Airline change fees... seriously?

[lost*in*cyberspace]

what airline? The Airline i fly only charges $100 for cancelled ticket. First Flight must be set in date, return flight can be changed.
Non-US Airline though.

The last time we had to change an international ticket on United, it was $400.00. All US airlines charge change ticket fees with the exception of Southwest and most foreign carriers do as well.

 

[DZNEE4US]

We had to postpone our vacation, when my husband had to have emergency gall bladder surgery. He was in the hospital, there was no way we could have gone. Our tickets were on United. The change fee was $200 a ticket, and there are five of us! However, I gave them a doctors excuse and they reduced the fee $150. So it was only $50 a ticket. We had no choice but to rebook, he could not travel! This was in July.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I am with you OP. Those high change fees are so irritating.

Change fees can be avoided by not booking a nonrefundable fare.

 

[jerseygal]

United, Jet Blue change fees, even United now charges change fees if using reward mileage. Up until probably about a year ago or so, United didn't charge change fees to "put back" frequent flyer mileage into account. Makes planning 7 months out very difficult, especially in our family, college DS jockeying summer employment, older DS jockeying work commitments and deadlines, and DS girlfriend tied to public school calendars.. UUGH. .Frustrating, but this should be the worst of problems.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

On United, you don't have to pay any fees to redeposit award miles or change an award flight if you have a certain level of status. As a 1K, I can do this for free.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Change fees can be avoided by not booking a nonrefundable fare.

Fully refundable tickets are usually so much more expensive than buying the cheapest non-refundable ticket that it is cheaper buying those and paying the change fee.

 

[DebbieB]

United, Jet Blue change fees, even United now charges change fees if using reward mileage. Up until probably about a year ago or so, United didn't charge change fees to "put back" frequent flyer mileage into account. Makes planning 7 months out very difficult, especially in our family, college DS jockeying summer employment, older DS jockeying work commitments and deadlines, and DS girlfriend tied to public school calendars.. UUGH. .Frustrating, but this should be the worst of problems.

USAirways did that a long time ago. My mom and I had a trip planned to Las Vegas in September 2001 using miles. She was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and did not want to go. I held off cancelling it, hoping she would change her mind, it was a $100 redeposit fee. Well, 9/11 happened and they allowed free changes and free redeposit, so I was able to cancel and redeposit for free.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

USAirways did that a long time ago. My mom and I had a trip planned to Las Vegas in September 2001 using miles. She was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and did not want to go. I held off cancelling it, hoping she would change her mind, it was a $100 redeposit fee. Well, 9/11 happened and they allowed free changes and free redeposit, so I was able to cancel and redeposit for free.

It can be beneficial to wait if you are sure you're going to have to cancel. You never know what is going to happen. You can always hope for a cancellation by the airline, weather issue or schedule change great enough to get a refund.