How to Cancel an Air Canada Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

Q: Can I cancel an Air Canada flight within 24 hours?

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 fare selected.

At times, things happen that are outside of our control that can force us to cancel our travel plans. Unfortunately, the process of canceling a flight can be both expensive and complicated if you don’t know all of your options.

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

Table of contents

Cancellation Policies Due to COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can make a one-time change without a fee or cancel your existing booking and rebook later if your original travel is between March 1, 2020 and February 28, 2022.

View the full policy here. If you booked via a third party, refer to your booking provider for its policies.

With cancellation policies due to COVID-19 being ever-changing, for the most up-to-date policies across all airlines, please refer to our COVID-19 Airline Cancellations article.

Air Canada’s Cancellation Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points

All customers 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.

Ticket Type	Cancellation Fee
Basic	Not permitted
Standard	$200
Flex
Comfort
Latitude	Refundable
Premium Economy	Flexible fares are refundable, otherwise $200
Business	Flexible fares are refundable, otherwise $200
Award Ticket	$0-$150

Basic Economy Ticket

Air Canada will not allow you to cancel a basic economy ticket unless it is canceled within 24 hours from the time it was purchased. However, there are some circumstances where you can cancel and request a refund if Air Canada changes your flight schedule by 2 hours or more, if you have military orders, or if you or your traveling companion dies.

Non-Refundable Tickets

Standard, Flex, Comfort, and non-flexible business or premium economy fares are all categorized as non-refundable.

This means you will be charged a $200 fee to cancel your ticket. After you pay the fee, you can apply the unused value of your ticket toward a future trip as long as your new trip begins no later than 1 year from the ticket’s original issue date and you canceled the original ticket before the departure of the first flight.

Hot Tip:Non-refundable tickets can still be refunded in the event of the death of the passenger or passenger’s traveling companion or because of military orders. Supporting documentation is required.

Refundable Ticket

Latitude and flexible premium economy or business fares are categorized as fully refundable. If you’ve purchased one of these tickets, cancellations can be made anytime before the departure of your flight and the refund will be issued to your original credit card within 7 days (it should appear on your statement in 1-2 billing cycles).

Award Ticket

If you’ve booked an award ticket with Air Canada and more than 24 hours have passed, the cancellation fee is $125 for those who cancel via aeroplan.com and $150 for those who cancel via an Aeroplan contact center.

If you hold Diamond status in Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, those figures drop to $30 for online cancellations and $100 for contact center cancellations. Those with top-tier Altitude Super Elite 100k status with Air Canada will not be charged cancellation fees.

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.

Air Canada’s Flight Change Policy

Air Canada Boeing 787-9 — Air Canada also offers the option to change your flight instead of canceling. Image Credit: Air Canada

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 fare selected.

Ticket Type	Cancellation Fee
Basic	Not permitted
Standard	$100 (60 days or less) or $25 (61 days or more)
Flex	$50 (60 days or less) or $25 (61 days or more)
Comfort	$25 (60 days or less) or $0 (61 days or more)
Latitude	$0
Premium Economy
Business
Award Ticket	$0-$100 (per direction)
Same-Day	$0-$150

Basic Economy

Air Canada does not allow flight changes for those with basic economy tickets after the initial 24-hour window.

Standard Fare

For Standard fares, after the 24-hour window has passed, Air Canada charges a change fee of $100 for flights that depart in 60 days or less and $25 for flights that depart in 61 days or more. If you’re changing to a more expensive option, you will need to pay the difference in price.

Flex Fare

For Flex fares, after the 24-hour window has passed, Air Canada charges a change fee of $50 for flights that depart in 60 days or less and $25 for flights that depart in 61 days or more. If you’re changing to a more expensive option, you will need to pay the difference in price.

Comfort Fare

For Comfort fares, after the 24-hour window has passed, Air Canada charges a change fee of $25 for flights that depart in 60 days or less and $25 for flights that depart in 61 days or more. If you’re changing to a more expensive option, you will need to pay the difference in price.

Latitude, Premium Economy, and Business Class Tickets

If you purchased a Latitude, premium economy, or business class ticket, you can change your ticket without being charged any additional fee. If you’re changing to a more expensive option, you will need to pay 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

If you need to make a change to your award ticket, you can do so up to 2 hours before the flight departs — but you will be charged a fee depending on the fare class. The fee is $100 per direction for all ticket types. This drops to $75 for those with Aeroplan Diamond status, and those with Altitude Super Elite 100k will not be charged a fee.

Same-Day Change

The Air Canada fees for same-day changes are as follows:

Basic Economy: not permitted
Standard Fares: $150 ($100 for routes between Toronto and JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark airports)
Flex and Comfort Fares: $75 ($0 for routes between Toronto and JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark airports)
Latitude, Premium Economy, and Business Class: $0
Award Tickets: $100 per direction for all ticket types ($75 for those with Aeroplan Diamond status, and those with Altitude Super Elite 100k will not be charged a fee)

How to Cancel a Flight With Air Canada

Step 1: Log into your account on Air Canada’s homepage and select Manage Bookings.

