Airline Change and Cancellation Fees for Cash Tickets and How To Avoid Them!

Key Takeaways

• Airlines often charge fees for changing or canceling tickets, with the amount varying depending on the fare class, airline, and whether the flight is domestic or international.
• Flexible or refundable tickets typically come at a higher price but allow for no-cost changes.
• You can cancel or change a ticket for free within 24 hours of purchase, provided the flight is more than 7 days away.

Changing or canceling flights is probably not your idea of a good time. Who wants to cancel a flight, especially if it’s supposed to take you on a vacation? But when plans change, knowing your options for updating flight plans is key.

We’ve outlined vital information about changing or canceling flights with some of the most popular airlines for cash tickets so you can be prepared if you need to adjust your flight.

Airline Change and Cancellation Fees (Cash Tickets)

Most airlines require you to pay to change or cancel flights, even when you have paid for your ticket. Each airline has unique rules, so it’s easy to get confused about what you pay.

What Are Change and Cancellation Fees?

Most airline tickets are nonrefundable, especially if you’re on a basic fare. Refundable tickets are much more common for business fares, but you pay a premium for those tickets.

If you have to change a flight because of an unforeseen event, you’re in luck, as many airlines have adjusted their change policies because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, a cancellation charge likely applies if you cancel a trip. These fees vary by airline, so we’ll discuss the specifics below.

Quick Tips To Avoid Cancellation or Change Fees

1. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to allow customers to cancel or change a ticket at no cost within 24 hours of purchase if the ticket is purchased at least 7 days before departure.
2. Under some circumstances, you can get change and cancellation fees waived. For example, if you experience the death of an immediate family member or your travel companion or have jury duty, you might qualify for a fee waiver.
3. Use schedule changes to your advantage. Make sure you know the airline’s schedule change policy. If your departure or arrival time changes, you might be eligible for a free change or cancellation. If you have a chance of a schedule change, you should consider waiting until the deadline to cancel so you can cite the schedule change.
4. Know which airlines will allow you to fly standby on the day of your flight so you don’t have to pay to change flights.
5. Sometimes it’s better to dump your reservation and book a new flight rather than pay the fee to change the original ticket.

Bottom Line:

There are many pitfalls when trying to change or cancel a flight. Make sure you know your options before booking!

Which Credit Cards Have Trip Cancellation Insurance?

Cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, and Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card have trip cancellation insurance that can help recoup the cost of airfare if you need to cancel your flight for a covered reason.

Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees by Airline

The following are change and cancellation fees and policies by airline. These can be subject to change, and agents can waive some fees in certain situations, so always be nice to your customer service agent.

Hot Tip:

See our guides to award flight cancellation and change fees and baggage fees.

Aeromexico

Low Season Change Fee:

High Season Change Fee:

Name Change Fee:

• USA/Canada/Central America and the Caribbean:
  • Basic: Not allowed
  • Classic/AM Plus/Premier/Premier One (USA Only): $110
• National:
  • Basic: Not allowed
  • Classic/AM Plus/Premier/Premier Light: MX$1200

Cancellation Fee:

• USA/Canada/Central America and the Caribbean:
  • Basic/Classic/AM Plus/Premier/Premier One (USA Only): Nonrefundable
  • Flexible Classic/Flexible AM Plus/Flexible Premier/Flexible Premier One (USA Only): Fully refundable

• National:
  • Basic/Classic/AM Plus/Premier/Premier Light: Nonrefundable
  • Flexible Classic/Flexible AM Plus/Flexible Premier/Flexible Premier Lights: Fully refundable

Exclusions/Waivers:

• Changes must be made within 3 hours of the flight’s departure. 
• For flights from the U.S. to Mexico, the first change is allowed free of cost for modification of flight, date, time, and destination (except Basic fare).

Note: Review additional cancellation/change charts for Asia, Europe, and South America regions here.

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Air Canada

Anytime Change:

Same-Day Airport Change:

Cancellation Fee:

Refer here for changes and cancellation fees for flights within Canada and some destinations.

