Changing or canceling non-refundable flight tickets
Buying a basic, non-refundable ticket is often significantly cheaper than a flexible one. So when your travel plans seem pretty solid, it might not make too much sense to fork out the extra money on the off chance that something might go wrong.More often than not, this works out just fine and travelers get from point A to point B with basic economy tickets having more money to spend on their trip. Unfortunately, the unexpected does happen and these travelers are left with their backs to the wall having to pay hefty cancellation fees or paying penalties for flight changes.We have become programmed to think of worst-case scenarios and, suddenly, the thought of buying non-refundable airline tickets can sound irresponsible.Just how rigid are airline policies when it comes to non-refundable tickets? It turns out there are a few tips and tricks to help you get a free change or a full refund even with basic tickets. We’ve outlined a few of these here.1. When the law is on your side
Many travelers are unaware that there are some regulations in place that ensure airline customers are covered in some situations. If your travel ticket is within, from, or to the United States, you are covered thanks to regulations from the US Department of Transportation (DOT). If your flight is at least 7 days away from the time of booking, you are entitled to a full refund within the first 24 hours of booking with no fee.This only applies to tickets bought directly through the airline and not via other services providers such as online travel agencies. In response to this, many OTAs offer even more flexibility than the regulations require.Many airlines offer more flexibility than this too. Companies like Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Airlines offer more flexibility to customers booking above basic fares. American Airlines adhere to the 24-hour regulation but have also made this eligible to travelers who have booked at least 2 days prior to departure rather than 7. Southwest airlines, on the other hand, have never charged for cancellation or change fees regardless of the fare purchased. As a Southwest passenger, you can cancel or change your booking up to 10 minutes before your scheduled departure time, and you don’t need to be traveling first class to do so.3. Travel insurance and travel credit cards
Getting travel insurance before your trip normally covers you for free cancellation or change in travel dates. Of course, this comes at a cost but it might be worth looking into for that added peace of mind.You might also want to check if your credit card provider offers any travel insurance and, if so, what exactly it covers. In some cases, you can submit a claim through the credit card company requesting a refund for flight cancellation. They normally need to see a valid reason such as a family member falling ill and being unable to travel.4. Frequent Flyer benefits
Being a frequent flyer can also come in handy in the case of sudden trip cancellation or the need to make any changes. Using your frequent flyer miles or points normally unlocks much more flexibility on your booking. In some cases, you might even be eligible for a total fee waiver depending on how many points you’ve racked up or what status frequent flyer membership you hold.5. Choose your airline wisely
If you’d like to have all the flexibility and peace of mind that a flexi flight offers without paying extra for that type of ticket, do your research and choose the airline with the policies that best suit your needs. Luckily, the Coronavirus pandemic has caused many airlines to rethink their policies to make them slightly more flexible and, chances are, we’ll see a lot more of that as we move towards a new way of travel.Until then, it’s difficult not to mention Southwest Airline’s fully flexible approach to air travel. Southwest never charges a change fee and only takes any fare differences into account. Luckily, this could work both ways. If your new flight is more expensive, you pay the difference. If it’s cheaper than your original ticket, you get refunded that amount.It is important to note that any refund of flights or fare differences means that you are given a travel voucher or credit with that airline of that amount to use on a future flight.6. Extraordinary circumstances
There are some cases that an airline might deem eligible for free change or cancellation even on non-refundable tickets. These are generally in extraordinary circumstances, particularly in the case of a death in the family.In such unfortunate circumstances, you can contact the airline to request a free cancellation or to reschedule your flight in light of the circumstances. You will likely need to provide some form of documentation as proof of the situation such as a death certificate.
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