Air Canada Mange Booking — How to cancel your Air Canada booking. Image Credit: Air Canada

Step 2: Select the booking you wish to cancel and click the Cancel Booking link.

Step 3: Once you have confirmed and finalized your cancellation, a confirmation email will be sent to the email you provided at the time of booking, and you’ll receive a voucher for any remaining funds after any potential cancellation fees.

How to Use an Air Canada Travel eVoucher

Electronic travel vouchers are issued in the form of a letter. Within the letter is your 13-digit electronic travel voucher number. Vouchers are transferable, and you can transfer the total or partial value of your electronic travel voucher to another person by calling Air Canada Reservations when you are ready to make a new reservation.

You can redeem your electronic travel voucher when you complete a booking on the Air Canada website by selecting a voucher as your payment method on the payment screen and then entering the voucher number.

Final Thoughts

If you’re worried that you may need to cancel your flight and want to make sure you can get a refund, a refundable ticket is 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 (as are credit cards that provide compensation). 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.

Featured Image Credit: Air Canada

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I cancel my Air Canada flight?

That depends on what fare type you’ve purchased and whether or not you’ve purchased a refundable ticket.

If you’ve purchased a basic economy ticket, you are not permitted to cancel the ticket for a refund after the 24-hour grace period from when your ticket was purchased.

If you have a non-refundable ticket type (Standard, Flex, or Comfort) you will be required to pay a $200 cancellation fee. Afterward, you will receive the remainder of your fare, minus the fee, in the form of an eVoucher for use on a future Air Canada flight.

If you have a refundable ticket you can cancel anytime before the departure of your flight and you will be reimbursed to your original method of payment.

Can I cancel an Air Canada flight within 24 hours?

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 fare selected.

What happens if you cancel a non-refundable flight?

To cancel a non-refundable ticket you will be required to pay a $200 cancellation fee. The remaining fare will be given to you as an eVoucher for future use on an Air Canada flight.

When do Air Canada eVouchers expire?

Your eVoucher will expire exactly 1 year after its issue date.

Will Air Canada waive my cancellation fees?

A waive of fees really will depend on your reason for canceling the flight. If it’s due to an immediate family member’s death or sickness, or military orders, Air Canada 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!

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About Jarrod West

Jarrod has been writing about the ins and outs of credit cards and loyalty programs, along with airlines and hotels, for over 6 years. He is regularly called upon to share his expertise on the latest news within the space, and has been featured in publications such as Matador Network, The New York Times, RetailMeNot, and Yahoo! Finance. Jarrod has over 20 credit cards in his wallet and has tested out dozens more in order to vet the very best card options for readers. As he is constantly sampling new cards, Jarrod also earns (and redeems) over 1 million points and miles each year. This allows him to book luxury travel experiences the world over, and save tens of thousands of dollars in the process.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

