Know Your Rights

From the Thrillist -

AIRLINE FINE PRINT THAT'LL SAVE YOU MONEY WHEN YOU FLY
 By MATT MELTZER

Overbooking -- and forced bumping -- is totally legal. But you can get cash for it.

Airlines regularly overbook flights, and as we all learned from the unpleasantness back in April, even if you don’t want a free upgrade on a later flight, airlines have the right to deny you entry to your flight. (What they cannot legally do is take you off that flight once you’re seated, unless you act up. United Airlines erred so terribly in removing David Dao from his flight, it was clear the airline’s employees didn’t know their own fine print.)

The good news is the US Department of Transportation requires airlines to compensate you, based on how much later you get to your destination. If you’re placed on a flight that gets you to your destination within an hour of your original reservation, you don’t get squat. If the flight arrives between one and two hours of your original schedule, you’re entitled to 200% of your one-way fare, up to $675. For flights arriving more than two hours later, you are entitled to 400% of your one-way fare, up to $1,350.

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/how-to-save-money-on-flights-fine-print