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Air New Zealand

Change Fee:

• Global Sale Fares: NZ$50 for each one-way journey
• Global Saver Fares:
  • Economy and Premium Economy: NZ$50 for each one-way journey
  • Business Premier: NZ$100 for each one-way journey per person
• Global Flexi Fares: No fee

Cancellation Fee: 

• Global Sale fares: Nonrefundable
• Global Saver Fares: Refundable (if canceled 1 day or more before departure)
  • Economy: NZ$150 cancellation fee for each one-way journey
  • Premium Economy: NZ$200 cancellation fee for each one-way journey
  • Business Premier: Z$250 cancellation fee for each one-way journey
  • F class (grabaseat) fares are nonrefundable
• Global Flexi Fares: Fully refundable, provided you cancel before departure

Exclusions/Waivers:

• You can cancel within 24 hours after your purchase and receive a full refund with no fees, provided the reservation is made 1 week or more before the scheduled departure.
• If you’re not making the change online, a service fee of NZ$60 per change per seat applies for changes made by phone from within New Zealand. Otherwise, the service fee depends on the country you’re calling from.
• The original cancellation fees apply if you buy a Global Sale or Global Saver fare and later upgrade it to a Global Flexi fare.

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Alaska Airlines

• Change or Cancellation Fee:
  • All fares, excluding Saver tickets: Free; fare difference may apply
  • Saver tickets: Changes are not permitted. For flights booked on or after July 19, 2023, a credit for 50% of the ticket value can be issued for flights canceled at least 14 days before the departure of the first flight on the ticket.
• Same-Day Change Fee: $50 ($25 for travel within California and on shuttle flights between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Spokane and Seattle, and Portland and Seattle)
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • The same-day change fee is waived for passengers booked in first class (J) or coach (Y), MVP Gold Mileage Plan or 75K members, and American AAdvantage ConciergeKey, Executive Platinum, and Platinum Pro members (and companions on the same reservation).
  • Guests traveling on a vacation package booking are not eligible for same-day confirmed changes. If this change is necessary, the passenger must call 800-445-4435.

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Allegiant Airlines

• Change Fee: $25 per person, per segment, plus any applicable airfare increase. Changes must be made at least 7 days before departure.
• Cancellation Fee: $25 (must be made at least 7 days before departure)

Hot Tip:

If you purchase Allegiant’s TripFlex at the time of your booking, change fees and cancellation fees are waived for amendments made up to 1 hour before departure.

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American Airlines

• Change Fee: Fee varies depending on the fare
  • Main Cabin
    • Flights originating in North or South America: FreeOutside of North or South America: Up to $400
    Premium Economy
    • Flights originating in North or South America: FreeOutside of North or South America: Up to $400
    Business
    • Flights originating in North or South America: FreeOutside of North or South America: Up to $400
    First
    • Flights originating in North or South America: FreeOutside of North or South America: Up to $400
  • Main Cabin
    • Flights originating in North or South America: Free
    • Outside of North or South America: Up to $400
  • Premium Economy
    • Flights originating in North or South America: Free
    • Outside of North or South America: Up to $400
  • Business
    • Flights originating in North or South America: Free
    • Outside of North or South America: Up to $400
  • First
    • Flights originating in North or South America: Free
    • Outside of North or South America: Up to $400
• Same-Day Change Fee: Starting at $50 (main cabin); free (business/first class)
  • Same-day standby is complimentary for Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum members.
  • Same-day flight change is complimentary for Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members.
• Cancellation Fee: If you cancel a nonrefundable ticket, American will not give you a refund except under certain circumstances, including canceling within 24 hours of purchase, a schedule change of 4 or more hours (or a change of 90 minutes or more within 72 hours of departure), military orders, or the death of the passenger or traveling companion.

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All Nippon Airways (ANA)

• Change/Cancellation Fee: Fees vary based on the fare and may be up to $500. Check your ticket’s terms and conditions.

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Asiana Airlines

• Change Fee: Check your terms and conditions at the time of booking.
• Cancellation Fee: Check your terms and conditions at the time of booking.
• Exclusions/Waivers: 
  • There are no standard change and cancellation fees. Fees will depend on the fare type and the journey taken. Refunds for Preferred Seating, Economy Smartium, and Royal Business tickets can be refunded up to 48 hours before the scheduled flight departure.

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Avianca Airlines (TACA)

• Change Fees:
  • Basic, Light, Classic, XS, S and M fares
    
    
    • Within Colombia: COP 120,000 ($30) plus fare differenceWithin Ecuador: $30 plus fare differenceInternational flights within South America: $185 plus fare differenceOther international flights in America and flights to Europe: $210/CA$ 210 plus fare differenceFlights from the United Kingdom: £150 plus fare differenceFlights from Europe: €180 plus fare difference
    • Within Colombia: COP 120,000 ($30) plus fare difference
    • Within Ecuador: $30 plus fare difference
    • International flights within South America: $185 plus fare difference
    • Other international flights in America and flights to Europe: $210/CA$ 210 plus fare difference
    • Flights from the United Kingdom: £150 plus fare difference
    • Flights from Europe: €180 plus fare difference
  • L and XXL fares: Free; fare difference may apply
• Cancellation Fees:
  • Basic, Light, Classic, XS, S, and M fares: Nonrefundable
  • Flex, Business, L, and XXL fares: Refundable

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British Airways

British Airways publishes general ranges of change and cancellation fees, but these are intended as a guide only. The British Airways website or staff will inform passengers of specific charges when changing or canceling a ticket.

