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Delta Extends Free Change to Flights Booked through April 2021

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Delta is giving travelers even longer to book any flight worry-free, extending its free change and cancellation policies to all tickets booked by April 30, 2021 – a last-minute extension after that policy was set to end.

That means you could change any ticket for future travel without paying hefty fees so long as you book by the end of April. Or cancel it and get a voucher that lasts through the end of 2022. And even award tickets booked using SkyMiles and Delta basic economy fares qualify for free change or cancellation.

Meanwhile, Delta has also extended the validity of any travel credits from trips canceled in 2020 or 2021. Those credits will now last all the way through December 2022.

Read why you should wait before canceling flights – especially if you want a refund rather than a voucher.

Airlines left and right granted these waivers to reassure anxious travelers – and convince them to keep buying tickets. Delta was the first major U.S. carrier to apply these waivers retroactively for upcoming travel, though other airlines eventually matched that policy.

But after a recent extension, Delta has gone farther than any other U.S. carrier. Only time will tell if other airlines match Delta.

 

What Delta Flights are Eligible to Be Changed or Canceled?

Delta has steadily expanded its waivers to be more and more generous as travelers plan to stay home.

When you choose to cancel an upcoming flight, you'll get a voucher for future travel – not a refund. But Delta has extended the validity of these eCredits: The eCredits you get from canceling almost any flight booked by the end of 2021 will last until December 2022.

If you're trying to plan future trips as travel climbs back, Delta is waiving change fees for all tickets booked throughout from now through April 30, 2021 for future travel, including the cheapest Delta basic economy fares. Basic economy fares typically cannot be changed or canceled.

That means you could book a ticket in the next month for travel as far out as early 2022 and change or cancel it down the line. And with flight prices dropping worldwide, it could make sense – so long as you're planning far out in advance.

One important note: When you cancel for a voucher, each individual traveler will get the value of their ticket back in their SkyMiles wallet. It won't all go back to the person who bought the tickets.

Read more about how to find and use these eCredits and vouchers

These waivers also apply to award tickets booked with SkyMiles.

After that April 30 deadline passes, you'll need to book a main cabin fare or higher in order to get free change or cancellation.

But for now, these waivers mean you can change your trip for free or cancel your eligible trip and get a voucher for the value of your ticket. You may still have to pay a fare difference if you change to a more expensive flight.

“From offering change-fee waivers for impacted and upcoming travel to supporting social distancing on board, Delta is committed to taking steps to ensure we’re protecting customers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Delta said in a previous statement.
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See how other major airlines in the U.S. and abroad are giving travelers more flexibility.

With Delta, those fees are typically at least $200 on domestic flights – and often much more for international trips. While Delta and other airlines recently got rid of these change fees permanently, that didn't apply to basic economy tickets or international travel. So this current policy goes even farther.

If you're booking with SkyMiles, you generally have to pay $150 to cancel an award ticket to get your SkyMiles back. Delta has changed that for main cabin awards and up, but this policy goes farther with your SkyMiles, too.

 

Bottom Line

Delta was quick to come out with the most generous policy we've seen from U.S. airlines to give travelers more flexibility. Along with other airlines, Delta continues extending these flexible cancellation policies.

 

Lead photo courtesy of Chris Lundberg via Flickr.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

87 Responses

  • Why didn’t Delta also retroactively help us who purchased dometic flights prior to March 1st for travel in March?

    • They did!
      No Change Fees for All Tickets Purchased on or before March 9, 2020
      Impacted Travel Date(s): March 1, 2020 – April 30, 2020
      New Ticket Must Be Re-issued On/Before: Dec 31, 2020
      Rebooked Travel Must Begin No Later Than: Dec 31, 2020

  • Do you think Delta will give refunds for change fees paid already for March travel internationally?

      • I talked with Delta Vacations and the answer is yes, the same policies apply to Delta Vacations. Vouchers with no change fee are issues when the Delta Vacation is cancelled, and a new vacation must be booked within 90 days of cancelling. Travel for the new vacation must begin by Dec. 31, 2020.

        • Hey Rob,

          Did you cancel online or call them? My vacation wasn’t supposed to be until May so I don’t want to call yet, but also don’t want to be charged the balance of a vacation I can’t go on.

