
airlines will not offer refunds to your original payment method unless you're subject to special conditions like a schedule change (more on that soon) or if you book a refundable fare type. These vary from airline to airline, and in most cases, you'll receive a travel credit when you cancel your flight (less the applicable cancellation fee). Related: Guide to airline elite status challenges and matches Overview of cancellation feesĪs the name suggests, cancellation fees are typically charged when you need to cancel a nonrefundable flight completely. airlines won't let you cancel or change basic economy tickets unless there's a very special circumstance like a schedule change or travel waiver, so keep this in mind when booking a flight in basic economy. The benefit of same-day changes is that you do not have to pay a fare difference when moving to a more expensive flight. Many airlines offer same-day changes for a low fee, and these are often waived for certain tiers of elite status. This can change if you want to make a last-minute flight alteration, generally on the day of your departure.

These fees can vary depending on the airline, destination or even how far in advance you make the change. Generally speaking, you'll need to pay a flat fee in addition to the fare difference for moving to a new flight. Some airlines charge change fees when you adjust your itinerary. These tips can save you thousands of dollars depending on how many people are traveling on your itinerary, so they're worth keeping in mind as you go about your travels. We've rounded up everything you need to know about changing and canceling your flight, giving you a one-stop shop for avoiding change and cancellation fees once they're reinstated.

Others, thankfully, have generous change and cancellation policies.įor those less-than-generous airlines, there are some tricks to minimizing or avoiding these fees on paid flights altogether. However, when you need to change or cancel your own reservations, some airlines will charge you a fee to do so.

When an airline changes or cancels a flight because of weather, crew scheduling, maintenance or another reason, you, as the passenger, are rarely offered compensation.
