How To Cancel a Delta Air Lines Flight [Points or Cash Ticket Purchases]

Sometimes, plans change and you’re forced to cancel a flight that you’ve been looking forward to for months. If you’ve ever been in a position where you needed to cancel a flight, you know the process can be both expensive and complicated.

If you’ve happened to book your flight with Delta Air Lines and need to cancel, you’re in the right place! Here’s all the information you need to navigate its 2023 cancellation policy and determine what policies apply to your situation.

Delta’s Cancellation Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points

All customers have 24 hours from the time of the original booking to cancel a reservation without being charged a cancellation fee, regardless of the fare selected.

Basic Economy Tickets

If you’ve purchased a basic economy ticket, you have 24 hours from the time the ticket purchased was placed to cancel. Afterward, you can cancel a Basic Economy ticket for a cancellation fee of $99 – $199 for flights originating within North, South & Central America & the Caribbean. Basic Economy tickets for flights originating in Mexico cannot be canceled.

For flights originating in Europe and the U.K., the cancellation charge for Basic Economy tickets is €200, and £200 for tickets issued on or after February 23, 2023 (€150/£200  for tickets issued prior to that date).

For flights originating in Africa, the Middle East, and India, the cancellation charge is $200 for tickets issued on or after February 23, 2023 ($180 for tickets issued prior to that date).

Any remaining value after the deduction will be issued as an eCredit for future travel use.

Nonrefundable Ticket With Travel Originating From North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean

Cancellation fees are not applicable for travel originating from the U.S., Canada, or the Caribbean to anywhere in the world. Flights operated by joint venture and codeshare partners are included.

For flights originating in Mexico or South America, the cancellation fee is $200 for Main Cabin and above tickets.

For flights originating in Central America with a destination to the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, the cancellation charge is $99 for Main Cabin tickets or above. For other international destinations, the cancellation fee is $200.

After canceling your ticket, the value of your fare will be refunded to you as an eCredit that you can redeem on a future flight with Delta within 1 year from the original issue date; any fare difference may apply.

Nonrefundable Ticket With Travel Originating Outside of North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean

After your 24-hour grace period, the cancellation fee for a non-refundable ticket can range from $0 to $400, depending on the location you’re traveling to.

For flights originating in Europe, the U.K., Africa, the Middle East, or India, there is no cancellation fee for Main Cabin and above tickets.

After canceling your ticket, the remaining value of your fare (minus the cancellation fee) will be refunded to you as an eCredit that you can redeem on a future flight with Delta within 1 year from the original issue date; any fare difference may apply.

Refundable Ticket

If you shelled out the extra cash to purchase a refundable ticket, cancellations can be made anytime before the departure of your flight and the refund will be issued to your original payment method.

Award Ticket

Delta SkyMiles award tickets for travel within the U.S. can be canceled without fee any time prior to departure. Basic Economy award tickets attract a cancellation charge of 9,900 miles for domestic flights (within the U.S. and Canada) and 19,900 for international flights.

For award tickets that originate outside of the U.S., cancellations must be made at least 72 hours in advance of the departure or return of the flight. Award ticket cancellation fees are a flat fee of $150 regardless of fare class or destination, but the fee is waived if you’re a SkyMiles Platinum or Diamond Medallion member.

After canceling your ticket and paying the $150 cancellation fee, all of the miles that you used to book the flight will be deposited back into your account.

Hot Tip: Looking for even more information about canceling award tickets? Explore our guide on canceling award tickets, including information on over 30 carriers, to learn more.

Delta’s Flight Change Policy

As with cancellations, all customers will have 24 hours from the time of their original booking to change their reservation without being charged a fee, regardless of the fare selected.

*Only available for travel within the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Not available for international flights.

Basic Economy

If you’ve purchased a basic economy ticket, you are not permitted to make any changes to your flight itinerary after the 24-hour grace period has passed.

Nonrefundable Tickets With Travel Originating From North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean

Delta no longer charges change fees for domestic and international flights originating from the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean(excluding Basic Economy).

For flights originating in Mexico and South America, the change fee is $200 for Main Cabin and above tickets.

For flights originating in Central America with a destination to the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, the change charge is $99 for Main Cabin and above tickets. For other international destinations, the change fee is $200.

Same-day flight change fees are $75. The same-day change fee is waived for all Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallions members. Same-day changes are only eligible on flights in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

If you’re changing your flight because you’ve found a cheaper option, the remaining value of your fare (minus the change fee) will be refunded to you as an eCredit that you can redeem on a future flight with Delta.

Nonrefundable Ticket With Travel Originating Outside of North, South and Central America, and the Caribbean

For international flights originating outside of North, South and Central America, or the Caribbean, a change fee of $0 to $400 applies.

For flights originating in Europe, the U.K., Africa, India or the Middle East, the change fee is $0.

Refundable Ticket

With a refundable ticket, changes can be made anytime until 24 hours before the departure of your flight, and there is no fee to do so — all you will need to pay is the difference in price. If you’re changing to a cheaper flight, the difference in fare will be refunded to your original method of payment.

Award Ticket

Delta does not charge change fees for award tickets.

How To Cancel a Flight on Delta

Step 1: Log into your account on Delta’s homepage and select My Trips.

Step 2: Once you’ve selected the trip you want to change or cancel, select Modify Flight.

Step 3: Choose to either change or cancel your flight.

Step 4: If you’re changing your ticket, you can now go through the process of selecting a new flight. If you’re canceling your ticket, the next page will list the flight itinerary you want to cancel. To finalize, you just need to press cancel or request refund, depending on your type of ticket.

How To Use Delta Travel eCredit

If you have eCredits in your account, they can be viewed by logging in at delta.com with your SkyMiles number. Go to My Delta and open the Certificates and eCredits module within My Wallet.

When you’re ready to redeem your eCredits, simply book a flight as you normally would, as the option to redeem your eCredits will be presented when you’re ready to finalize the transaction. The maximum number of eCredits allowed with the purchase is 3 per ticket. Keep in mind that each eCredit must be used within 1 year of the date you received it.

Hot Tip: Have more than 3 eCredits that you want to use for your round-trip ticket? Split that round-trip ticket into 2 one-way trips and you can use 3 eCredits on the first ticket and another 3 on your return trip!

Final Thoughts

In summary, if you’re worried that you may need to cancel your flight and want to make sure you can get a refund, flexible or refundable fares are going to be your best, albeit more expensive, option.

Having to deal with canceling a flight can be difficult enough as it is, but knowledge is power. Be certain to review fare rules closely so that you know what your options are both at the time of booking and if you end up needing to cancel.