Sometimes plans don't work out. Either stuff crops up and gets in the way or plans change and you need to reschedule. It is easy to be blindsided by the happenings of life, however what can sometimes not be easy is knowing the ins and outs of your tickets, and understanding how to cancel them. In this article we will go through the ifs whys and hows of cancelling your ticket, so that you can reschedule your travel plans with ease.
Cancelling your ticket is not always the right thing to do. If you can no longer make your flight, most airlines will charge a cancellation fee. On top of that, unless you have some kind of guarantee such as Alternative Airlines' Cancellation Protection product, you are unlikely to see a refund on a standard ticket. Every airline will have some exceptions so we recommend checking their policy before you book.
Before you cancel your flight, you should check if your airline will allow you to reschedule your ticket to a date that works for you. Most airlines will allow you to reschedule your flight up to the date of departure, but some may incur an additional fee.
Finding out how to cancel your flight and whether or not you will get a refund can be a complicated undertaking. Sometimes airlines will try to put you off cancelling by burying their cancellation policy deep in their T&Cs. So what is the best way to figure out how to cancel?
If you booked directly with an airline, then you should be able to access a ticket management portal on their website. Through there you should be able to change your bookings dates or cancel them altogether. In this portal you should also be able to find out more about the airlines refund policy.
Alternative Airlines makes cancelling and rescheduling your flights easy. If you're trying to construct travel plans, but you're worried they might change, book with Alternative Airlines to check out our Cancellation Protection Coverage Plans.
When you plan flights, you don't always feel the need to consider cancellation straight away. However when an occasion arises that demands you cancel or reschedule your flight, its good to know the grace period you have.
Most airlines have a policy where they will offer a complete refund if you cancel your flight up to 24 hours after the booking was made. Beyond that period policies will change from region to region and airline to airline. The best way to find out how long you have to cancel your flight is the to check your airlines Terms and Conditions before booking your tickets. They will strictly outline all of the procedures for cancellation, including the window of opportunity.
You might be asking: 'Can I cancel any flight in 24 hours?' The answer is yes! Worldwide aviation authorities such as the CAA in the UK or the DoT in the USA enforce strict rules on airlines that trade in their regions. One of these rules is that airlines must give passengers a window of at least 24 hours to cancel their ticket and receive a refund.
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If you want to guarantee a refund there are some protections you can purchase as addons to your ticket. If you book with Alternative Airlines we offer a product which can help you get a refund. This is our Cancellation Protection add-on which protects you in instances where you can't make your flight due to a personal emergency. This might include injury, car failures or court summons.
If you purchase a flight with a fully refundable ticket you will receive your full money back if you decide to cancel it. Terms and Conditions still apply (including cancellation fees.)
If your flight is cancelled while you are in the airport, you should attend the airlines helpdesk, where they would be happy to book you onto the next available flight to your destination. If your flight has been pre-emptively cancelled then your airline should automatically rebook it. If they didn't, the best way to rebook your flight is to use the search bar at the top of the page to find the perfect flight for you.
