Flight plans change. Life happens. But, literally nobody wants to pay $200 to cancel a trip they’re not even taking. 🫠
The good news, you ask? Most airlines have loosened their policies, especially if you know how to time your cancellations and book the right kind of fare.
Let’s walk through everything you need to know to change or cancel a flight while dodging annoying fees, including the latest airline policies, award booking rules, and protections from the best travel credit cards.
Change Fees Are (Mostly) Gone
Most U.S. airlines have eliminated change fees on standard economy or higher fares, which is a huge win. But “no change fees” doesn’t mean “totally free changes.” You’ll usually still have to cover the fare difference if your new flight costs more, and basic economy fares still come with extra restrictions.
❗ Pro Tip: If your airline changes your flight by a few hours or more, you may be eligible to cancel or rebook without paying a fare difference. Always check your updated itinerary and the airline's schedule change policy.
Flight Change and Cancellation Policies by Airline
Here’s a side-by-side overview of how the major U.S. airlines handle flight changes and cancellations for both cash and award bookings:
Airline | Paid Ticket Rules | Award Ticket Rules |
|---|---|---|
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. ⚠️ Basic Economy: No changes. AAdvantage members can cancel domestic Basic Economy flights for a $99 fee, deducted from ticket value. ✅ Main Cabin and higher: No change fees; fare difference applies. Cancellations result in travel credit valid for 1 year from the date the ticket was issued. | ✅ Award tickets can be changed or canceled without fees; miles redeposited upon cancellation. Refund of taxes/fees to original payment method (not trip credit). | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. ✅ Delta Main Classic & up (U.S./Canada origin): No cancellation fee. Refundable fares return to original payment; nonrefundable fares get eCredit valid for 1 year. ⚠️ Basic Economy (U.S./Canada origin): Cancel for $99 (Caribbean/Central America/Mexico) or $199 (other international). ❌ Basic Economy (originating in Mexico): Cannot be canceled. ⚠️ International flights not originating in U.S./Canada: May incur fees up to $400. | ✅ All non-Basic awards: Cancel anytime for free redeposit of miles and refund of taxes to card. ⚠️ Basic Economy award tickets (U.S./Canada domestic): Cannot be changed. Canceling results in a deduction of 9,900–19,900 miles, with the rest redeposited. Taxes refunded to original form of payment. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund (if booked at least 7 days before departure). ✅ Economy and higher: No change/cancel fees for U.S., Canada, Mexico, or international flights originating in the U.S. Cancellations result in a travel credit, valid for 1 year from issue date. ⚠️ Basic Economy: No changes. Can upgrade to standard Economy to allow changes or cancel for a partial travel credit. | ✅ Free cancellations and mileage redeposits on award tickets. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. ✅ Cancel up to 10 min before departure for credit/refund (depending on fare). ⚠️ Basic Fare: No changes allowed; cancellations result in 6-month flight credit. ⚠️ Wanna Get Away Plus: Changes allowed; cancellations result in 12-month flight credit. ✅ Anytime & Business Select: Fully refundable. | ✅ Cancel up to 10 minutes before departure for full points redeposit. No fees. Taxes refunded to original payment. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. ⚠️ Blue Basic: Cannot be changed; can be canceled for a fee of $100 (North America, Central America, Caribbean) or $200 (other routes), plus fare difference. ✅ Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, Mint: No change or cancellation fees; fare difference applies. Travel Bank credit valid 12 months. | ⚠️ Blue Basic award tickets: Cannot be changed. ✅ All other award tickets can be canceled without fees. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. ⚠️ Saver Fare: Non-changeable; cancellations made at least 14 days before departure receive 50% credit. ✅ Main and higher: No change fees; fare difference applies. Cancellations result in refund or credit, depending on ticket type. | ✅ Award tickets can be changed or canceled without fees; miles redeposited upon cancellation and taxes refunded. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund (if booked at least 7 days before departure). ❌ Main Cabin Basic: No changes allowed after 24 hours. ✅ Main Cabin and higher: No change fees; fare difference applies. Cancellations result in travel credit. However, if you rebook a cheaper flight, you’ll lose your remaining credit. ⚠️ Refundable fares: There may be a $25 to $100 fee if you want a cash refund instead of credit. | ✅ No fee to cancel and redeposit miles. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund (if booked at least 7 days before departure). ❌ Go fares: Changes incur a $59 to $99 fee unless made 60+ days before departure; cancellations are $99. ⚠️ Go Savvy, Go Comfy, Go Big: No change or cancel fees; fare difference applies. Cancellations result in 12-month travel credit. | ✅ Most award tickets can be canceled over the phone, unless you booked a Go fare. | |