  • Does this mean that, if I book international travel before April 30th, I’d be able to change/cancel the ticket as long as I rebook for something leaving before the end of the year? I’m planning some travel for the fall to an area currently affected, but want to know that I’ll be protected in case coronavirus makes the trip impossible as time goes on.

  • Notices like this is what makes TT Premium so worth it!
    Thanks for the early heads up.
    I called and was successful getting my miles redeposit fee refunded.

  • My school booking for a trip for a competition for my student and myself hopefully this week but will miss out on that waiver or cancellation if they choose to cancel competition. We will do it after today. What would be a good option if they cancel we obviously would not re book a trip

  • Does this new policy allow you to change the dates of an award ticket and still pay the same number of miles?

  • The conference I was planning to attend this week was canceled this morning. I went to delta.com and saw their statement about waiving fees for all flights purchased before March 9th. I canceled my flight and went to my account to check on the eCredits. Unfortunately, my account was $200 short. I called Delta and after waiting 1.5 hours for a callback (which I was fine with, since I didn’t have to wait on hold) I was told that their system “isn’t smart enough to calculate the $200 fee waiver”. The rep told me that he made a note on my account and when I want to purchase a new flight I will have to call them back and ask them to apply the credit that doesn’t show on my account.

  • Can anyone confirm whether this also applies to Basic Economy tickets, which normally can’t be changed at all? Or is it just waiving the fee on changeable tickets?

    Also, if the fare of the new flight is lower than that of the original ticket, do you get a refund/voucher for the difference?

  • What about cancelling an award ticket with Delta.
    Will the miles be redeposited and will they refund the fees paid back to the credit card?
    Thank you

    • Yes, so long as your trips is eligible under these waivers, your miles can be redeposited without a fee.

  • I called and they will refund the change fee I paid as well as the taxes/fees paid when booking. This was well worth the effort as fees to London LHR are crazy!

  • Can you cancel and rebook same flight for cheaper?
    For instance, I have a wedding in Dallas end of March. Paid $400 in January/Feb, now the same flight is $120. Thoughts?

      • Hi Kyle, I thought I posted this question yesterday. So in Dan’s questions, if hr gets the $400 vouvher, and rebooks the $120 ticket, will he still be able to use the remain $280 of the voucher for another trip, or two? Im just a little confused on the voucher/credits they will give us.

  • So I just went on and tried to cancel my upcoming international business class flight. When I did it says “ticket nonrefundable” and posts a cancellation fee which is VERY significant. Will this just retroactively be put back into the value of the tickets? Can anyone verify? Thanks!

    • That is our understanding based on what we’ve heard from Delta, but you should absolutely reach out to Delta (via phone or social media) to confirm.

  • To cancel a flight booked using miles, I understand that the miles go back into the miles account. Do they also require rebooking/reusing the miles by a given date? Or do they simply go back into the account for use at anytime? Also will the fees paid for the 9/11 Security Fee get refunded?

    • There is currently no published timeline to use redeposited miles, but please do check with Delta to make sure.

    • There is currently no published timeline to use redeposited miles, but please do check with Delta to make sure.

      • Apologies if this has already been asked. I booked travel on June 1, 2019 for March 31, 2020. If we end of cancelling, do I only have until June 1, 2020 (one year from original booking) to complete travel? This is how I’m understanding the policy but wondering if they are making exceptions. It doesn’t buy me much time & conflicts with school calendar for family travel. Thanks TT for any help!

  • I need to cancel my flight next week. If I booked it with SkyMiles, will those miles be redeposited into my account? Further, am I required to rebook or can I simply cancel my flight next week? Wait times on the phone are 5+ hours so any feedback will help!

    • You should be able to cancel an eligible flight booked with SkyMiles and get them redeposited – not rebook.

    • We haven’t heard anything specifically about companion ticket bookings – you’re best off reaching out directly to Delta. And if you can, please let us know what you hear.

  • Any news on what sun country is doing? I can’t get through their phone line and it says it will cost me $200 per ticket to cancel. I read somewhere they are offering free cancellations

  • This is good, and I do appreciate it, but it still really sucks for those of us who’d invested lots of time finding a great deal on an award flight and now all we get are our miles back– not my fabulous Delta One ticket to Paris.

  • If you cancel your flight on Delta would you get a voucher of the money you paid or would you lose the money you paid

  • I am trying to cancel my tomorrow’s basic economy flight and get a voucher.
    I am keep calling Delta but have not succeeded to speak anybody yet.
    Is there any dead line to cancel my flight to get a voucher? Am I required to cancel my flight before departure time?

