Can I change our non-refundable airplane tickets?

[Miss Kelly]

We are thinking about extending our trip and would need to change our airplane tickets. Can we do this? We are booked with Delta if that matters. Also, how much can I expect to be charged? Will I be charged the difference in fare prices?

Thanks!!!

 

[rsschneck]

We are thinking about moving our trip up a day and would need to change our airplane tickets. Can we do this? We are booked with Delta if that matters. Also, how much can I expect to be charged? Will I be charged the difference in fare prices?

Thanks!!!

You should be able to change your tickets as long as there are seats available for the day you are thinking. Delta will charge a minimum of $50 per ticket to change plus any difference in fare prices. Call Delta 800-221-1212 and let the reservationist know what you want to do and ask to talk to the reissue desk. The reissue desk is the only place that could help you with the change. Now if your new fare is less expensive that should be reflected in the price change as well.

 

[Lewisc]

By the time you pay the change fee and fare difference you may wind up paying as much as originally paid for your tickets.

You might wait. If there is a schedule change they may let you change for free. Not sure about delta but some airlines (NOT SW) will let you stand by the same day for free but that's not what you're looking to do.

 

[vacanut]

We moved our trip up by 2 days, we were charged a $25 change fee with Delta and that's it. I believe our new tickets were more $$ but we were only charged $25 a ticket change fee, as the previous post says, I'd call Delta directly and see what they say.

 

[CarolA]

Delta changed the rules. New fee is $25 plus any fare change. If you have really cheap tickets and the flights are near it can be expensive.

 

[rsschneck]

I would definately call Delta. I thought Delta was $50 and Song was $25 for the change fees.

Delta will not let you stand by. They will let you change your ticket the day of for $25.00. This is for confirmed tickets. You can only call 3 hours prior to the scheduled flight you want to take and if they have room on that flight they will schedule you on it for a change fee of $25.

OP keep us posted as to what happens in your situation.

 

[Miss Kelly]

Thanks for the replies.

Another quick question-
Instead of paying the $50 per ticket to change and the difference in fare, can I just book a one way flight and disregard my previous return flight? I've been researching and I think this will come out cheaper. I'm looking at $300, instead of (50*5=250) $250 plus whatever the change in fare will be(I know it will be more than $50).

Do I have this figured out right? Am I missing something? Thanks!!!

 

[rsschneck]

I think if this was for the return flight home and not the start of your trip then yes you could do that. Are you sure that would be less expensive though? Call Delta first and see what they can do for you.

 

[Miss Kelly]

I think if this was for the return flight home and not the start of your trip then yes you could do that. Are you sure that would be less expensive though? Call Delta first and see what they can do for you.

Yes, it would be for the return flight home.

I still need to call Delta and be sure, correct? Thanks rsschneck!

 

[Chicago526]

Thanks for the replies.

Another quick question-
Instead of paying the $50 per ticket to change and the difference in fare, can I just book a one way flight and disregard my previous return flight?

The short answer is, yes you can do that. However, it violates the airlines rules. IF (and that's a big IF) they catch you doing that, they can (and have in the past) charge your for a full fare ticket per person at the gate when you try to board on the return. I'm a travel agent and that happened to one of our travelers. If you have a frequent flyer number, they can also revoke all of your miles.

Now, like I said, it's a big IF that they will catch you. But it HAS happened, and there is a slight risk in doing it this way.

 

[Miss Kelly]

The short answer is, yes you can do that. However, it violates the airlines rules. IF (and that's a big IF) they catch you doing that, they can (and have in the past) charge your for a full fare ticket per person at the gate when you try to board on the return. I'm a travel agent and that happened to one of our travelers. If you have a frequent flyer number, they can also revoke all of your miles.

Now, like I said, it's a big IF that they will catch you. But it HAS happened, and there is a slight risk in doing it this way.

Oh, I didn't know that. Thank you for informing me. I definately don't want to spend my vacation worrying that I will get caught!

 

[Chicago526]

Oh, I didn't know that. Thank you for informing me. I definately don't want to spend my vacation worrying that I will get caught!

99% of the time, the airlines DON'T catch people who do this. I just wanted to let you know it's possible. Don't feel bad, it's the airlines stupid rules that put people in situations like this to begin with!

Good luck, whatever you decide!