✅ Cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund (if booked at least 7 days before departure). ❌ Basic/Standard fares: $99 cancellation fee regardless of timing; change fees are: $0 (≥60 days out), $49 (59–7 days), $99 (≤6 days). ⚠️ Economy, Premium, Business Bundles & Bizfare: No change or cancel fees at any time. All canceled fares (non-refundable) yield travel credit minus fees. ⚠️ No value is retained if rebooked itinerary is cheaper. Credit must be used within 90 days of issue. | ⚠️ Award tickets can be canceled for a $75 redeposit fee, with miles returned to Frontier Miles account. ✅ Cancellation fee is waived for elite members on Last Seat Awards. ❗ Cancellation must occur before departure or full value is forfeited. |
What About Award Flights?
Award tickets tend to be more flexible than cash tickets, especially when it comes to domestic programs.
Most major U.S. carriers, including American, Alaska and United allow free cancellations and miles redeposit in most cases
Southwest reigns still, with free redeposit of Rapid Rewards points, including on Basic fares.
International programs (like Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and British Airways Avios) usually change a modest fee of $25 to $100, depending on how close you are to departure.
👀 Remember: If you transferred points from banks such as American Express, Chase, or Capital One, you’ll need to cancel directly with the airline. Transfers can’t be reversed.
Tips to Avoid Change or Cancellation Fees
Let’s say you’re booking a flight and you’re not 100% sure your plans will stick. Here are some good ways to protect your future self:
Avoid basic economy: These tickets are cheap for a reason and come with little to no flexibility.
Track prices: If your fare goes down after booking, some airlines will let you rebook at the lower price and keep the difference as credit.
Use airline credits wisely: Most expire after 12 months, and many are non-transferable. Set calendar reminders so you don’t lose them.
Book one-way instead of round-trip: You’ll have more flexibility if only part of your trip changes.
Watch for schedule changes: As mentioned earlier, if your airline alters your itinerary significantly, you can often cancel or rebook for free.
Credit Cards That Can Save the Day
In case you’re new around here, we love a good travel card — practically worship them.
The right card can be your best defense when your trip hits turbulence. Some cards come with trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and others can give you more flexible booking options. A few faves include:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Includes up to $10,000 per trip in cancellation coverage, plus 5x points on Chase TravelSM .
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Same protection as Sapphire Preferred, with lounge access and stronger perks.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Offers premium travel protection and access to American Express Travel®, which can help with rebooking.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Includes trip protection and access to Capital One Travel with price-drop guarantees.
Bilt Mastercard: Offers solid protections when booking travel (plus the ability to earn points on rent — up to 100,000 points in a calendar year!).
FAQs
How can I cancel my flight without a cancellation fee?
Cancel within 24 hours of booking, or book a fare that allows free changes. You may also be eligible if your flight schedule is changed significantly.
How do I get a 100% refund on a flight cancellation?
You’ll need to cancel within 24 hours of booking or book a fully refundable fare. Otherwise, expect a credit rather than a full refund.
When can you cancel a flight without penalty?
You can cancel a flight without penalty within 24 hours of booking, if the airline changes your flight, or if your fare includes free cancellations.
What is the Passenger Bill of Rights?
U.S. law requires refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights — even for nonrefundable fares.
Bottom Line
With the right strategies and cards, avoiding flight change or cancellation fees is absolutely doable.
Flexibility is easier to attain these days (thank goodness!), and with the right cards and strategies, you can change your plans without needing a quick cry in the airport bathroom.
