How to Sidestep Airline Change and Cancellation Fees

When an airline alters or cancels a flight due to weather, crew issues, maintenance, or other factors, passengers often receive little to no compensation. However, if you need to modify or cancel your own reservations, some airlines will impose a fee. Fortunately, others have more accommodating change and cancellation policies.

For those airlines with less forgiving policies, there are strategies to minimize or completely avoid these fees on paid flights.

We’ve compiled all the essential information you need for changing and canceling your flight, providing a comprehensive guide to avoiding fees once they're reintroduced. These tips could save you thousands of dollars depending on how many travelers are on your itinerary, making them invaluable as you plan your journeys.

Summary of Change Fees

Certain airlines impose change fees when you modify your travel plans. Generally, you’ll need to pay a flat fee plus any fare difference when switching to a new flight. These fees can vary based on the airline, destination, or how far in advance you request the change.

This policy may differ for last-minute adjustments, especially on your departure day. Many airlines provide same-day changes for a minimal fee, often waived for certain elite status members. The advantage of same-day changes is that you won’t incur a fare difference when upgrading to a pricier flight.

A final note: Many U.S. airlines restrict cancellations or changes on basic economy tickets unless there’s a very specific situation like a schedule change or travel waiver, so keep this in mind when selecting a basic economy fare.

Summary of Cancellation Fees

As the term implies, cancellation fees are typically incurred when you need to fully cancel a nonrefundable flight. These fees vary by airline, and usually, you’ll receive a travel credit upon cancellation (minus the applicable cancellation fee). Most major U.S. airlines do not refund your original payment method unless you meet specific criteria, such as a schedule change (more details on that shortly) or if you book a refundable fare type.

Change and Cancellation Policies by Airline

Each airline has distinct policies regarding cancellations and changes, with some being stricter than others. Here’s an overview of U.S. airlines and their policies for paid tickets. Note that this does not account for travel waivers and other special conditions (which will be discussed later).

Alaska Airlines

In 2020, Alaska Airlines permanently eliminated change and cancellation fees. However, you must change or cancel your flight before departure to qualify for flight credit. If you opt to change a flight, you’ll be responsible for any fare difference. Saver fares—Alaska's version of basic economy—cannot be altered, but they can be canceled for a full refund within 24 hours of booking. Additionally, Saver fares qualify for a credit of 50% of the ticket value if canceled at least 14 days before the first flight’s departure.

Same-day confirmed changes incur a fee of $50, reduced to $25 for flights entirely within California or on Alaska Airlines' shuttle routes. These fees are waived for MVP Gold and 75K members, and no fare difference applies to these changes.

Allegiant Air

Allegiant charges a fee of up to $75 per person for each change or cancellation of your ticket. However, any modifications or cancellations must be made within seven days of departure unless you have purchased Trip Flex. This optional add-on permits a one-time change or cancellation up to one hour before your flight, but it must be purchased at the time of booking, as it cannot be added later.

American Airlines

American Airlines waives change or cancellation fees for flights within the U.S. and routes to or from Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, international flights originating in the U.S. are also exempt from these fees. You will only need to cover any fare difference when making flight changes.

However, this exemption does not extend to basic economy tickets, which cannot be altered or canceled unless a travel waiver is in effect.

Delta Air Lines

Similar to American, Delta Air Lines does not impose change or cancellation fees on domestic flights or international itineraries that begin in the U.S. You will only be responsible for the fare difference if you switch to a more expensive flight. As with American, basic economy tickets are not eligible for changes or cancellations.

Refer to this link for more information on Delta's change and cancellation fees.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier does not charge change fees for flights scheduled more than 60 days away. However, a fee of $49 applies for changes made between 59 days and seven days prior to departure, escalating to $99 for changes within six days of departure. For cancellations, a flat fee of $99 will apply, regardless of how far in advance you cancel. If you opt for the add-on option called The Works, there will be no change fees. All change fees are in addition to any fare differences.

Refer to this link for more information on Frontier's change and cancellation fees.

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines does not charge change or cancellation fees for Main Cabin fares or higher. If you switch to a more expensive flight, you will only need to pay the fare difference.

JetBlue

JetBlue does not impose change or cancellation fees unless you are booked in Blue Basic. These tickets cannot be modified or canceled. You will only be responsible for the fare difference when upgrading to a pricier ticket. Note that there is a $25 fee for changes or cancellations made via phone, and same-day changes incur a $75 charge, which is waived for Mosaic elite members.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is well-known for having no change or cancellation fees, although you will need to pay any fare difference. Additionally, you can receive a credit if the fare decreases. Only the individual named on the ticket can utilize this credit. If you modify an award ticket that has reduced in price, the extra points will be returned to the member's account for future use by anyone. Just remember to cancel paid Wanna Get Away reservations at least 10 minutes before your flight to avoid losing the ticket's full value.

For more information on Southwest's fare options, check this link.

Spirit Airlines

Similar to Frontier, Spirit employs a tiered structure for flight change and cancellation fees. Changes made over 60 days prior to departure incur no charges. For changes or cancellations made 31 to 59 days in advance, a fee of $69 applies; 30 to 7 days, $99; and within 6 days, $119. Spirit elite members can also take advantage of free same-day standby for earlier flights.

United Airlines

United does not impose change or cancellation fees for flights within the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as those between the U.S. and Mexico or the Caribbean, and all international flights departing from the U.S. However, this exemption does not apply to basic economy tickets, and fare differences will still apply.

