Published
April 6, 2025
Updated
July 3, 2026
Anyone who bought a U.S. domestic airline ticket between July 2011 and June 2018 can register now to be notified when the $60 million claim window opens.
What Is This Settlement About?
If you purchased domestic airline tickets between July 2011 and June 2018, four major U.S. airlines — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines — have been accused of colluding to artificially increase airfare prices by limiting flight capacity despite dropping fuel costs and stable demand. The lawsuit alleges this conspiracy violated federal antitrust laws, specifically the Sherman Act, and resulted in consumers paying inflated prices for domestic air travel.Two airlines have already settled while denying any wrongdoing: Southwest agreed to pay $15 million and American Airlines agreed to pay $45 million, for a combined $60 million settlement fund. As of mid-2026, the class action is continuing against the two remaining defendants, Delta and United, after the court denied their motions for summary judgment. Claims are not open yet — the most useful step right now is registering for updates on the official settlement website.
Status
Litigation Ongoing
Delta & United remain defendants
Claim Form
Not Open Yet
Register for updates on the official site
Settlement Fund
$60M So Far
American $45M + Southwest $15M · held in escrow
Class Period
Jul 2011 – Jun 2018
U.S. domestic flights, incl. US Airways & Continental
Settlement Funds from Other Airlines
The settlement funds from the earlier settlements with American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are being held in escrow (a special account). These settlement funds won't be distributed to class members until the class action against United and Delta is fully resolved, either through a settlement, a dismissal, or a final judgment at trial.The lawsuit alleges that several large domestic airlines — American, United, Delta, and Southwest, along with US Airways and Continental Airlines — worked together to fix the cost of tickets. According to the complaint, the airlines allegedly agreed to increase fares by intentionally limiting capacity on domestic flights, resulting in artificially inflated prices for their collective customers. The case is still being litigated against the airlines that have not yet contributed to the settlement funds.
Is the Domestic Airlines Settlement Delayed?
At this time, the funds received in the American Airlines and Southwest Airlines settlements, less the court-approved notice costs, remain in escrow. This is until the other two airlines, United and Delta, either settle, are dismissed, or receive a favorable judgment in which they will not have to contribute to the settlement fund on top of the already agreed-upon $60 million from Southwest and American. The court denied Delta's and United's motions for summary judgment, and the litigation against them is continuing.Who Is Excluded from the Airline Settlement?
The court has approved guidance from the class lawyers on who is excluded from the American Airlines and Southwest Airlines settlement classes. The exclusions don't just apply to the judges overseeing the case, but also to court staff, law clerks, and other court personnel involved in the litigation, because they are considered "agents" of the judges.How Do I Qualify?
The domestic airline settlement classes include any people or entities/businesses that meet the following requirements:• Purchased air passenger transportation services for flights,
• Within the United States and its territories and the District of Columbia,
• From the defendants or any predecessor, including US Airways and Continental,
• At any time between July 1, 2011 and June 14, 2018
How Much Can I Get Paid?
The exact amount each eligible settlement class member will receive remains undetermined at this time. Given the potentially large number of class members, individual payouts may be modest. The settlement administrators have indicated that it might not be economically practical to make direct cash distributions until additional settlements or judgments are achieved in the ongoing litigation against Delta and United. The amount ultimately received by each settlement class member may increase at the close of litigation against these remaining defendants.What Are the Important Dates?
Key dates related to this settlement include:• Class period: July 1, 2011 to June 14, 2018 (for the American Airlines settlement)
• Class period for the Southwest settlement: July 1, 2011 to December 20, 2017
• Southwest agreed to settle for $15 million in January 2018
• American Airlines reached a $45 million settlement in June 2018
• As of mid-2026, the class action against Delta and United is continuing after the court denied their motions for summary judgment
How Do I File a Claim?
A notice about the claims process, including the beginning and end of the claim period, will be made at a later date as ordered by the court. If you want to receive a notice about the claims process or future settlements, submit your contact information on the official Registration Form.While two airlines have settled for a combined $60 million, litigation continues against Delta and United. No payments will be distributed until all cases are resolved, either through settlement or trial. If you believe you may be eligible for compensation, the most important step right now is to register on the official settlement website so you receive updates when the claims process begins.
Sources
• DomesticAirClass.com — Official Settlement Website• WESH 2 News Orlando Florida
• 13ABC WTVG
• Travel Pulse
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Settlement Amount
$60,000,000 to date
Case Title
In re Domestic Airline Travel Antitrust Litigation
Case Number
1:15-mc-01404 (MDL No. 2656)
Court
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
American Airlines Settlement
$45,000,000
Southwest Settlement
$15,000,000
Remaining Defendants
Delta Air Lines & United Airlines
Official Website
Domestic Air Class.com
