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Guide to canceling flights and getting a refund with US airlines – The Points Guy

May 12, 2023 NewScore 360

Most airlines now have favorable policies if you need to cancel your flight, especially if you booked using points or miles. If you book the right fare with an airline that has friendly cancellation policies, you may not be out hundreds of dollars — or be on the hook for astronomical fees — should your travel plans change.

However, with many different airlines and varying policies, it can be overwhelming to figure out each carrier’s rules. To make it easier, we put together this guide about the cancellation and refund policies for the major U.S. airlines.

Can I cancel a flight and get a refund?

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

These days, all airlines allow you to cancel a flight, and most make it extremely easy to do so. You can usually cancel a flight online, and many carriers let you get a refund in some capacity.

For the most part, if you book a nonrefundable fare — the most common fare type — you’ll receive a credit or voucher for a future flight. However, you’ll find that some airlines charge a fee to cancel, and they might base the fee on how far in advance you cancel.

For example, Southwest Airlines has one of the most generous cancellation policies, regardless of the fare type. As long as you cancel at least 10 minutes before your flight’s scheduled departure time, there is no fee to cancel your reservation, whether it is a paid fare or one booked on points. While you’ll end up with a travel credit for the amount paid if you cancel a paid fare, Southwest won’t deduct any fees from that voucher. Also, if you booked using Southwest points, the airline will immediately return them to your account with no fees.

Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and JetBlue Airways also have favorable cancellation policies — as long as you didn’t book their least expensive basic-economy fare.

On the other hand, Frontier Airlines will charge you a $75 fee when canceling a reservation booked on miles. However, as long as you cancel at least 60 days before your flight, there’s no fee for canceling paid reservations.

Perhaps the least favorable airline is Allegiant, which requires you to cancel seven or more days in advance and charges a cancellation fee per segment (not round-trip).

So, when you wonder if you can cancel a flight and get a refund, the answer depends on many factors, including the airline, the fare type and how far in advance you cancel.

How to cancel a flight with major airlines

Many airlines allow you to cancel a flight without hefty fees. Since every airline operates slightly differently, we’ve compiled the policies for each major airline and the associated fees so you can figure out how to cancel a flight. This information is for a regular passenger (not one with status) on a standard reservation.

If you booked under special circumstances, we’ve linked to our full guide for each respective airline which goes into more detail about each one’s policy. These guides also include the policies for changing a flight instead of fully canceling.

Alaska Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Alaska Airlines reservation

Alaska allows you to cancel reservations — including its cheapest Saver fares — within 24 hours of booking. While Alaska’s other fare types are eligible for refunds within 24 hours of booking, Saver fares are not refundable.

The 24-hour cancellation policy only applies to flights that depart more than 24 hours from the time of purchase. If you change flights, you may have to pay the difference if your new itinerary has higher fares.

When you cancel a Saver fare, you’ll instead receive a credit deposit or credit certificate, and Alaska may also charge change fees at the time the credit is deposited.

Canceling an Alaska reservation booked with miles

Passengers can cancel an award reservation by calling Alaska’s reservation center. The airline will deposit the miles back into your account once you cancel your award flight, and you’ll receive a refund for any taxes paid.

Allegiant Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Allegiant reservation

Allegiant has one of the more strict policies when canceling a flight: You must cancel seven days before departure and will still have to pay a fee. Typically, the fee is $75 per segment (not for the entire reservation), but for now, Allegiant has reduced the fee to $25 per segment. When canceling, you’ll receive a voucher for the amount paid (minus the total cancellation fee), valid for up to one year from the original booking date.

When canceling a flight within seven days, the airline won’t issue a credit, and you’ll lose the entire ticket value.

Canceling an Allegiant reservation booked with miles

Allegiant offers a unique policy regarding canceling an award booked with miles. You’ll be charged the same fee per segment, and the flight must be canceled at least seven days in advance. The points redeemed will not be redeposited back into your account; you’ll instead receive a voucher for the value of the ticket.

American Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid American reservation

You can cancel all American reservations, except American’s basic-economy fares, without a fee. However, some flights that originate outside North and South America have slightly different policies.

Basic economy is only eligible for a refund if canceled within 24 hours of booking. Otherwise, basic economy fares do not allow any cancellations — even for a fee — so you’ll lose the entire ticket value if you can’t make the flight.

When canceling a reservation (besides basic-economy fares), you’ll receive a travel credit that expires one year from the date of issue of the original ticket.

Canceling an American reservation booked with miles

American allows you to cancel award flights for free. There are no redeposit fees, and your miles will immediately go back into your account. Since you can’t book a basic-economy fare with miles, there’s no need to worry about this more restrictive fare type.

Delta Air Lines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Delta reservation

Most Delta fare types for flights originating in North America (except Delta basic-economy tickets) will allow you to cancel your flight without a fee.

When canceling a basic-economy fare for travel within the U.S. or to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America, the fee is $99. For all other routes, the cancellation fee is twice the amount, at $199. Additionally, Delta will charge up to $500 in fees for flights that originate outside of North America.

Canceling a nonrefundable fare will result in an eCredit for the full amount paid (minus any cancellation fees, depending on fare type and route). However, if you cancel a refundable ticket, you’ll get the amount paid refunded back to your original form of payment. ECredits typically expire a year after receiving them, but as of right now, Delta has extended the expiration date of all eCredits to at least Dec. 31, 2023.

Canceling a Delta reservation booked with miles

Similar to a paid reservation, as long as you book a fare type other than basic economy, you can cancel your flight, and Delta will re-deposit the miles back into your account with no fee. Additionally, Delta will refund any taxes and fees to the original form of payment.

For reservations booked as basic economy, you can still cancel your flight. However, Delta will deduct between 9,900 and 19,900 miles from the amount it redeposits into your account when you cancel.

Frontier Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Frontier reservation

There’s no fee if you cancel a Frontier reservation 60 days or more before your flight. However, within the 60-day window, you’ll be charged a fee.

It costs $49 for flights canceled between 59 and seven days before departure and $79 for flights canceled six days or less before departure. You’ll receive a credit for the price paid minus the cancellation fee, and you’ll need to use this credit within 90 days of receiving it.

Canceling a Frontier reservation booked with miles

Unlike many other airlines, Frontier charges a cancellation fee even if you booked with miles. Regardless of how far in advance you cancel, you’ll need to pay a $75 redeposit fee if you cancel.

Hawaiian Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Hawaiian reservation

You can cancel main cabin, first-class and business-class fares on Hawaiian without a fee — but there’s a catch. While you’ll receive a flight credit for the amount paid, you’ll lose any remaining value associated with your credit when you book a new flight if the new flight is less expensive than the previous flight.

Canceling a Hawaiian reservation booked with miles

For tickets purchased with HawaiianMiles, there’s no fee to cancel and redeposit your miles.

JetBlue Airways’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid JetBlue reservation

For all fare types, except for Blue Basic fares, there’s no fee to cancel your reservation before departure.

For all nonrefundable fares, you’ll receive the entire amount paid back as a JetBlue Travel Bank credit, which expires 12 months after receiving the credit. These credits are nontransferable, but you can use a credit to book for another passenger from within your JetBlue account.

For Blue Basic fares, the cancellation fee is either $100 or $200, depending on the route. For routes in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Central America, the fee is $100 per person. For all other routes, the fee is $200 per person. You’ll still receive a travel credit (minus the fee) for these reservations.

Canceling a JetBlue reservation booked with miles

You can cancel any JetBlue flight booked with points without a fee. When canceling, the points redeemed will go back into your account. However, the taxes and fees paid will go into your JetBlue Travel Bank credit — not back to your original form of payment (which is the policy for most other airlines).

