Booking flights for a big vacation months in advance can be tricky. It can leave plenty of opportunity for something unexpected to pop up, putting you in a situation where you'd like to change or even cancel your reservation.
Unexpected events can include an illness, a work conflict or a family emergency.
You might also find better airfare and wish you could cancel and rebook at a lower price (hint: often, you can).
Though most airlines don't have the ultraflexible policies they temporarily offered at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a lot more ways to change a ticket penalty-free than there were a few years ago.
Certainly, purchasing a fully refundable ticket is one way to ensure you can get your money back if something goes wrong. However, it may cost more and isn't always an option.
In some cases, though, you still have options even if you purchased a ticket that's technically nonrefundable.
Take advantage of fewer change fees
One positive change that emerged from the pandemic was that some airlines no longer charge change fees for main cabin tickets and above.
While Southwest Airlines has long been known for not charging change fees, other carriers like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have also abandoned change fees in recent years, at least for most ticket classes.
This means if you run into an unexpected hurdle and your original itinerary doesn't work for you, you should be able to rebook without paying a fee. However, if your new ticket costs more, you'll typically have to pay the difference between your old ticket and your new one.
Also, this flexibility isn't typically extended to travelers flying on a basic economy ticket or with a budget airline, so check the specific terms of your fare (note that newcomer Breeze Airways, which brands itself as a "nice low-cost carrier," doesn't charge change or cancellation fees).
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Of course, changing your ticket is one thing. What if you simply can't travel at all?
Qualify for a refund under federal policy
This one is pretty straightforward but incredibly important. If your flight is canceled, you are entitled to a full refund if you ultimately decide not to travel.
For domestic flights and international flights departing or arriving in the U.S., you're covered by the rules of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The DOT's website indicates that if your flight is canceled — no matter the reason — you are entitled to a full refund back to your original form of payment for the unused portion of your itinerary.
This applies to flights that are significantly delayed or have a significant schedule change, although DOT policy doesn't specify what constitutes such a disruption.
Cancel and take a flight credit
Consistent with many airlines' policies to eliminate change fees, a lot of carriers will now let you cancel even "nonrefundable" tickets for flight credit.
You won't get your cash back, but you'll receive credit for what you paid, which you can use to rebook your canceled trip or book a future trip.
Again, this usually isn't the case for basic economy tickets or flights on ultra-low-cost carriers, but it can be a useful option if you find a lower price on airfare and want to rebook yourself or have unexpected circ*mstances arise.
For example, American's policy will allow you to use trip credit in the future as long as your new trip begins no later than one year from the ticket's original issue date and as long as you canceled the original trip before the flight departed.
Delta will also let travelers apply the value for nonrefundable tickets via e-credit for full-fare economy (main cabin) and above. In fact, Delta will even partially refund basic economy tickets minus a cancellation charge.
United will issue future flight credits "if you cancel your trip or change your flight to a less expensive one."
Southwest gives flight credit, at a minimum, for canceled trips of any fare class as long as you cancel at least 10 minutes prior to departure.
Did you book using points or miles?
On many airlines, award tickets booked with frequent flyer miles are fully refundable, and the associated taxes and fees often are, too.
Check the terms of your airline's loyalty program and your specific ticket to make sure you won't be charged a fee to redeposit the miles. If you booked using points or miles, you should be able to get them credited back into your frequent flyer account.
Some airlines may charge a fee to redeposit the points, but that's less common today, too. Similar to airlines that give you flight credit for canceled reservations, this is one option you can use to take advantage of a better deal if the award price drops after you book.
Tell the agent what's going on
Sometimes the truth can go further than you think. Many airlines are understanding and want to try to help you out if they can.
A few years ago, a friend of mine planned a vacation to Cancun, but a medical emergency forced the family to put the trip on hold. JetBlue was extremely understanding of the situation and issued all 16 passengers travel vouchers for the full amount paid, and no fees were charged. Although the family was fully prepared to send in a doctor's note, JetBlue did not even ask for one.
At the time, JetBlue would have normally charged $75 per person to change the tickets, which means the family saved $1,200.
Fortunately, today, JetBlue does not charge a change fee for full-fare economy tickets and above, though you will pay at least $100 to change a Blue Basic ticket.
Check to see if you booked with a credit card that has travel insurance
There are a number of travel credit cards that include travel insurance protections, which can help offset unexpected costs incurred when you have to cancel a trip.
Cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card and others have travel protections that, in some cases, might allow you to make a claim and get reimbursed for expenses when you have to cancel — provided that it's for a covered reason.
Keep in mind these types of protections can also cover unreimbursed expenses if, say, you have to spend an unexpected night in a hotel (with ground transportation to and from the hotel) because of an overnight flight delay. Generally, the one huge caveat is that you must have booked all elements of the trip with that card.
If you paid with a card that has travel protections and qualifies for reimbursem*nt on your card's insurance plan, this is where the card can really pay for itself.
Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Don't forget about third-party travel insurance
If you think there's a reason you might end up needing to cancel your trip and either don't have a credit card with trip protections or want even more coverage, you can always consider purchasing a travel insurance plan.
Comprehensive plans will generally reimburse you when you need to cancel a trip for a covered reason. You'll also have the option to add protections like supplemental medical coverage during your trip.
The sooner you purchase the plan after making your first trip payment, the better. Many plans won't cover health conditions or cancellation for named storms or other circ*mstances that exist before the plan is purchased. So, generally speaking, the sooner you purchase the plan, the more things it'll cover.
You can also purchase cancel-for-any-reason insurance plans, but they can be pretty expensive.
That being said, anything you pay in a premium will eat into the cost savings you get from a refund. So, this is generally a better bet for your long-haul business-class ticket to Europe or Asia and less so for your coach ticket to Florida.
Bottom line
There may be cases where a nonrefundable ticket truly is nonrefundable.
However, with more flexible airline policies, federal refund policies and travel insurance plans or cards with insurance, don't automatically assume you're out of luck if you need to cancel a trip just because you booked a nonrefundable ticket.
Related reading:
- Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a beginner or expert traveler
- The best travel credit cards
- The best airline credit cards
- The 18 best places to travel in 2023
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
- 13 must-have items the TPG team can't travel without
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
