American Now Enforcing No 24 Hour Refund Policy Within 7 Days Of Travel, But There Are Workarounds
The DOT requires that airlines offer refunds on non-refundable flights to/from/within the US within 24 hours of purchase. However, that rule doesn’t apply to travel booked within 7 days (168 hours) of travel.
Nevertheless, in practice, the Big 4 US carriers, American, Delta, Southwest, and United, have allowed refunds within 24 hours of purchase, even within 7 days of purchase.
At least until now. As of a few days ago, American started enforcing a no-refund policy for non-refundable travel booked within 7 days of travel.
That’s a shame, as it’s always useful to be able to book backup travel if it looks like your flight may be disrupted.
Luckily, there are workarounds. You can always book a mileage ticket directly from American, which is refundable until the time of departure.
The 24 hour refund rule only applies for purchases directly from an airline, not from travel agents. However, many travel agents have their own refund policy.
For example, you can also book from an online travel agent like Priceline. Priceline allows for refunds until the day after purchase, until 11:29pm ET. Always check to confirm the refund policy before purchasing.
If you buy a Priceline ticket on a Friday or Saturday, you’ll be able to cancel until Monday night at 11:29pm ET.
Which airline do you think will be next to enforce the no refund policy within 7 days of departure?
