How to Cancel a Flight
Travel plans change. You might get sick, have a work conflict, or simply change your mind. Whatever the reason, you may find yourself needing to cancel a flight. However, cancellation policies can be confusing, and if you don’t follow the proper steps you might end up losing out on a refund. This guide will teach you how to cancel a flight without any headaches.
Step One: Check the Cancellation Policy
Most airlines have similar cancellation policies, but it is always best to check with your specific airline to avoid any surprises. Most airlines allow you to cancel your flight within 24 hours of booking with no penalty. After that 24-hour grace period, you will likely be charged a fee for canceling. The fee can range anywhere from $50-$200 depending on the airline and how far in advance you are canceling.
There are some airlines that will refund the entire cost of your ticket if you cancel more than 7 days before departure, but this is becoming increasingly rare. If you purchased a “non-refundable” ticket, then you will not be able to get any money back for cancelling, but you may be able to use the credit towards a future flight.
Step Two: Call or Go Online
Once you have reviewed the cancellation policy, it is time to take action and actually cancel the flight. The easiest way to do this is by calling the airline directly and speaking with a customer service representative. They will process your request and schedule any refunds that are due to you.
You can also cancel online through the airline’s website; however, this option is usually more difficult to find than just calling customer service. If you would prefer not to speak with someone over the phone, search around the website for a “contact us” or “customer support” section where you should be able to find instructions for cancelling online. Some airlines even have chatbots that can assist you with cancelling your flight online as well!
-If You Bought Through a Third Party-
If you did not book directly through the airline (for example, if you booked through Expedia or another travel site), then you will need to contact that site instead of going straight to the airline. The process for cancelling will be similar; however, there may be some additional steps involved, such as logging into your account on their website before being able to access cancellation options.
Step Three: Requesting a Refund (if applicable)
As we mentioned before, most airlines charge some type of fee for cancelling flights; however, if your flight was cancelled by the airline (not by choice), then they are required by law to provide a full refund with no penalty fees! If this happens, contact customer service immediately in order to get processed for a refund as soon as possible—the sooner you act, the better chance you have of getting your money back quickly without any trouble.
Cancelling flights can be tricky business; luckily this guide provides everything necessary for successfully completing a cancellation with little-to-no stress! Just remember these key points: first check the cancellation policy so there are no surprises; second call or go online to start processing the cancellation; third request a refund if your flight was cancelled by the airline—and most importantly relax knowing that everything is under control!
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Safe travels.