Southwest Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Southwest reservation

Southwest is one of the best airlines if you need to cancel your flight. You can cancel a Southwest flight for free if you do so at least 10 minutes before departure.

For Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares — the two least expensive fare types — you’ll receive a credit for the amount paid. For Wanna Get Away fares, the credit isn’t transferable, and only the original passenger can use the credit. If you booked a Wanna Get Away Plus fare, any individual can use the credit.

Anytime and Business Select fares, however, are fully refundable. If you need to cancel one of these fares, you’ll receive a full refund for the amount paid back to your original form of payment.

Canceling a Southwest reservation booked with miles

Similar to a paid reservation, when you cancel a flight booked with miles at least 10 minutes before departure, Southwest will return the points to the account used to book the award without charging any fees. The taxes and fees paid for the award will return to the original payment form.

Spirit Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid Spirit reservation

Spirit allows you to cancel a flight but charges a fee based on when you cancel the flight. If you cancel, you’ll receive a credit for the amount paid minus the fee. However, the credit isn’t transferable and expires 60 days from when you receive it.

Here’s what you can expect to pay in fees when you cancel a paid Spirit reservation:

Days before departure	Fee
60 or more days.	Free.
7 to 59 days.	$49.
3 to 6 days.	$79.
2 days or less.	$99.

Canceling a Spirit reservation booked with miles

When canceling a Spirit flight you reserved with miles, the same cancellation policy applies as if it were a paid reservation. Spirit will charge you a $49-$99 fee to redeposit your miles if you cancel within 59 days of your flight. It won’t charge a fee if you cancel 60 days or more before your flight.

United Airlines’ cancellation policy

Canceling a paid United reservation

For almost all United flights, except those booked in basic economy, you can cancel for free if you are traveling within the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, Mexico or on an international flight that originates in the U.S. For United basic-economy tickets, if your plans change, you’ll ultimately lose the value of the ticket entirely.

Unless you book a refundable fare (or a basic economy fare), you’ll receive a travel certificate for the value of the price paid when you cancel. These certificates expire one year from the original ticketing date.

Canceling a United reservation booked with miles

United no longer charges fees for canceling award flights; your miles will be re-deposited after you cancel your flights. However, United charges a $125 fee, regardless of status, for re-depositing miles if you’re a no-show to your award flight.

Can you cancel plane tickets?

Many people book flights a year in advance and hope their vacation plans stay intact. However, plans can change. Fortunately, many airlines now offer more friendly cancellation policies, so you don’t have to wonder whether you can cancel a plane ticket.

Whether you book with miles or as a paid reservation, you can always cancel a plane ticket, but the refund policy varies from one airline to the next. You must be comfortable with how you’ll receive your money or miles back. For the most part, you’ll receive the money back as a credit and the miles back into your account. For lower-cost airlines, though, there’s typically an associated fee.

Can you refund plane tickets?

Whether you can refund plane tickets depends on the fare type purchased and what you are looking for in terms of a refund. No airline offers full refunds back to the form of payment for every ticket purchased. Instead, you must purchase a more flexible fare type or a refundable ticket if you want this privilege.

While not all airlines offer refundable fare options, some airlines allow you to purchase an add-on to your ticket. This add-on may make your reservation fully refundable if you need to cancel.

For example, Frontier offers “The Works” package, where one of the benefits is that your fare is fully refundable.

Some airlines do not allow refunds on their most basic fare types. For instance, if you purchase a basic-economy fare on Delta, you can’t get a refund on a plane ticket. If your plans change and you must cancel, you’ll lose your entire ticket value.

Bottom line

Before purchasing your next plane ticket, it’s smart to be well-versed in the airline’s policy. You always hope that your intended travel plans go off without a hitch. However, life happens, and there are times when you might need to cancel a flight.

If you’re not confident of your plans when booking your flight, booking with a more favorable airline or purchasing a fare class with more flexibility may be your best bet.

Additional reporting by Meghna Maharishi.

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