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Refunds from an airline? Say it ain't so
Just when you thought that airlines were nickel-and-diming us ruthlessly, (Let me check. Yep, they still are.) we get news to give us a sliver of hope.An article in USA Today tells us that if the price of a non-refundable airline ticket that you've already bought goes down, you can ask for a refund. It just needs to be requested before the scheduled flight.
I'm not sure which idea is more surprising: prices going down, or airlines willingly giving up money.
Southwest makes it the easiest--they'll rebook at the lower price, refund the price difference directly to your credit card, and they won't charge you a change fee.
Other carriers give will you a refund, but they make it a little more tedious--giving you a voucher instead of reimbursing your credit card, and they might charge a change fee (from $75 to $150 for a domestic flight). The process for placing the request varies by airline, either by website or phone.
Refund by credit card, without change fee: Southwest
Refund by voucher, without change fee: United, JetBlue, Alaska
Refund by voucher, with change fee: Continental, Delta, US, Airways, Northwest, American
No refunds: AirTran, Virgin America, Spirit, Frontier
I hadn't heard of Alaska's guarantee before, but I like it: it applies if you buy a ticket on their website, but later notice a cheaper ticket (by $5) for the same flight on another website. If you call within 24 hours, you can still get the price difference applied to your credit card, plus a $50 voucher to boot.
Are you doubtful or encouraged? Yes, it takes some extra legwork to research fares and contact the airlines. And the refund might be nominal after the change fee. But the money that you get back might offset what the airline charges for checking luggage or requesting a blanket. Plus, it's just satisfying to get money back from the airlines for once, isn't it?
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Filed under: Airlines, Transportation, Budget Travel
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
michael Dec 29th 2008 9:18PM
I tried to do that with continental newark to las vegas. Didn't work they wanted to charge change fee of 100.00 per ticket (4) tickets. lots of money. thanks, but no thanks. just another example of the buyer getting wacked with fees.
Richard Dec 29th 2008 9:33PM
I had reservations on Continental to fly on 12/26/08 from Newark to West Palm Beach. In October, I found out on my own that the fair dropped $40.00. I called and spoke to several agents and none of them wanted to do anything about it until I found one lady who gave me the voucher without charging me the change fee. Now I have a reservation to the same destination leaving 2/16/09 and found out that the price dropped 140 dollars. I couldnt find 1 agent who was willing to give me a voucher without the change fee even though I told them about the voucher I got back in October without paying a fee. One agent said we dont issue vouchers without the 150 dollar fee and anothewr said they do issue a voucher only if the fare drops within the same category (y, m, n, u, etc). I think these agents make up their own rules when it benefits them and they are nasty on top of it all. Will use www.yapta.com from now on before purchasing a ticket.
K Dec 30th 2008 12:38PM
Hi guys. I work for Southwest and I thought I'd clarify this a bit. If the price goes down and you change your ticket within 24 hrs of the original booking then yes, we can refund it to your card. If the price goes down and it's been more than 24 hrs then we will hold the difference as a credit for a future flight. However, after your travel has been completed you can contact our refunds department for a refund at that time. The reason we make you wait is because if you decide to make any changes to your reservation that results in an upgrade, then you have that available credit to use. And believe me, 95% of people are going to make changes. Hope this helps!
dan Dec 30th 2008 9:39PM
It's not true about getting a refund to my credit card from Southwest Airlines. I purchased tickets and later there was a sale. I called before the flight. The difference I paid was to be used as a credit within a year.
Stephanie Dec 30th 2008 12:15AM
I booked a foundtrip flight back in Nov from NY to Bonaire. Same exact flights today is now $140.00 cheaper. I called Delta to get a refund for the difference. They told me that there is a reissue fee of $140.00 so it wouldn't be worth it.
This is such crap! First of all, the ticket is electronic and there is nothing to reissue. Secondy, if there was a ticket to reissue it most certainly would not cost $140.
tom Dec 30th 2008 12:16AM
OK...I buy a ticket for the a baseball or football game and my plans change....I don't see anyone there letting me use my ticket for another time. The airlines would be better off not overbooking flights and have a use it or lose it mentality.
Marsha White Dec 30th 2008 12:37AM
My Daughter And I booked tickets on United Airlines 6months in advance. The weekend or our flight my daughters father-in-law pasted away.We called the airline to reschedule our flight. They would not reschedule unless we paid a extra 175.00 each.Our tickets only cost us 204.00 each. A if we cancelled we lost all our money.Also my daughter could not transfer her ticket to another person. And this was a off season flight. I will never use United again. All they want it to make money . No compasion for people. They suck.
penniless Dec 30th 2008 1:22AM
I made the stupid mistake of buying a ticket for a friend and myself and then we had to cancel. So, yeah, I can re-ticket within a year after the 150 dollar charge for doing so. But only my friend can re-ticket his own flight even though it's on my credit card. In other words, I can't get my money back for his ticket.
And I can't transfer his ticket to my name and re-ticket.
bruce h Dec 30th 2008 3:46AM
any and all air lines that i have been on ever ok if you miss a flight or can not go for one reason or another ok. the ticket is good for one year you can use it. any time up to one year and chage it to any outher place the air line go to,
bruce
HPN
Tom Dec 30th 2008 8:51AM
I have done a lot of world travel using airlines and have found that they will try every method possible to drain your wallet. I actually have had some good luck with refunds however the poor experiences greatly out weigh the good ones. Currently I am waiting for a total of nearly three thousdand dollars of refunds that I suppose I will never see.
I also have a cash settlement due for a luggage claim that I don't believe I will ever see.
Most recently during a return trip from Panama I was told by a United Airline rep. that in order to purchase my ticket I must also but an additional refundable ticket . So I bought two tickets using cash and applied for my refund when I arrived home. It took 3 months to get the refund of which the airline deducted thirty dollars.
I have always enjoyed my air travels but feel now that my next trip,.. which is coming soon,... will be my last by air.
Elvira Jan 5th 2009 8:01AM
Hi there! Can anybody advice if there is some international or European regulation, that air companies should advertice their price with tax inclusive. I foulnd a pretty good deal on one promotional newsletter, but after calling the service center, I was told that I should add the tax, which makes the ticket almoust twice expensive. Are there actually some rules to regulate this or not ?
Plane Tickets Jan 8th 2009 1:18AM
Fantastic blog and great topic for discussion, in this discussion one thing is clearly show ,don't worry when any uncertain incident occurs when traveler just going for his trip due to this they cancel his trip and worry about his air ticket.this topic help traveler how get refund his mony from any airlines.
Thank you
James Adersion
www.globester.com
george Jan 20th 2009 4:26PM
Alaska Air: 24 hours is not very much time for someone to discover a cheaper flight.
The writer does not say what the timetable is for notifying Southwest.
I personally feel that if all tickets were refundable, even if you didn't call and cancel before flight departure, the Airline Industry would be booming. How can they account for charging 5 times the cost of a non-refundable ticket for a refundable ticket for the same seat, class, day, time and destination as the ?
These arbitrary rules and regulations are merely for greedy capitalist profit.