Coronavirus: Delta waives change fee for two years for passengers due to fly in April, May
Good news for travelers who are weary of flying anytime soon due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic: Delta Air Lines is making a major change to their rebooking policy.
Passengers now have the flexibility to change their flights for up to two years without paying a hefty change fee. Tickets normally expire after one year, but the Atlanta-based carrier announced Friday it is extending its policy for travel through May 31, 2022.Â
The two-year window applies to customers who who were due to fly in April or May and booked by April 3, as well as those who had flights canceled or have eCredits for flights during that time.
Travelers who bought tickets between March 1 and May 31 can still change their flight without incurring a change fee, but will only be eligible to do so for a year from their purchase date.
The extension comes about a month after Delta said travelers holding tickets to any destination in March and April can change or cancel their flight without paying a change fee, regardless of when they bought the ticket.
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Want your money back? Wait for your flight to be canceled
If you purchased your ticket after the cutoff date or want a refund instead of credit, there is still hope.
All major airlines have updated their reservation-change policies since coronavirus began impacting the industry in January, issuing waivers that allow travelers to change or cancel upcoming flights without fees that generally start at $200 a person.
What the waivers don’t allow, at least for nonrefundable tickets: a refund, which has confused, surprised and infuriated travelers.
The only way to snag a refund is to plead your case with a sympathetic airline representative – or have your flight canceled.
How to get a refund:Airlines owe you a refund when they cancel a flight. So why is United balking during coronavirus crisis?
When airlines cancel a flight, whether because of a coronavirus public health emergency, a winter storm, a hurricane or a mechanical issue, passengers are eligible for a refund even if they have a nonrefundable ticket, including restrictive basic economy tickets. Airlines don’t always broadcast this option, preferring to rebook a passenger or issue a credit so they retain the revenue.
Airlines have canceled flights in droves to cope with a crushing decline in demand, and the flight cuts get steeper by the day. Delta has cut 70% of its capacity and parked 600 planes.
That means more travelers due to fly Delta in coming months may see their flights canceled.Â
Contributing: Dawn Gilbertson
More:Ask the Captain: What are airlines doing to sanitize planes and airports?