  • Cancelled a flight scheduled for this weekend March 15 due to health concerns of several elderly who were flying. Delta charged my sister $200 for her flight cancellation and charged my other sister $150 to credit back her Frequent Flyer miles. So as far as we’re concerned their website policy statement is misleading and deceptive. We were trying to be conscientious and do the right thing and instead are being ripped off!

    • Kathleen, please read the bottom part of this post — it has some insight as to why it seems you were charged these fees.

  • How about a ticket purchased with citi card points on Delta?
    Can that be cancelled and points put back into account?

  • Thank you, my sister was able to get through to Delta customer service, however the representative chastised her for cancelling online (even though the website and phone recording gave those direction), and gave her a hard time about refunding the $200 fee. He said her only option was to rebook a new date right then on the phone, which she wasn’t prepared to do since there is too much uncertainty about travelling. Long story short, she persisted with him and he finally gave her the voucher without the fee, which is all she wanted in the first place.

    I haven’t been able to get through on the phone due to technical dificulties they are having. I hope I have a better experience than she did once I talk to them. I have heard others have had no problem in getting the voucher over the phone.

  • When I try to redeposit my miles for 2 tickets booked for domestic travel on April 4, the Delta site requests my credit card information which amounts to $300. Will they charge my card and if so when will the charge be reversed by Delta?

    • Delta has been having trouble inadvertently displaying change/cancellation/redeposit fees when doing it online. We believe this either won’t be charged or would be reversed, but you should confirm with Delta by calling or messaging via Twitter.

  • I am confused…can someone please clarify- Our flight to Ireland is on April 30 and we paid with Skymiles. Can I get the miles re-deposited back in my Skymiles account without any fees/penalty? If so, can we then re-book our trip for the same time next year or do we have to use those miles before the 12/31/20 deadline?

    Will the taxes/fees paid for the Skymiles flight be reimbursed to us on the card used to pay?

    Sounds like Delta will charge some fees but that is an issue with their program used and in order to get any fees waived I would need to phone Delta?
    Thank you-

  • Do you know if I can get a full refund if my flight isnt until May 17th? I purchased the travel insurance, will it work for that? Thank you

  • Our party of 8 was charged and extra $220 ea for a change to a Delta domestic flight last week. Then an additional $95 because that flight was full and they moved us to a later flight! So far no luck on getting reimbursed or credited. Any suggestions? Very frustrated by false advertising and price gouging. They said we had to pay the difference between what we paid for the flight and the current price – which they increased to over $400 one way!!!! Help!

  • Mexico trip has been booked to travel in 3 weeks and obviously can’t happen and it was for a wedding booked thru delta vacations. Can we get refund? I don’t want a voucher.

    • If your flight and hotel reservation gets canceled outright, you may be eligible for a full refund. But that is a tall order.

  • Our concern is, 8 of us booked International flights back in Dec for a May 1 Delta flight to Barcelona and returning out of Venice May 15th. We are 99% sure this won’t happen but we have not received any notification from Delta or NCL on any cancellation.
    If we cancel our flight (approximately $4k per ticket), do we have to use it all at once or can we use it for future trips at smaller increments until the credit voucher is used up??
    Don’t have much use for $8000.00 worth of domestic tickets living in Boise ID.
    We can’t fly anywhere without connections thru Seattle, Ptld, PHX, SLC or Denver.

    • You should have no problem using those vouchers/eCredits multiple times until the value is used up. 2 Major things to keep in mind with them:

      -Delta typically gives a credit to each individual passenger on the reservation, rather than one big voucher to one person.
      -There will be an expiration date on the vouchers/credits by which you need to travel by.

  • Is it true that an upgrade to Economy+ won’t be refunded? I think that’s what I read or figured out, but I just wanted to double check to hopefully hear/see that I’m wrong.

  • Kyle, thank you. I sent a message through Twitter to Delta, and Solomon responded about 3.5 hours after I sent the message. In about ten minutes of messaging back and forth he had processed the refunds for the Economy + portion of our tickets.

  • Thank you for your quick response as well, Kyle, and letting me know what I should’ve expected from Delta!

  • I booked a companion certificate with my regular fare ticket and was able to text a Delta agent and she gave me a credit for the regular fare and gave me back my companion certificate with a new exp. date of 12/31 instead of 6/30. Took a total of 7 minutes. Great service!

