![]() If the new flight you want to switch to is more expensive, you will still have to pay the fare difference. The new policies don't mean you're completely off the hook with additional expenses either. Instead, the new "no change fees" policies simply entitle you to switch flights without a penalty cost being added. For that, you'd have to buy a much more expensive flexible ticket that offers free refunds," he says. "Despite the changes in change fees, you still can't get a refund simply because you no longer want to travel. Many people mistakenly conflate "free changes" with "free cancellations," but they aren't the same thing, Keyes says. ![]() Free changes doesn't mean free cancellations If there isn't an available seat on the plane come boarding time, you'll need to wait around for your original flight or even pay up if you need to change a basic economy ticket to another day. And it's also a bit of a gamble, Keyes warns, especially if you don't have elite status with the airline. It's important to note that you can only use the new standby policy to switch to an earlier flight, not any departing after your original ticket time. This new standby option is free, even for basic economy ticketholders. If you have elite status, you may even be able to get a confirmed seat ahead of time rather than having to wait until boarding time and hope for the best. This means that you can show up at the airport the day of your flight and if there's available space on an earlier flight, you're allowed on, Keyes says. American Airlines' free same-day standby policy will go into effect on October 1, 2020, while United's starts January 1, 2021. In addition to waiving change fees for most domestic trips, American and United announced they will allow travelers who want to change the time of their flight to opt for same-day standby for free. Most international routes aren't covered either "If you think you may later want to change dates, it may be cheaper to rip up the basic economy ticket you have and buy a second one ($76 total cost) than buying an $85 main economy ticket that doesn't charge change fees," Keyes says. You can get a nonstop, basic economy ticket for $38, but most main economy tickets run $85 (prices as of Sept. ![]() Say you want to buy a flight on United from Newark to Houston on November 5. In those instances, the airlines' new policies may actually wind up being a bad deal for those who buy more expensive tickets in order to save on change fees, Keyes says. While Keyes says there's not any recent, reliable data on the number of passengers who buy basic economy versus main economy tickets, he believes it's a sizable portion of travelers, especially since the price difference can be more than $100 each direction in some cases. Basic economy ticket holders have been allowed to change dates without penalty through on Alaska, American Airlines, Delta and United. Generally, basic economy tickets can't be changed at all, but airlines have suspended those rules during the pandemic. Typically, you can't take any large carry-on luggage with you and you board the plane last. ![]() The biggest loophole for airlines - one the size of Texas, according to Keyes - is that change fees are still in place for those who purchase basic economy plane tickets.īasic economy is a class of ticket that airlines rolled out a few years ago that usually offer rock-bottom prices, but come with a lot of restrictions.
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