Strategies to avoid change and cancellation fees

In certain exceptional situations, airlines might agree to waive your change or cancellation fees. Here are some strategies to consider.

Check for a travel waiver

Travel waivers are typically issued when airlines expect a high volume of delays or cancellations. For instance, during severe weather or natural disasters, many airlines will modify their operations and prefer to offer travelers flexibility beforehand rather than trying to accommodate them at the airport. The details of these waivers can vary by airline and the reason behind them, but they generally allow you to change or cancel your flight(s) without incurring fees.

Travel waivers can be found on the airline's website. Usually, they are prominently displayed at the top of the homepage and during check-in. The airline might also notify you via email if you qualify for a travel waiver, so keep an eye on your inbox prior to traveling if you suspect a waiver may apply.

Be vigilant for schedule changes

One way to avoid change and cancellation fees is if your flight schedule changes after you've booked. For instance, if your flight was originally scheduled to depart at 1 p.m. and is now set for 2:30 p.m., you might be eligible to change or cancel your flight without any fees. These schedule changes are often communicated via email, but it's wise to regularly check your trips to catch any updates yourself.

As a general guideline, many U.S. airlines will provide a full refund if your flight's departure or arrival time is altered by 90 minutes or more. However, schedule change policies differ among airlines, so be sure to consult our comprehensive guide on maximizing schedule changes for detailed information specific to your airline.

Keep in mind the 24-hour rule

By law, airlines must offer free 24-hour holds or refunds within 24 hours of booking, provided the flight is more than seven days away. This can be extremely useful if the price drops or if you're still finalizing your travel plans. This policy also applies to tickets purchased through credit card platforms like Amex Travel and the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.

Have a valid reason

Travelers can often have change fees waived in cases of illness, death in the family, or other exceptional circumstances such as natural disasters. Be ready to provide supporting documentation, as airlines are no longer accepting just verbal claims from passengers.

Check your credit card benefits

Remember the trip cancellation and interruption insurance that many travel rewards or airline credit cards offer if you used them for your booking. In specific situations, this protection may cover any change or cancellation fees you may face, as well as other eligible, nonrefundable costs. For instance, if you need to cancel or alter your trip for a valid reason (like jury duty or serious illness) and you booked with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can get reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip.

If an emergency occurs that lets you access your credit card's trip delay or cancellation coverage, you might be concerned about more than just airline fees, but it's reassuring to know that these protections are available if needed.

Keep in mind that to qualify for this coverage, you'll need to use your card for at least part of the trip costs. This typically involves paying for taxes and fees on award tickets with your credit card or using points to book a flight through platforms like the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.

Achieve elite status

A significant benefit of having airline elite status is that certain tiers with specific airlines will waive change fees for same-day adjustments. This added convenience is perfect for those wanting to switch to an earlier or later flight on short notice.

Utilize travel credits or redemptions to offset your fees

If all else fails, you can apply travel credits from premium travel cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, or redeem miles from a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) to pay for your change or cancellation fees. While this approach allows you to manage these costs, remember that you might still need to cover the fees upfront. This method is particularly useful for award tickets since the change or cancellation fees are often an extra out-of-pocket cost in those scenarios. For paid flights, however, the fees are typically deducted from your ticket's value.

With the Amex Platinum card, you can use the up-to-$200 annual airline fee credit to cover change or cancellation fees only for the airline you select (enrollment required). You can choose your airline when you first receive your Platinum card and once every year thereafter. Keep in mind that Amex will determine which transactions qualify for this credit. For further details, check our full guide to the Platinum card's airline credit for insights.

The Sapphire Reserve card offers a more flexible travel credit that automatically applies to the first $300 in various travel expenses each cardmember year. This credit resets once every calendar year, so if you haven't used your credit yet, simply charge the change or cancellation fee to your Sapphire Reserve, and you'll be reimbursed automatically.

If you find yourself needing to pay a change or cancellation fee out of pocket, you can charge it to a card like the Capital One Venture card and then use your miles at a fixed value to cover that cost. This feature of the Venture Card is quite popular. However, keep in mind that transferring your Capital One miles to travel partners usually offers a much higher redemption value.

Delay paying cancellation or change fees until necessary

When you book a flight and later decide to cancel, try to hold off on paying that cancellation fee until absolutely required. You never know when the airline might announce a schedule change, delay, or cancellation that could allow you to change or cancel your trip without incurring fees. Additionally, if the airline cancels your service, you should receive a refund to your original payment method rather than a travel voucher, making this a significant advantage if the airline can no longer provide the service you booked.

Make sure to familiarize yourself with your airline's specific policies. Unused tickets can sometimes be rebooked after the flight by paying the same change fee as if you had changed it beforehand. Some airlines require that you cancel or alter your flight prior to the scheduled departure time.

In summary

Changing or canceling a flight is always a hassle—especially if it disrupts a family vacation or a much-needed getaway. To make matters worse, budget airlines may impose hefty change or cancellation fees, so it's wise to explore your options for avoiding these costs whenever possible.

Save this page for future reference the next time you need to cancel or modify a booked flight. It could potentially save you hundreds of dollars based on your flight details.

For Capital One products mentioned here, some benefits are offered by Visa® or Mastercard® and may differ by product. Please consult the respective Guide to Benefits for more information, as terms and exclusions apply.