to most U.S. airlines, so the rule is not written as a blanket obligation on every carrier. [1]
• International flights. These run to each airline's own limit rather than to the three-hour figure used for domestic flights. [1]
• No compensation for delay on domestic itineraries. Airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose domestic flights are delayed or cancelled. [1] On domestic trips, compensation is required by law only when a passenger is bumped from an oversold flight, which is explained in the US involuntary denied boarding guide. [1]
• International itineraries. Passengers may be able to recover reimbursement under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention for expenses resulting from a delayed or cancelled flight by filing a claim with the airline. [1] If the claim is denied, the passenger may pursue the matter in court if the carrier did not take all measures that could reasonably be required to avoid the damages caused by the delay. [1]

Frequently asked questions

How long can an airline keep you on the plane during a domestic tarmac delay?

Most U.S. airlines may not keep a domestic flight on the tarmac for more than three hours, unless the pilot determines there is a safety or security reason why the aircraft cannot taxi to the gate, or air traffic control says taxiing would significantly disrupt airport operations. [1]

Do airlines have to give you food and water during a tarmac delay?

Yes. On domestic and international flights, U.S. airlines must provide food and water no later than two hours after the tarmac delay begins, and lavatories must remain operable while the aircraft is on the tarmac. [1]

Is there a fixed time limit for international flights to and from the US?

The rule requires each U.S. airline operating international flights to or from most U.S. airports to establish and comply with its own limit on tarmac delays, rather than applying one shared figure. [1]

Can you claim compensation for being held on the tarmac?

For domestic itineraries, airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled. [1] On international itineraries, a claim for expenses may be possible under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention. [1]

How do you complain if a tarmac delay goes wrong?

Give the airline a chance to resolve the problem first, through its airport customer service representatives or its consumer office; airlines must acknowledge consumer complaints within 30 days and send a written response within 60 days. [5] Airlines flying to, from or within the United States must also state on their websites how and where complaints can be submitted. [5] If the reply does not settle matters, the next steps are set out in the flight complaint escalation guide. [5]

Related pages

Disruption planning: missed connection action plan and US flight cancellation and refund guide. Rights at the gate: US involuntary denied boarding guide. Complaints: flight complaint escalation guide. Terms: duty of care in flight disruption and the full frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers the tarmac delay requirements that the US Department of Transportation sets out for U.S. airlines; the delay policies of non-U.S. carriers are not covered here, and oversales and refunds are handled on the linked pages.

1. US Department of Transportation, Fly Rights: A Consumer Guide to Air Travel (Delayed and Cancelled Flights), checked 18 October 2026
2. US Department of Transportation, File a Consumer Complaint, checked 18 October 2026