Can you get a refund from a non-refundable airline ticket? . . . Secrets from an airline reservation agent

Do I need travel insurance?

If the cost of your airline ticket is more than the penalty fee and/or you’re not ok with losing out on all or most of your money, I highly recommend travel insurance.

You really don’t know what will happen! It’s the same concept with regards to car insurance, you pay for insurance coverage so that you are covered just in case something happens.

If you’ve already purchased your nonrefundable ticket then buying travel insurance isn’t much of an option. But just make sure you consider buying coverage for your next trip!

Refundable vs Non-Refundable Airline Tickets 

Most consumers buy nonrefundable tickets – mainly because they are the cheapest. A fully refundable airline ticket is usually 2-4 times more in cost so of course most people are gonna pass on a refundable ticket.

Most of the airline tickets (refundable and nonrefundable) are non-transferable. This means the person the ticket issued for is the only one that will be able to use the ticket. Non-refundable tickets also come with the most restrictions. 

Airlines charge up to $200 for domestic and up to $750 for international to make voluntary changes to a nonrefundable ticket. This can be really expensive because you also have to pay any difference in fare – if any. 

Pro tip: Before you purchase your airline ticket consider buying your airline ticket directly from the carrier directly – not through a 3rd party. You can book with the carrier online, over the phone or at the airport however just remember there’s usually a reservation fee if you book with an airline over the phone or at the airport. Avoid the reservation fee by booking it yourself on the airline’s website.

The Fare Rules

Because there are so many options out there it’s best to compare the different fares available and determine which fits your needs. It’s imperative that you read the fare rules of ANY ticket that you purchase.

What are fare rules and where do you find them, you ask? 

Every airline is required to provide you with the terms and conditions for every ticket. You want to be sure to read the fare rules because this is what tells you what kind of ticket you are purchasing and what you will and will not be able to do with it once it’s purchased. 

Pro Tip: Make sure you read the fare rules of the ticket BEFORE you buy it.

You can find the fare rules on the airline’s site during the booking process. There is usually a link in small print that says something like “Click here to view the fare rules”. Most people (9 out of 10 people) overlook this and purchase tickets not fully understanding the terms and conditions of the ticket.  

Ok so you’ve purchased a nonrefundable airline ticket and now your plans have changed, what do you do?

There are plenty of different ways to either make a voluntary change to a nonrefundable ticket (without being penalized) or get a refund.

Related: 5 Secrets to beat the system every time and get cheap flights

How do I get a refund on a non-refundable airline ticket?

Well, that depends on your situation. . . Let’s go over a few things you need to know.

If you are purchasing a ticket for travel within, from, and/or to the United States, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be canceled within 24 hours without penalty (the “24- hour reservation requirement”).

Some will do either or and others will do both but most carriers prefer for you to purchase and then issue a refund within 24 hours. This 24-hr policy applies to nonrefundable and refundable tickets.

Pro Tip: Even though it’s a 24-hr period, most carriers will give you until 1159P the following evening to cancel and get a full refund or make a change without being penalized. 

If you are only looking to make a change, you can make an unlimited amount of changes within this 24 hour period. Each carrier is different so you want to check with the airline prior to purchasing your ticket.

Also, some carriers and 3rd party travel agencies have policies that are much more lenient so be sure you verify your options (Southwest Airlines, Frontier, Allegiant, or Alaska airlines).

Free 24-hour Hold Option

Not all airlines give this as an option. The ones that do (ex. American Airlines, ) offer a free and paid option to place a reservation on hold before actually buying a ticket. It’s free for a 24-hour hold however there’s a fee if you want to hold it for 3 days or 7 days. 

How to hold airline tickets online?

How to hold airline tickets online, you ask? If you are buying your ticket from an airline that gives you the option to hold your airline ticket online, I highly recommend that you do so. Not only does this guarantee you’re buying the best fare at the time but it gives you a little more time to decide to buy it.

To hold airline tickets online, simply go through the booking process as you normally would. Once you get to the payment screen, select the hold option. Make sure you read the terms and conditions because each carrier is different.

Free 24-hour Cancellation Option 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to do one of either option:

1. Provide passengers with a 24-hour hold option prior to purchasing a ticket, Or,
2. Allow passengers to cancel and receive a full refund within 24-hours of purchasing their tickets.

Some carriers offer both options while others will offer either-or.

Pro tip: The 24-hour cancellation grace period doesn’t apply to tickets that are purchased 0-1 days prior to the date of departure.

Involuntary Changes 

Schedule Change 

Airlines make changes to flight numbers, times of travel & availability of flights on a weekly basis. Sometimes your itinerary is affected by these changes and sometimes it’s not. If the times of your flight(s) change (depending on the carrier of how much it changed), you can request to cancel your itinerary and get a full refund. 

