How To Cancel Booking With Delta Airlines
How to Cancel a Delta Flight
There are several situations when you might want to cancel a confirmed flight on Delta Air Lines. A new job, an addition to the family, an injury or a health emergency can end travel plans in a moment. Delta Airlines Cancellation Policy
Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many U.S. airlines, including Delta, implemented flier-friendly policies that help travelers cancel most flights painlessly and without a charge. And even today, many of those policies are still in place — at least to some extent.
Here's how to cancel a Delta flight online — and how much it costs to cancel a Delta flight, if you choose to.
Delta’s flight cancellation policy
Delta’s flight cancellation policy is most easily understood by knowing what fare restrictions exist by ticket type. These types are as follows:
Basic economy (most restrictive).
Nonrefundable (some restrictions).
Refundable (most flexible).
Secondary to ticket type is the window of time in which you cancel your trip. The airline recommends that all cancellations happen prior to departure.
How to cancel a Delta flight
Introverts, rejoice, as the easiest way to cancel a Delta flight is online. Log in to your Delta SkyMiles account, go to My Trips and select the trip you want to change or cancel. Click the "Modify flight" button and proceed with the cancellation.
Another way to cancel a Delta flight is by calling reservations at 800-221-1212. However, this method might be time-consuming, especially given staffing issues or if there's a severe weather event. Both factors can affect phone wait times.
If the hold queues for reservations are too long and you can’t get an agent on the phone, it’s possible to cancel a Delta ticket through an online chat session. Message Delta and request a flight cancellation.
If your flight qualifies for the free cancellation policy, you’ll receive an eCredit toward your next booking.
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How do Delta eCredits work?
For canceled flights that weren't otherwise fully refundable, you'll get the value back as a. A Delta flight credit is typically valid for one year. These credits can be accessed through your account.
Usually, eCredit refunds are issued to a specific passenger and must be used to book new travel for the same passenger, thus they can’t be used for someone else.
How much does it cost to cancel a Delta flight?
The cost to cancel a Delta flight depends on when you want to cancel and the type of fare you purchased. Not all fares are treated equally, so let’s take a look at how much it costs to cancel a Delta flight.
Any fare type within 24 hours of booking: $0
Passengers who cancel a flight within 24 hours of purchase are entitled to a full refund back to the credit card, no matter what type of ticket they booked.
Basic economy fare after grace period: Starts at $99
With most Delta basic economy tickets, your options to cancel are pretty slim.
If you do cancel, you can't get a full refund. Instead, you'll receive an eCredit that can be used toward future Delta tickets. But that's not always the best option. For starters, Delta eCredits typically expire one year from the date of purchase. Plus, you'll owe a fee just to initiate that charge. Fees vary by ticket, but they typically start at $99 and run up to $199. Considering Delta basic economy tickets tend to be pretty cheap to begin with, you might just have to take this missed flight as a sunk cost
Basic Economy Award Tickets are also non-changeable and non refundable in most cases.
Nonrefundable fare after grace period for travel that originates in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean: $0
Delta does not charge change and cancellation fees for Main Cabin or above tickets on flights originating from the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. Though, you won't get the money back in cash. The value of your fare converts to an eCredit, which usually expires one year from the date of purchase.
Nonrefundable fare after grace period for travel that originated elsewhere: Varies
Beyond the 24-hour booking window, canceling a nonrefundable ticket for travel originating outside of those places will typically incur a cancellation fee.
And sometimes even basic economy airfares may be changeable for a fee. Here are those fees, by region, which applies to basic economy tickets issued for travel originating in that region and on or after February 23, 2023:
Refundable Ticket
If you shelled out the extra cash to purchase a refundable ticket, Delta Airlines cancellations Policy can be made anytime before the departure of your flight and the refund will be issued to your original payment method.
Award Ticket
Delta SkyMiles award tickets for travel within the U.S. can be canceled without fee any time prior to departure.
For award tickets that originate outside of the U.S., cancellations must be made at least 72 hours in advance of the departure or return of the flight. Award ticket cancellation fees are a flat fee of $150 regardless of fare class or destination, but the fee is waived if you’re a SkyMiles Medallion member.
After canceling your ticket and paying the $150 cancellation fee, all of the miles that you used to book the flight will be deposited back into your account.