• Change Fee: Free (online); $25 (phone); $0 to $35 (at an airport ticket office)
• Cancellation Fee: Some fares are nonrefundable. Check your fare details. Administrative fees apply: $10 (online); $25 (phone); $35 (at an airport ticket office).

Hot Tip:

If you need to cancel or change a British Airways flight, do it online. Administrative fees for changes online are free, but cancellations are $10. Remember that there may also be other charges depending on your fare type. 

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Cathay Pacific

The airline does not disclose change and cancellation fees. Check your ticket information or contact the airline for details.

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China Southern Airlines

The airline does not disclose change and cancellation policies. Check your ticket information or contact the airline for details.

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Delta Air Lines

Change and Cancellation Fees:

_{* For tickets issued on or after March 21, 2024}

_{** For tickets issued on or after March 21, 2024}

Same-Day Change Fee: $75. Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion members are not charged for same-day changes

Exclusions/Waivers:

• No change or cancellation fee for travel originating from Asia, Oceania (Australia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Guam, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand), or Israel

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easyJet

• Change Fee: 
  • More than 60 days before the flight:
    • Online: £25 ($33)Customer service team: £30 ($39)
  • Less than 60 days before the flight:
    • Online: £49 ($64)
    • Customer service team: £54 ($71)
• Cancellation Fee:
  • Within 24 hours of booking:
    • Online: £49 ($65)
    • Customer service team: £55 ($72)
  • After 24 hours of booking: Nonrefundable

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El Al

• Change Fee: May vary based on ticket
  • Passengers will also be charged a $50 admin fee per passenger or $15 per baby for making a change via the Customer Service Center.
• Cancellation Fee: May vary based on ticket
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • Passengers holding a ticket for flights departing from August 1, 2024, through September 7, 2024, issued until August 4, 2024, may cancel their flight in exchange for a full-value voucher for future use on El Al flights.

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Emirates

• Change/Cancellation Fee: Fees depend on fare type and route. Crowdsourced web comments have quoted prices from $50 to over $1,000.

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Etihad Airways

• Change/Cancellation Fee: Fees depend on fare type and route. Crowdsourced web comments have quoted prices anywhere from $75 to over $200.
• Exclusions/Waivers: 
  • If changing or cancelling a flight using a customer service agent, a nonrefundable fee of $30 will be added on top of the change or cancel fees.
  • Changes or cancellations made within 96 hours of flight departure incur an additional 10% fee.

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EVA Air

• Change/Cancellation Fee: Fees depend on fare type and route. Check your ticket for rules.
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • Free changes and refunds are only permitted when a flight is canceled or rescheduled.

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Frontier Airlines

• Change Fee:
  • Basic Fare/Standard:
    • 60+ days before departure: $0
    • 59 to 7 days before departure: $49
    • 6 days or less before departure (including same day): $99
  • Economy, Premium, or Business Bundles: No change fee
• Cancellation Fee:
  • Basic Fare/Standard:
    • 60+ days before departure: $99
    • 59 to 7 days before departure: $99
    • 6 days or less before departure (including the same day): $99
  • Economy, Premium, or Business Bundles: No cancel fee

Exclusions/Waivers: Change and cancellation fees are waived for elite status members.

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Garuda Indonesia

The airline does not disclose change and cancellation policies. Check your ticket information or contact the airline for details.

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Hainan Airlines

The airline does not disclose change and cancellation policies. Check your ticket information or contact the airline for details.

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Hawaiian Airlines

• Change Fee: Free (for fares excluding Main Cabin Basic)
• Restricted Refundable Fare Change Fee (No Refunds Are Permitted):
  • Neighbor Island: $25
  • North America: $100
  • International: $100

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Iberia Airlines

Iberia Airlines does not publish change and cancellation fees. Change and cancel fees are fare and route-dependent; passengers can check their tickets or contact the airline for fee details. There’s a service charge of $25 for booking changes/cancellations made at the office/phone for U.S. purchases.

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Japan Airlines

Date Change Fee: $100 to $400 or CA$100 to CA$400, based on the fare rules per transaction for travel from North/Central/South America to Japan/Asia. Some fares are nonrefundable; please refer to your fare conditions for details.

