Delta airfare-credit if price goes down?

[Gorechick]

I bought our airfare on Delta.com last night, got $263 flying out of Grand Rapids, MI to Orlando with 1 stop each way. If the price goes down, does Delta credit you? I've heard of airlines doing that but don't know the details.

 

[seashoreCM]

Practically speaking, no. You would have to pay the change fee to change your ticket to the lower fare. Most airlines are that way.

A few including Airtran and Southwest will issue a credit (not a refund) for free when you make the call and ask, and the itinerary stays the same.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You can check the change ticket fee on Delta's website:

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/ticket_changes_refunds/ticket_changes/index.jsp

It would cost you $150.00 to change each ticket unless you bought a fully refundable ticket, which you probably didn't do (they are very expensive). For travel outside the US, the change fee would be $250.00.

 

[Aubrey]

Orbitz claims that if another customer books your itinerary at a lower price, they will send you a refund check for the difference. The catch is that the odds of someone choosing your exact flights and dates through that one booking engine are fairly low.

 

[Ode]

I am in the same predicament. I bought 6 tickets back in April, DTW-MCO and returning RSW-DTW. Ticket was $258.60, they're now selling for $241.60. I phoned Delta to ask for a credit/refund of the difference, they said that I'd have to pay the $150 change fee/ticket. You can get a refund of the difference under Delta's "Best Fare Guarantee" if the price changes within 24hrs of purchase and the flight you're comparing too is exactly the same.

 

[carol-lamb]

If your fare goes down within 24 hours of originally purchasing it, you can cancel the flight and rebook at the cheaper fare. I have done that once. Other than that, you would have to pay the change fee to make any changes.

 

[goofy4tink]

Here's the way I think of it...and it's not a popular opinion here. While I like a refund or credit as much as the next person, I just can't bother spending a ton of time checking on what the current fares are. Sure, they go down sometimes. But, do I expect a refund? No. Nor do I expect to be billed if the fares go up!!! If you are concerned about getting refunds, then book refundable fares. Yep, they are ridiculously expensive. But, you can get a full refund if need be.
The vast majority of airlines don't give you a credit for lower fares. Sure, you can make try to rebook, but there will be change fees associated with that. So, if your fare doesn't drop at least $100, you're better off just sticking with what you booked.
There are some airlines that will let you get a credit if the fare goes down. JB does it...as does SW. Not sure about Airtran..maybe.