What happens if I cancel my Delta flight?

What happens when you cancel your Delta flight depends on the fare type you purchased and whether or not you purchased a refundable ticket. If you’ve purchased a basic economy ticket, you can cancel it for a $99 to $199 fee after the 24-hour grace period from when your ticket was purchased. If you have a nonrefundable ticket, domestic flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands can be canceled for free (excluding Basic Economy tickets). Travel from North, South, and Central America or the Caribbean can be canceled for $0 to $200. Fees for flights originating from outside of North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean range from $0 to $400 (depending on the flight length, location, and fare type). Afterward, you will receive the remainder of your fare, minus the fee, as an eCredit for use on a future Delta flight. If you have a refundable ticket, you can cancel anytime before your flight’s departure, and you will be reimbursed using your original method of payment.

Can I cancel a Delta flight within 24 hours of booking?

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

What happens if you cancel a nonrefundable flight?

Nonrefundable tickets for travel within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands can be canceled for free. To cancel nonrefundable tickets for flights originating within North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean, the cancellation fee is $0 to $200. To cancel a nonrefundable ticket for flights originating from outside of North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean, you must pay between $0 and $400, depending on the flight length, location, and fare type. The remaining fare will be given to you as an eCredit for future use on a Delta flight.

When do Delta eCredits expire?

Your eCredits will expire exactly 1 year after their issue date.

Will Delta waive my cancellation fees?

It depends on your reason for canceling the flight. If it’s because of an immediate family member’s death or illness, Delta may waive your cancellation fees, but they may ask for proof. If you believe you have a legitimate reason to have your cancellation fees waived, then it never hurts to call and ask!

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

Senior Content Contributor

Updated: September 5, 2024, 1:47pm CDT

Edited by:

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Key Takeaways
Delta’s Cancellation Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points
Delta’s Flight Change Policy
How To Cancel a Flight on Delta
How To Use Delta eCredits
Final Thoughts

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Key Takeaways

Delta allows cancellations within 24 hours of booking for a full refund, with varying cancellation fees for non-refundable and refundable tickets depending on fare class.
Delta SkyMiles award tickets for U.S. travel can be canceled without a fee, except for Basic Economy award tickets, which have a 9,900-mile cancellation fee.
For non-U.S. flights, award tickets must be canceled within 72 hours, and the fee is $150.

Sometimes, plans change, forcing you to cancel a flight 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 expensive and complicated.

If you’ve booked 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 Delta’s 2024 cancellation policy and determine what policies apply to your situation.

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

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Time Period	Basic Economy Ticket	Nonrefundable Ticket	Refundable Ticket
During 24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Period	No charge	No charge	No charge
After 24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Period	Remaining value minus $99 to $199 cancellation fee	Remaining value minus $0 to $400 cancellation fee	Refundable
Within 24 Hours of Flight Departure	Remaining value minus $99 to $199 cancellation fee	Remaining value minus $0 to $400 cancellation fee	Refundable

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

Basic Economy Tickets

If you’ve purchased a basic economy ticket, you have 24 hours from the ticket purchase to cancel. After that, you can cancel a Basic Economy ticket for a cancellation fee of $99 to $199 for flights originating within North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean.

Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after March 21, 2024, for flights originating in Mexico cannot be canceled when the destination is Israel, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, or South Africa. There’s a $199 cancellation fee for tickets purchased on or after March 21, 2024, from Mexico to Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, India, or Africa.

No changes or cancellations are permitted for Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after March 21, 2024, for flights originating in Europe and the U.K. There’s a €200 (~$222) charge for tickets purchased before March 21, 2024, and a €150 (~$167) charge for tickets issued on or after February 23, 2023.

You can’t cancel or change Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after March 21, 2024, for flights originating in Africa, the Middle East, and India. The cancellation charge is $200 for tickets issued before that date and $180 for tickets issued on or after February 23, 2023. For travel from Israel, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal booked on or after March 21, 2024, the change or cancellation fee is $200.

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 from the U.S., Canada, or the Caribbean to anywhere. Flights operated by joint venture and codeshare partners are included.