  • A flight we have booked in June to Florida has dropped in price by half. I understand that we cancel, get the e-credits, and rebook the same flight for cheaper. However, do you know what happens if we end up needing to cancel the rebooked/cheaper flight (supposed to go on a cruise)?? I read somewhere delta will only allow you to cancel once for a credit?

  • We purchased flights to Portland, Oregon in February 2020 to fly out in June 2020 for $1200 roundtrip for my wife and I non-stop. As the our trip draws nearer, we anticipate not being able to go due to the lingering virus threat and social distancing. If we decide to cancel for an evoucher and schedule another flight for somewhere else say for half the cost, will we be able to get a credit for the remainder of the unused amount in the form of another voucher, credit, etc., until we have used up our total purchase amount?

  • Booked tickets to East Coast for August for a trip with our daughter, now cancelled. Purchased two tickets and used our AMEX award certificate for the third. Do you think these domestic flights are likely to be cancelled, meaning we should wait it out? Or does the award certificate make this messier and we’re better off to cancel now?

    • Really tough to say what might happen with domestic flights in August. Regardless, I’d give it a while and see how that shakes out before canceling proactively. Handling your companion certificate shouldn’t be a problem either way.

  • I am scheduled to fly out June 3rd-June 20th 2020 with Delta. Next week! We are wanting to reschedule our flight to July 2nd-July 18th 2020. The state we are flying into is still in phases of covid 19 and quarantine for 14 days is in place at this time, and things are not open. Will delta issue a refund if I cancel and then Rebook. I am also just trying to go into my trips to reschedule and it will not let me. It tells me I have to call a number which I have been the past 10 hours. I have tried calling and not luck for the past 10 hours. My next question is how soon will Delta issue credits or points? or should I call my Amercian express card to cancel and request refund? I am wanting to turn right around and book to make sure I have my flight. Thanks for your help!

  • I’ve received an ecredit for the full flight value but then when I’m trying to rebook on the Internet the evoucher code is coming through $200 short! Seems the website thinks that they charged the cancellation fee. Called uk support and they said they can see I have tge full value but its an IT glitch and that I must call the US number. Hours of holding and no answer, with high international call costs I still have no resolution! And idea on how go about getting the correct credit amount sorted (without calling the states) so I can book a new trip

  • I have a flight booked with Delta. I looked at changing it, and the language made it seem like you can only make ONE change. Do you know if you can change multiple times? For example, could I make a change today, and then make another change in a week? Or am I only able to make ONE total change for the reservation?

    • It’s our understanding that you can make just one change to the reservation, but that may depend largely on which agent helps you.

  • We booked domestic tickets with Delta on their website in January, 2020 for a trip in September, 2020. Would our purchased tickets be eligible for cancellation or a voucher?

    • Stephen,

      If Delta cancels or significantly changes (by 90+ minutes, or adds a connection) your itinerary, you would be eligible for a refund. Otherwise, you could cancel it and get a voucher good until Sept. 30, 2022.

  • I booked flights for November 26th to Orlando for a Cruise. This was booked on Feb. 26th and we where just notified that the cruise was canceled do to they could not finish building the ship due to Covid-19. I rescheduled our cruise for June 2021 and need to reschedule for June do you think I will have a problem. Side note … I did purchase insurance but would rather not go that route.

  • I booked a domestic economy flight in June for travel in July and cancelled due to COVID, especially prompted by the language on their website stating that I could change or cancel for free. My cancellation confirmation page showed the full refund amount for the ticket and $0 for cancellation fee. Guess what? I didn’t get a refund and didn’t even get a credit. Delta is refusing the refund, claims I never cancelled the flight (despite having email confirmations of the flight cancellation and refund request), and also says the cancellation fee is charged by Expedia. Doesn’t make sense at all. Be very careful!

  • The above information about expiration dates for ecredits is wrong.
    Below is copied from Delta website:
    “We are working quickly to address a technical issue impacting our ability to show the updated expiration dates. We apologize for any inconvenience. Rest assured all applicable existing eCredits (for tickets purchased before April 17, 2020) will be automatically extended to December 31, 2022.”

  • Delta is still charging 350$ cancellation fees for global travel that bans US persons from entering their country and hence, cannot use the Delta ticket. This must be an american -style hustler tactic for even more economic greed.

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