Some airlines will allow a refund if the flight times have changed 59 mins or more. Other airlines will only allow a refund if the flight times have changed by 90 or 120 mins or more.

If changes happen but it’s under 59 mins, the airline will allow you to change the time of travel and/or leave the day before or after your original ticketed date. Pretty cool huh? 

You’re also eligible for a refund if your direct flight is discontinued and now only a connecting flight option is the only option. This will allow you to choose to depart from or arrive into a different airport within 300 miles from your original point of origin/destination. Check with the carrier to verify.

Canceled or Delayed Flight 

If your flight is canceled – regardless of the reason, you can choose to obtain a full refund instead of being re-accommodated on the next available flight. This also applies to flights that are majorly delayed or cause you to misconnect at a connection point. 

If the unfortunate event happens where you fly into your connecting city and you misconnect, your flight is delayed and/or cancel, you could decide to go right back to the city you originally departed from. The airline will put you on the next available flight back and then you will be eligible for a partial refund for the unused portion of the ticket.

Voluntary Changes 

A voluntary change is considered to be anything causing you not to travel that the airline didn’t cause.

Pro tip: Consider buying your airline ticket from an airline that is more flexible when it comes to making voluntary changes and/or requesting a refund (ex. Southwest, Alaska, Allegiant and Frontier).

Here are 4 mains ways you can make a voluntary change to your ticket (without being penalized) or get a refund:

Travel Notice 

So depending on what’s going in the world today, airlines issue travel notices that allow changes and/or refunds based on each specific situation.  

Due to the Coronavirus, most airlines are making a one-time exception that waives the change fee (and other terms of certain tickets). Keep in mind that this is courtesy and travel notices come with restrictions. 

So depending on when you purchased your ticket, what dates you’re traveling, and your destination will determine what changes you can make with your ticket. 

The airline’s travel notices are usually listed on their website so be sure to check there anytime you are looking for options. 

Depending on what each travel notice is, will determine what you will be able to do

A Death in the Family

This is an unfortunate situation not to travel however airlines do offer changes and refunds due to the death of an immediate family member. Immediate family is considered spouse, parents, parent-in-law, siblings, children and grandparents. You will usually have to provide the name and phone number of the funeral home if you want to make a change to the ticket. Keep in mind you will still need to pay any difference of fare – if any. 

If you prefer to cancel all together and request a refund you will have to submit an official refund request and provide a copy of the death certificate. 

When all else fails, both of these options will for sure help with what you are looking to do. 

Jury Duty

Some (not many) airlines will allow you to cancel or rebook if you have been assigned jury duty. United Airlines have done this before, they do require you to send in your summons for verification.

Critical Illness

Some carriers don’t really have a waiver due to someone falling ill however most carriers do make expectations for a critical illness.

A critical illness is usually considered when you or an immediate family member (ex. spouse, parents, parent-in-law, siblings, children and grandparents) are hospitalized and or seriously injured.

You can call customer service to verify what options they offer however if you’re denied, reach out to customer relations or contact the carrier via one of the social media platforms (Twitter is preferred by many passengers).

Military Waiver

This option is great for active military personnel. Most of the carriers will offer flexible options if you are activated for duty. You will need to provide your commander’s name and phone number. Keep in mind you will still have to pay any difference of fare – if any.

If you have dependents that are also traveling, the waiver usually applies to them too.

Pro tip: If you active military personal and travel or either personal or on orders, you are usually given a 3-5 bag allowance. Check with your carrier to confirm what they allow.

Last Resort Solution

Social Media

We live in a world focused around social media so it should not be a surprise this is a great way to not only get an immediate response from an airline but they are also more open to allowing changes or issuing a refund (usually in the form of a voucher). 

Major carriers do not want consumers to express how unhappy they are with regards to their products and/or services on social media platforms. They usually have a department that only handles social media communication so it’s a big deal to airlines. If you post something about how unhappy you are, you will be able to get some kind of resolution 90% of the time. 

Contact Customer Relations 

This option will take some time because you usually have to submit a written request and then wait 2-3 weeks before they get back to you. 

How long does it take for an airline to refund my money?

The refund process varies depending on which carrier you’re traveling on. Some

The Takeaway

• Yes, you can get your money back from a nonrefundable airline ticket! . . . It’s just a matter of which loophole or workaround.
• Make sure you cancel the itinerary prior to the departure of the flight. Each carrier’s cancellation policy is different so check with them to verify what the require to cancel the itinerary.
• Verify if the carrier has a 24-hour hold option. If they do, use it!
• Sign up for flight notifications to stay up-to-date with the status of your flights.
• Because changes happen all the time, you will need to use this article as a guide but ultimately you will need to contact the airline directly to verify what their policies are – each carrier is different!
• When possible purchase your airline tickets directly from the carrier – instead of through a 3rd party booking source.
• Buy travel insurance – just in case something happens!