The cancellation fee for flights originating in Mexico or South America 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 $199.

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.

The cancellation fee is €200 (~$222) for flights originating in Europe on Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin and €250 (~$278) for Delta Premium Select. There is no fee for Delta One.

For flights originating in the U.K., the cancellation fee is £200 (~$264) for Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin and £250 (~$330) for Delta Premium Select. There is no fee for Delta One.

You’ll pay a $200 cancellation fee for flights originating in Africa, the Middle East, and India for seats in Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin. The fee is $250 for Delta Premium Select, and there is no fee for Delta One. There is no cancellation fee for flights originating from Israel, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal for Main Cabin through Delta Premium Select tickets.

After canceling your ticket, the remaining fare value (minus the cancellation fee) will be refunded 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 spent the extra cash on a refundable ticket, you can cancel anytime before your flight’s departure. Your refund will be issued to your original payment method.

Award Ticket

Delta SkyMiles award tickets for travel within the U.S. and Canada can be canceled without fee any time before departure. Basic Economy award tickets have 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. or Canada, cancellations must be made at least 72 hours before the flight’s departure or return. These award ticket cancellation fees are a flat $150 regardless of fare class or destination.

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

Hot Tip:

Looking for even more information about canceling award tickets? Our award ticket cancellation guide, which includes information on over 30 carriers, can help.

Delta’s Flight Change Policy

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

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Time Period	Basic Economy Ticket	Nonrefundable Ticket	Refundable Ticket
During 24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Period	No charge + fare difference	Just the fare difference	Just the fare difference
After 24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Period	Not permitted	$0 to $400 change fee + fare difference	Just the fare difference
Within 24 Hours of Flight Departure	Not permitted	From $75 when available	From $75 when available

*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 change your flight itinerary after the 24-hour grace period.

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 from the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean (excluding Basic Economy).

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

For flights originating in Central America with a destination in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, the change charge is $99 for tickets in the Main Cabin and above. For other international destinations, the change fee is $199.

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

If you change your flight because you’ve found a cheaper option, the remaining fare value (minus the change fee) will be refunded 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

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

The change fee is €200 (~$222) for flights originating in Europe, on Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin and €250 (~$278) for Delta Premium Select. There is no fee for Delta One.

For flights originating in the U.K., the change fee is £200 (~$264) for Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin and £250 (~$330) for Delta Premium Select. There is no fee for Delta One.

You’ll pay a $200 change fee on Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin for flights originating in Africa, the Middle East, and India, $250 for Delta Premium Select tickets, and no fee for Delta One. There is no change fee for flights originating from Israel, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal for Main Cabin through Delta Premium Select tickets.

Refundable Ticket

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

Award Ticket

Delta does not charge change fees for award tickets.

How To Cancel a Flight on Delta

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

Delta flights My Trips — Select **My Trips** to change or cancel your Delta flights. Image Credit: Delta

Step 2: Click on View Trip Details for the trip you want to cancel.

How to cancel a Delta flight View Trip Details — Choose the flight you want to cancel by selecting **View Trip Details**. Image Credit: Delta

Step 3: Select Cancel Flight.

Delta flight how to cancel a flight 1 — Click on **Cancel Flight**. Image Credit: Delta

Step 4: The next page lists the flight itinerary you want to cancel. To finalize, you must press cancel or request a refund, depending on your ticket type.

Delta flight cancel trip — Image Credit: Delta

How To Use Delta eCredits

If you have eCredits in your account, you can view them by logging in at delta.com with your SkyMiles number. Then, go to My Delta and open the Certificates and eCredits module within My Wallet.

When you’re ready to redeem your eCredits, book a flight as you usually 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 after the initial purchase is 5 per ticket or 2 with a ticket change. Keep in mind that each eCredit must be used within 1 year of the date you received it.

Hot Tip:

Have more than 5 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 5 eCredits on the first ticket and another 5 on your return trip!

Final Thoughts

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 your best, albeit more expensive, option.

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 your options at the time of booking and if you need to cancel.