Cancellation Fee: $200 to $500 or CA$200 to CA$500, based on the fare rules per transaction for travel from North/Central/South America to Japan/Asia. Some fares are nonrefundable; please refer to your fare conditions for details.

A $50 or CA$50 administrative fee may also apply to changes and cancellations (fees depend on the booking country).

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JetBlue Airways

• Change Fee:
  • Blue Basic: Not allowed (booked or exchanged on or after Mar 18, 2024)
  • Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, and Mint: No fee (fare difference applies)
• Cancellation Fee:
  • Blue Basic
    • Routes in North America, the Caribbean, and Central America: $100
    • All other routes: $200
  • Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, Mint: No fee
• Same-Day Switches/Standby Fee:
  • Blue Basic: Not allowed (booked on or after March 18, 2024)
  • Blue, Blue Plus, Mint: $75
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • Same-day change fee is waived for Mosaic members (all fares including Blue Basic), and Blue Extra fares
  • Administrative Fee: $25 for changing or canceling with a JetBlue customer support agent. No administrative fee applies online.

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Korean Air

Change Fee: Fare-dependent; refer to your fare rules

International Fares:

Domestic Fares:

Cancellation Fee:

• International Flights:
  • A $30 service charge is applicable on top of the refund penalty
  • Refund Penalty 91+ days: Free
  • Refund Penalty 61 to 90 days: ₩30,000 ($23)
  • Refund Penalty 15 to 60 days: ₩50,000 to ₩300,000 ($38 to $226)
  • Refund Penalty 4 to 14 days: ₩60,000 to ₩360,000 ($45 to $272)
  • Refund Penalty within 3 days: ₩80,000 to ₩450,000 ($60 to $340)
  • Partial Refund/Reissue: ₩50,000 to ₩300,000 ($38 to $226)
• Domestic Flights:
  • Prestige (C): ₩3,000 ($2)
  • Regular Fare (Y): ₩3,000 ($2)
  • Discount Fare (B, M, S, H, E): ₩5,000 ($4)
  • Special Fare (K, L, U, W, V, Q, T): ₩7,000 ($5)

• Exclusions/Waivers: 
  • Fees depend on the specific fare type, so check your fare’s terms and conditions.
  • Refunds processed 91 or more days from departure and originating in South Korea are exempt from refund fees.

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Norwegian Air

• Change Fee:
  • LowFare and LowFare+: $75 plus fare difference.
  • Flex: Free
  • Changes made by phone or at the airport cost $30 per person each way. Changes can be made up to 30 minutes before departure.
• Cancellation Fee:
  • LowFare and LowFare+: Not permitted
  • Flex: Free

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Qantas

Change/Cancellation Fee:

Flights From the U.S. to Asia, Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu:

Flights from the U.S. to Fiji:

Flights from the U.S. to French Polynesia:

For other routes, refer to Qantas fare rules.

Passengers changing international flight bookings will be charged a service fee of $40, but this is waived for business and first class passengers.

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Qatar Airways

• Cancellation Fees: Fees depend on the fare type and the cabin class and are displayed online during the booking process.
• Change Fees: Fees depend on the fare type and the cabin class and are displayed online during the booking process.
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • Tickets canceled or amended through the call center, at an airport ticket desk, or a Qatar Airways ticket office are subject to a nonrefundable service fee of $25.

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Ryanair

• Flight Change Fee: 
  • Online: €45/£45
  • Phone or at the Airport: €60/£60
• Name Change Fee: 
  • Online: €115/£115
  • Phone: €160/£160
• Cancellation Fee: Nonrefundable
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • Fees are waived if made within 24 hours of the booking.

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Singapore Airlines

• Change Fee:
  • A $50 service charge may apply in addition to a change fee per your purchased fare; check your fare’s terms and conditions.
• Cancellation Fee:
  • Cancellations may only be made on refundable fares; if you cancel a nonrefundable fare, only taxes will be refunded.
  • In some cases, a cancellation fee may apply.

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Southwest Airlines

• Change/Cancellation Fee: Free
• Same-Day Change Fee: Only permitted on Wanna Get Away+, Anytime, or Business Select tickets
• Exclusions/Waivers: Nonrefundable fares can be canceled and exchanged for future credit without incurring fees.

Bottom Line:

Southwest Airlines makes changing and canceling flights easier than practically any other airline. When you cancel a flight, you receive a credit to your account.

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Spirit Airlines

• Change/Cancellation Fees: No change or cancel fees, though a fare difference may apply.
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • Online changes or cancellations must be made up to an hour before the flight departure.

