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Check which airlines have waived change fees due to coronavirus
You could be eligible for a free change or refund if you booked an upcoming flight.
We’ll update this post as new announcements are made.
Several major airlines have adjusted flight schedules in light of recent coronavirus outbreaks. Some are also offering rescheduling flexibility due to the situation. If you booked a flight to an affected region, you may be able to make a change free of charge.
And with President Trump’s 30-day travel ban on 26 European countries, it’s important to check your airline’s policy. Canada also closed its borders to foreigners, with the exception of US citizens. Before you make travel plans, or if you have an upcoming flight booked, check which airlines have canceled routes or updated their change policies.
| Airline | Updated change policy | Date updated | More info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | Change up to 2 hours before scheduled flights booked prior to March 31. Free cancellation for flights booked before March 31. Credit valid for travel through March 31, 2021. | 3/25/2020 | More info |
| Alaska Airlines | Change fees waived/ refunds given depending on fare type for flights booked from Feb. 27 to April 30 for travel through Feb. 28, 2021. | 3/17/2020 | More info |
| American Airlines | No change fee for tickets purchased through April 15. Rescheduled travel must be booked by Dec. 31 or 12 months after original trip — whichever is sooner. | 3/26/2020 | More info |
| British Airways | No change fee on travel through May 31 | 3/17/2020 | More info |
| Cathay Pacific | Cancel for free on flights booked on or before March 23 for travel through May 31. Rebook for travel before Dec. 10. Free change on travel through May 31. Ticket change deadlines apply. | 3/25/2020 | More info |
| Delta | No change fees for domestic flights through April 30 and international flights through May 31. | 3/19/2020 | More info |
| Frontier | Free change or cancellation through March 31 | 3/25/2020 | More info |
| Hawaiian Airlines | No change fee for flights booked through March 31 | 3/17/2020 | More info |
| JetBlue | No change fee for travel through May 31 and on bookings made between March 6 and March 31 for travel through Sept. 8. Customers can rebook through Oct. 24. No change fee for new flights booked through March 31. | 3/25/2020 | More info |
| Southwest | As per its usual policy, no change for flights canceled up to 10 minutes before departure. Funds can be used for future travel up to one year after original purchase, with some extensions: Customers' funds set to expire between March 1 and May 31, 2020 will now expire June 30, 2021. Applies to flight cancellations as well. Change flights through April 30 up to 60 days from the original date of travel without paying any fare difference if traveling from same origin and destination. Visit southwest.com/rebook. | 3/25/2020 | More info |
| Spirit | Receive a credit for flights canceled. Credit can be used up to 6 months. | 3/17/2020 | More info |
| Sun Country | No change fee for travel through May 31 | 3/17/2020 | More info |
| Qantas | All international flights from Australia suspended from end of March through at least May 31. No change fee on flights through July 31 if changes are made by April 30. Get a flight credit to be used within 18 months. | 3/26/2020 | More info |
| United Airlines | No change fee for flights booked on or before March 2 for travel through May 31. Ticket holders who cancel a flight will receive a credit to be used within 12 months. See United’s travel notices for full details on travel waivers. On international flights disrupted by travel restrictions, receive a credit to use within 12 months. After 12 months, ticket holders who do not rebook will receive a refund. | 3/25/2020 | More info |
| Virgin Atlantic | No change fees for travel through Nov. 30. Rebook before April 30, 2021. | 3/25/2020 | More info |
Other steps airlines have taken
Major airlines including American, United and Delta have implemented stricter cleaning practices and standards in light of the coronavirus. Delta recently announced a fogging procedure that disinfects surface areas in its aircraft. The airline noted it uses a “safe, high-grade EPA-registered disinfectant that is highly effective against many communicable diseases, including coronaviruses.”
Airlines like Southwest, Jet Blue and others have enhanced their cleaning procedures with measures like regular deep cleans and daily wipe-downs of hard surfaces like armrests and tray tables.
Picture: Getty Images
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