 

[Lewisc]

The short answer is, yes you can do that. However, it violates the airlines rules. IF (and that's a big IF) they catch you doing that, they can (and have in the past) charge your for a full fare ticket per person at the gate when you try to board on the return. I'm a travel agent and that happened to one of our travelers. If you have a frequent flyer number, they can also revoke all of your miles.

Now, like I said, it's a big IF that they will catch you. But it HAS happened, and there is a slight risk in doing it this way.

Which is why people doing this will generally book a different airline for the return flight. Much easier to assess the penalties for someone who booked an additional reservation to circumvent the rules as opposed to someone who, as far as the airline is concerned, happened to miss their flight.

SW has decent one way fares. See if you can use them.

 

[Chicago526]

Which is why people doing this will generally book a different airline for the return flight. Much easier to assess the penalties for someone who booked an additional reservation to circumvent the rules as opposed to someone who, as far as the airline is concerned, happened to miss their flight.

SW has decent one way fares. See if you can use them.

Very true! I didn't think of that, but yes, my agency has even done that for the occasional traveler when changing the ticket is just too much money!

 

[Miss Kelly]

Which is why people doing this will generally book a different airline for the return flight. Much easier to assess the penalties for someone who booked an additional reservation to circumvent the rules as opposed to someone who, as far as the airline is concerned, happened to miss their flight.

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought about that, but unfortunately I fly out of a small regional airport. They are not serviced by very many carriers. I'm still looking though.

QUESTION: Will the computer show all the flights I have booked? Or how do they 'catch' people who do this? Just curious because I don't know what to do.

 

[Chicago526]

Well, I only know how MY airline reservation system works (I use the same one as United) but I figure they all work kind of the same. There are several ways for the ticket agent to pull your record. One is by flight number, one is by your confirmation number, and another is your last name. If they do it by your last name (and I think this is the most common) they could see your other records. A quick check by the agent into your other records could allow them to figure out what you're doing. I also think the computer looks for suspisious bookings, but I don't know how succesful it is in situations like this. The one client we had that got caught was by a gate agent that was on the ball and noticed his multiple reservations.

I do have to say, that as far as I know, the airlines don't catch 99% of the people who do this. I just wanted to warn you that it was possible it could happen.

 

[CarolA]

Your risk is much higer on the "nested bookings" then this. I have bougth a new ticket and not ever had a problem, plus if they look on your history they will tell you are habitual. However, a nested booking is a different matter. (A nested booking is used by business travelers to get weekend stay rates when they aren't staying the weekend. It is a two week project. You buy a ticket for the first Monday and last Friday getting the Sat stay rate... You then buy a ticket for the first Friday and last Monday once again getting the discount!)

 

[fran99999]

You people make it sound like the airlines can FORCE you to take the original flights.

I went down to visit with my ill grandparents. I had made the reservations then got more time off from work and stayed an extra week. When it was more costly to change the dates. I just booked my corrected return flight (with the same airline i might add). I took the original flight down, called the airline and told them I would not be taking the flight home on that day they could cancel my reservation and resell the seat as it was non refundable. I was told they did not need me to fax them a letter canceling. I just took my corrected flight home.

Why if the airline could resell the seat would they penalize someone for not taking the flight. I mean if you go to a resturant and pay for your meal but dont eat it, do they force feed you.

Maybe im missing something.

 

[Caropooh]

Why if the airline could resell the seat would they penalize someone for not taking the flight. I mean if you go to a resturant and pay for your meal but dont eat it, do they force feed you.

Maybe im missing something.

They do that because alot of times it's cheaper to buy a roundtrip ticket instead of a one way. I work in reservations in United and we get people all the time trying to book RT tickets telling us they aren't planning on using the return. The fare rules on the ticket that you purchase are normally very specific that the fare is based on a round trip.
Also, if you tried to use the return portion of the ticket at a later day, it normally needs to be within 30-60 days of original outbound flight. Once again, due to the rules of the fare. Same thing if you tried to use the return portion of the ticket for different cities. You'd be buying up to a higher priced ticket for the portion you already flew, since it was only one way. This is all in the fine print that nobnody bothers to read or just clicks that they agree without bothering to read it, if they purchase off the internet.
True, you'd have to be caught not using that return portion of your original ticket for you to be penalized, but it could happen.

 

[Miss Kelly]

Thank you all for your advice, suggestions, and comments. I called this evening and changed our return flight. The charge was about what I expected. At least I don't have to worry about getting 'caught' now.

Thanks again!!!