Unexpected flight changes can be particularly bothersome when they get in between you and your dream Hawaii vacation. And for Hawaiian Airlines flyers, payment for flight delays isn't guaranteed.

Here, we’ll dive into Hawaiian Airlines’ delayed flight compensation policies so you’ll know what to do if your flight across the Pacific gets held up.

How flight delay compensation works

There is no requirement that U.S. airlines provide compensation to passengers for a delayed flight. This is different for travelers flying in Europe, where delayed passengers can receive compensation of up to 600 euros.

Because there is no official requirement in the U.S., it’s up to individual airlines to set their own flight delay compensation policies.

Hawaiian Airlines flight delay compensation for domestic flights

Hawaiian has committed to providing the following to passengers whose flights have been “controllably” delayed:

Rebooking passengers on Hawaiian Airlines at no additional cost for significant delays.

Providing a meal or meal cash/voucher when a flight delay results in passengers waiting three hours or more.

Providing complimentary hotel accommodations for any passengers affected by an overnight delay.

Providing complimentary ground transportation to and from the hotel for any passengers affected by an overnight delay.

Importantly, the above commitments apply only to “controllable delays” on Hawaiian Airlines, and a “controllable delay” isn’t defined.

Generally speaking, if the delay is caused by something outside of Hawaiian Airlines’ control — like bad weather or issues with airport traffic control — it likely will not be considered a “controllable delay,” meaning you might not receive any of the above compensation for your flight delay.