25 comments

Ryan December 29, 2020
Question for your expertise: I purchased an Air Canada Flight pass (sun destination) 3 weeks before COVID change the world. I have used none of the 20 flight credits. Is it possible to convert the purchase price of the flight pass (~$7000) into Aeroplan points as can be done with cash fare tickets?
Reply
- Jarrod West January 4, 2021
  Hi Ryan,
  Air Canada does not appear to offer an answer to this on its website, so I recommend you contact the customer service team directly to see if that would be possible.
  Reply
  - Genevieve August 19, 2022
    “If you have a non-refundable ticket type (Standard, Flex, or Comfort) you will be required to pay a $200 cancellation fee. Afterward, you will receive the remainder of your fare, minus the fee, in the form of an eVoucher for use on a future Air Canada flight.”
    Hi Jarrod,
    Is it a $200 cancellation fee each way for a departing and a return flight ($400)?
    Or $200 in total for both cancelled flights?
    Reply
    - Jarrod West August 22, 2022
      Hi Genevieve,
      The fee would be $200 each way.
      Reply
      - Sensei January 14, 2023
        Hi Jarod,
        Does this mean this refund is not a cash refund for these non refundable (Standard, Flex, or Comfort) tickets?
        What are my options for a cash refund?
      - Jarrod West January 16, 2023
        Hi Sensei,
        As far as I know, unless you purchased a fully refundable ticket, you are not able to receive a cash refund. You would receive an eVoucher toward future travel.
Abhishek Rathee October 6, 2021
I am about to book my international travel ticket from New Delhi to Toronto. Is Economy latitude class fully refundable or partially refundable?
Reply
- Jarrod West October 8, 2021
  Hi Abhishek,
  Economy Latitude fare should be fully refundable should you decide to cancel the ticket. Safe travels!
  Reply
Max November 13, 2021
Hi Jarrod
You seem very confident in your answer to Abhishek, and that’s good. I’m thinking of booking an AC Business Latitude fare to Mexico City and I assume your answer would be the same—the fare would be fully refundable, both the cash and points portions, if the trip had to be cancelled. Is this based on your interpretation of what Air Canada says on its website or is it based on something deeper, such as a knowledge of one or more specific instances in which Air Canada has actually honoured the refundable commitment on a Latitude fare? Unfortunately, experience shows we don’t often know what such terms as “refundable” mean when it gets to the small print in airline sales contracts. Thanks for your valuable work.
Reply
- Jarrod West November 19, 2021
  Hi Max,
  Yes, it is based on my knowledge of how Air Canada handles refunds on Latitude fares. Thanks for your kind words and safe travels!
  Reply
Adam December 16, 2021
I have to cancel an economy standard ticket. It’s claims its non-refundable, but when I click “cancel”, it promises me a full voucher with no expiration. This is different than what you described above. So I have two questions:
1. It seems smartest to just get the voucher, right? Unless I’m reading the terms wrong, it’s kind of like an open ticket. (This doesn’t fit with your descriptions above)
2. I’m allowed to change the ticket once. If I do this, would I still be able to get the voucher if I need to change (cancel) it again?
Reply
- Jarrod West January 6, 2022
  Hi Adam,
  Yes, I would go with the voucher in your case. As for your second question, I do not believe you would still be able to receive the voucher if you change the date of your flight.
  Reply
Amandeep December 25, 2021
I booked my round trip to India and the return date is March 4. Due to Omicron, I want to get back early and want to make a change in the ticket. Is that possible or would an additional charge or fee be implemented for the date change? Please reply.
Reply
- Jarrod West December 28, 2021
  Hi Amandeep,
  Yes, it is likely that you’ll have to pay a fee to change your flight with Air Canada, but I recommend you contact their customer service team and see if there is anything they can do for you.
  Reply
Jason Rabin January 4, 2022
I have fully refundable Latitude class tickets for a flight leaving in 9 days so in theory I am entitled to a full refund but in practice, I don’t know how to do this. The “cancel” flight button is grey on the webpage for my booking and reaching customer service through the phone is IMPOSSIBLE – as in never ever ever going to happen. (they say it’s a 3 hour wait, but then you get disconnected, so getting them on the phone isn’t happening)
So what can I do? I am running out of options here. Will I just have to eat the cost of the ticket? What good is a refundable ticket if you can’t actually get a refund? I’ve never been in a situation where I should be able to refund something but just can’t.
Reply
- Jarrod West January 6, 2022
  Hi Jason,
  Sorry that you are going through this. If you’re not able to cancel the ticket on the website or mobile app, then unfortunately, it seems that the only recourse is via the phone lines.
  Reply
Amy March 11, 2022
Jarrod,
Currently Air Canada allows to make change on non-refundable economy ticket. If the new ticket cost more than the original ticket, pay the fare difference. If the new ticket ($700) cost less than the original ticket ($1000), what happen to the overpayment of $300?
Thanks!
Reply
- Jarrod West March 15, 2022
  Hi Amy,
  Unfortunately, no residual value of the previous ticket will be preserved.
  Reply
Vicky June 8, 2022
Air Canada charged me $258 per passenger when I wanted to refund my ticket within 24 hours. Don’t trust their cancellation policy.
Reply
Farooq June 22, 2022
I have recently purchased 5 non refundable tickets going to Canada from Justfly.com air Canada flight.
Now I want to cancel it due to my little one being sick and want to rebook a month or 2 later. Will they charge me 200 for each ticket? And if so will I be able to use the remaining balance for my future flights? Thanks.
Reply
- Jarrod West June 23, 2022
  Hi Farooq,
  It is hard to say as, since you booked through Justfly, you will be subject to any change or cancellation fees the platform charges, since they are the ones who booked your tickets for you. I recommend you contact a customer service member of the JustFly team and ask them what your option are.
  Reply
Chris Manner August 2, 2022
I have a multi city business class (lower) ticket boston to paris, paris to naples and then naples back to Boston. I understand should I decide to cancel the trip there will be a cancellation fee (about $200) but I need to know what is the latest time before departure can I cancel. I saw words that seem to indicate I can cancel as late as two hours before departure time. Could you clarify for me the lastest I can cancel a flight?
Reply
- Jarrod West August 15, 2022
  Hi Chris,
  You can cancel up to 2 hours before departure.
  Reply
Pam January 13, 2023
Hi Jarrod,
If I change a flight, can I change both the departure and arrival locations?
Reply
- Jarrod West January 16, 2023
  Hi Pam,
  I would presume so, but I recommend you contact Air Canada directly for assistance with that.
  Reply

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How to Cancel an Air Canada Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

Cancellation Policies Due to COVID-19