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Thai Airways

• Change/Cancellation Fees: Fare-dependent. Check your fare details when booking.
• Exclusions/Waivers: 
  • After travel commences, no refund will be issued.

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Turkish Airlines

International Branded Fares

International Non-Branded Fares

• Change Fees:
  • Economy Promotion/Semi-Flexible Fare: Route-dependent
  • Economy Flexible Fare: Free
  • Business Promotions Fare: Route-dependent
  • Business Semi-Flexible Fare: Route-dependent
  • Business Flexible Fare: Route-dependent
• Cancellation Fees:
  • Economy Promotion Fare: Nonrefundable
  • Economy Semi-Flexible Fare: Permitted before the flight, subject to defined deductions. After the flight, the refunded amount is the cost of the flight taken deducted from the total cost.
  • Economy Flexible Fare: Permitted before the flight, subject to defined deductions. After the flight, the refunded amount is the cost of the flight taken deducted from the total cost.
  • Business Promotions: Nonrefundable
  • Business Semi-Flexible/Flexible Fare: Permitted before the flight, subject to defined deductions. After the flight, the refunded amount is the cost of the flight taken deducted from the total cost.

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United Airlines

• Change Fee:
  • Economy, Economy Plus, and Premium Cabins: Free changes for flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, between the U.S. and Mexico or the Caribbean, and for international flights originating in the U.S.
  • Basic Economy: Route-dependent
• Same-Day Change Fee: Up to $75 per passenger
  • Waived for Silver, Gold, Platinum, and 1K members
• Cancellation Fee: If you cancel a nonrefundable ticket, you may return to the reservation up to a year after the issue date. Change fees may apply.
• Exclusions/Waivers:
  • If your departure or arrival time is altered by more than 30 minutes because of a schedule change, you may change your flight at no extra cost or request a refund. Your new flight must depart from the same airport within 24 hours of the originally scheduled departure.

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Virgin Atlantic

• Change Fee: Fare-dependent, check your fare rules
• Cancellation Fee: Fare-dependent

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WestJet

Change Fee:

Name Change Fee:

Same-Day Change Fee:

Cancellation Fee:

South Korea Cancellation Fee:

Exclusions/Waivers:

• For UltraBasic fares, no changes and cancellations are permitted after 24 hours of booking.
• Flexible fares (EconoFlex, PremiumFlex, and Business Flex) holders can change their flights for no fee; any fare difference applies (excluding flights originating in South Korea).
• EconoFlex fare holders can cancel their flights without a fee and receive a refund credit in their Travel Bank account, excluding flights originating in South Korea purchased on or after April 1, 2024.
• EconoFlex: Flights originating in South Korea, purchased on or after April 1, 2024, are refundable for a fee. Refunds are returned to the original form of payment.
• PremiumFlex and BusinessFlex fare holders can cancel their flights for free and receive a refund in their original payment method.
• Change and cancellation fees are charged per direction, per person, except for changes and cancellations on flights to and from Europe, where they are charged per transaction, per person. 
• Changes or cancellations must be made at least 2 hours before departure.
• Reserved flights departing within 24 hours will have cancellation fees. 

Change and Cancellation Policy by Online Travel Agency (OTA)

If you’re booking through an online travel agent, know their change and cancellation policies.

Orbitz

If you book a nonrefundable ticket through Orbitz, you have 24 hours to cancel it without a fee. However, you won’t receive a refund of the Orbitz service fee (if you were charged one).

Airline change and cancellation fees will apply once you have passed the 24-hour cancellation window. Additionally, you will be responsible for a $30 fee paid to Orbitz.

As you will see above, many airlines waive change and cancellation fees that would also apply to your flights booked through Orbitz.

You must contact the airline to change or cancel a booking with a low-cost carrier.

Priceline

You have 24 hours to cancel bookings without a fee, but Express Deals are not changeable or refundable.

Beyond 24 hours, all applicable airline change and cancellation fees apply, plus Priceline charges a service fee, which depends on the flight booked.

Bottom Line:

When booking with online travel agents such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Priceline, remember that if you need to change, the airline charges a service fee in addition to the change or cancellation fee.

Final Thoughts

You can see how vastly different these carrier change and cancellation policies can be. Some are easy, like Southwest Airlines, while others (such as Spirit Airlines) are much stricter.

Hopefully, once you have booked a nonrefundable ticket, you won’t need to make any changes. Your life will be much easier that way!

If you need to make a change, you now have all the information you need to prepare.

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