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Few things unsettle a trip like a cancelled flight. This SkySparrows guide explains when money can be returned, what alternatives you are likely to be offered and how to work through a cancellation step by step.
If an airline cancels your flight or alters your itinerary in a major way, you are usually given a choice between rebooking, a travel credit and a refund. Which of these is open to you turns on why the disruption happened, the airline's own rules, the fare you bought and the regulations that apply.
In this guide we set out the main circumstances in which a flight refund may be due, show how cancellation policies differ between airlines and list the steps for checking and submitting a refund request.
A refund returns an eligible sum to the payment method you originally used, or is handled as the ticket and supplier rules require. A travel credit is not the same thing: it holds value that you can put toward a later booking.
Where the airline cancels and you turn down the replacement itinerary, you may qualify for a refund under the airline's policy and the applicable regulations. Some paid extras may be assessed for refund separately.
Where you cancel of your own accord, the outcome normally follows the fare rules, the ticket conditions, the cancellation deadline and the supplier's terms for your booking.
Eligibility depends on the facts of each case. The three situations below are the ones that most often decide whether a refund request can be made.
When the airline cancels a scheduled flight and you prefer not to take the alternative it offers, the airline's rules and the regulations may entitle you to a refund. The remedy available depends on your ticket and on the circumstances of the cancellation.
A major alteration to your departure or arrival time, your routing, the airport used or your connections can affect what you are entitled to. If the change reaches the threshold set by regulation or by the airline, and you decline the new itinerary, a refund may be available.
Under some airline and regulatory rules, eligible bookings can be cancelled shortly after purchase for a refund. Whether yours qualifies depends on how and when you booked, your departure date, the airline and the terms that apply.
Policies vary a good deal from one carrier to the next. Your refund or credit options can depend on the airline, the fare type, where you booked, the status of the ticket and the reason for cancelling. Check the rules attached to your own reservation before you cancel.
United reservations are normally handled through the airline's official manage-booking tools. What you can do on cancellation is determined by the fare and the conditions of the ticket.
A refundable fare may be repaid in line with its conditions. Other fares may return a travel credit or carry further restrictions. If United cancels an eligible itinerary or changes it significantly, look at both the refund and the rebooking options offered.
American Airlines bookings can generally be viewed and managed in the airline's reservation system. The result of a cancellation depends on the fare bought and the ticket conditions.
According to the circumstances, cancelling may lead to a refund, a travel credit or another available option. If the disruption was caused by the airline, examine the replacement itinerary and your refund eligibility before you agree to an alternative.
Delta bookings are generally managed through the My Trips service. Cancellation and refund options follow the fare category and any restrictions on the ticket.
Some eligible fares give a refund or a travel credit once cancelled. Where Delta makes a qualifying cancellation or a significant change to the itinerary, consider the alternatives before confirming a new one.
Southwest bookings can generally be managed with its reservation lookup tools or its mobile app. What happens on cancellation depends on the fare type and ticket conditions.
Certain fares qualify for a refund and others convert to travel credit. Take note of the cancellation deadline too, because not acting within the required time can reduce the value left on the ticket.
JetBlue reservations are generally managed through its Manage Trips service. The options for cancelling and for a refund depend on the fare purchased and its conditions.
Refundable fares may be repaid, whereas other fare categories may give a credit or be subject to further restrictions. If JetBlue initiates a qualifying cancellation or itinerary change, weigh the options before taking a replacement.
Spirit bookings can generally be managed on its website or mobile app. The outcome of a cancellation depends on the fare, the ticket conditions and the timing of your request.
Depending on the situation, a cancelled booking may produce a refund, a credit or another applicable option. If Spirit cancels a flight or changes it significantly, review the remedies on offer before accepting a different itinerary.
There is no single timescale. It depends on the airline, the type of ticket, how you paid and the circumstances of the cancellation. After the airline or supplier has processed an approved refund, your bank or card issuer may need more time before the money shows on your account or statement.
Hold on to the refund confirmation or reference number until the amount has been credited. You may need it if you have to follow up with the airline, the supplier, your payment provider or the SkySparrows support team.
Flights are disrupted for many reasons, among them weather, operational problems, aircraft swaps, airport restrictions and staffing. Watching your itinerary and reading airline notifications promptly lets you react quickly when something changes.
SkySparrows helps travelers keep their trip details in order and understand the booking options open to them. If a cancellation, schedule change or other disruption affects your reservation, our support team can go through the booking conditions with you and explain the next steps.
You may be, provided you do not accept the replacement option and subject to the airline's rules, your ticket conditions and the regulations.
It can mean a substantial shift in departure or arrival time, or a change of airport, routing, connections or cabin. The precise standard depends on the regulations and on the details of your itinerary.
Yes, where the rules provide for a refund to the original payment method you may request that instead of a credit. Whether they do depends on the reason for the cancellation and on your ticket conditions.
A voluntary cancellation is generally governed by the fare rules of your ticket. Some fares are refundable, some give a credit and others have little or no value once cancelled.
Some ancillary fees can be refunded if the service was not provided and the airline or supplier rules allow it. Each fee needs to be looked at individually.
That depends on the airline, the supplier, the payment method and the kind of refund. Once it has been processed, your bank or payment provider may take additional time to post it.
It depends on your plans and on the terms of your ticket. If you still mean to travel, compare the change options with the cancellation and refund conditions before you decide.