Summary
- Allegiant Air charges up to $75 per way for ticket changes without Trip Flex.
- Frontier Airlines eliminated change fees for all fares except for Basic fares.
- Major US carriers like American, Delta, United, and Southwest do not charge change fees.
There was a time when most US airlines charged a ticket change fee. The fee is charged by the airline when a passenger voluntarily requests to change their original flight reservation. It is one of many existing fees that airlines charge, including seat selection, baggage, priority access, and more.
However, many large airliners in the US have dropped their change fees (with some exclusions). Passengers do need to pay the difference in fare if it is greater than what was paid initially. There are still a handful of US airlines that charge a change fee. This article explores which airlines still charge the fees and what the fee structure is.
Photo: Frontier Airlines
Allegiant Air
Up to $75 per person each way
Allegiant Air is one of two airlines that still charges change fees depending on how many days prior to the departure a ticket change is requested. The airline charges up to $75 per person each way when flights are purchased without Trip Flex, a travel protection that can be purchased for an additional fee when booking flights. The airline does not allow ticket changes within seven days of travel. According to Allegiant Air,
“Make changes up to 1 hour prior to scheduled departure with Trip Flex. Including Trip Flex at the time of booking gives you the flexibility to make a change or cancel your reservation up to 1 hour before departure without fees. Without Trip Flex, a change fee of up to $75 per person each way will apply, and within 7 days of travel, no changes are permitted and no credit will be issued.”
Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock
In case of flight cancelations or rescheduling to a different day, passengers can change their flights at no cost and no fare difference. In such cases, the airline provides three options to passengers,
- To take the rescheduled flight
- To reserve an Allegiant flight on different dates for no difference in fare and no change fee,
- To cancel the remainder of your ticket for a refund of all unflown segments.
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Frontier Airlines
From $0 to $99 (only for Basic Fare/Standard)
Last week, Frontier Airlines announced that it is canceling all change fees except for some restrictions for Basic fares. The airline is committed to providing transparency for its passengers and has also introduced four distinct fare options: basic, Economy, Premium, and Business. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Airlines, Barry Biffle,
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Frontier – one with transparency in our prices, no change fees and the lowest total price. This is ‘The New Frontier’ and we are committed to offering more than the lowest fares – we deliver the best price for all the options you want and the customer support you need, when you need it. No gimmicks, just really low prices and good customer service.”
Photo: nyker | Shutterstock
None of the fare options charge a change fee 60 or more days before departure. Passengers in Basic fares/standard are charged a $49 fee for changes requested between 7 and 59 days before departure and a $99 fee for changes requested six days or less before departure. The new change fee structure from Frontier Airlines looks like,
|
60+ days prior to departure |
59 to 7 days prior to departure |
6 days of less prior to departure |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Basic Fare/Standard |
$0 |
$49 |
$99 |
|
Economy, Premium, or Business bundles |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Bizfare |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
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Other major carriers
The US legacy carriers, including American, Delta, and United Airlines, do not charge a change fee. However, the basic fare on these airlines is non-changeable. Similarly, Southwest Airlines does not charge a change fee. Spirit Airlines previously charged a change fee between $69 and $119, depending on the days remaining before the departure date. Making a ticket change was free within 24 hours of booking and 60 or more days prior to departure.
Photo: Denver International Airport
Spirit Airlines has become the latest airline to get rid of change and cancelation fees for all tickets. While the airline did not make a formal announcement, Spirit Airlines website states,
- Cancel fees are canceled for everyone – Book with confidence because we’ve done with cancel fees.
- Change fees are gone for all – We’re saying goodbye to change fees so you can say yellow to more flexible travel.
- Book with confidence, no change or cancel fees – Because if your plans change, no worries, your ticket can, too!
Related
Spirit Airlines Follows Frontier & Scraps Change Fees
The new policy allows more flexibility for passengers.
What are your thoughts on the airlines that charge a change fee? Have you traveled with these airlines and incurred a charge? Share your experience in the comments section.