Is Delta's change fee now $200.00 ?!!?

[maryj11]

I have been searching to find what the price would be to change our flight to the next day. We have a nonrefundable ticket flying within the US. I did read there would be a 200.00 fee. Is this correct or am I reading the fee for the wrong type ticket. That is hard to believe since I have changed flights before for only 75.00. If this is correct is that 200.00 per person or 200.00 for all that is on my confirmation number ?

 

[Gracie09]

It hasn't been $75 for a while. They upped it about a year ago from $150. It is a per ticket fee plus any increase in airfare of course.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

That is hard to believe since I have changed flights before for only 75.00. If this is correct is that 200.00 per person or 200.00 for all that is on my confirmation number ?

It's a $200 change fee for one passenger's one-way or roundtrip ticket (along with any fare difference).

Delta Air Lines, along with the other legacy carriers, increased the change fee from $150 to $200 in spring 2013.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

That why we fly SWA changes are free!

 

[joelkfla]

That why we fly SWA changes are free!

Indeed -- most times it would be cheaper to just burn the Delta ticket and purchase a brand new one on SWA!

 

[maryj11]

Thats ridiculous !

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thats ridiculous !

It's good business.

Leisure passengers want the lowest fares. Leisure travelers think their vacation plans will not change.

The legacy airlines sell some seats below cost. They make money from business passengers who often pay more. And they make money from change fees.

The airlines know that passengers end up with conflicts at school and work, with extended family situations, and with other unexpected reasons why the original flight itinerary will no longer work.

American now sells nonrefundable tickets at three price levels: Choice, Choice Essential, and Choice Plus. Choice is the cheapest, has a $200 change fee, and has baggage fees. Choice Essential eliminates the change fee and baggage fee for the first bag. Choice Plus is like Choice Essential with a few more benefits.

I bought Choice Essential tickets for a Florida trip. I think I paid $32 more. I get free bags anyway due to my frequent level level, but I thought it would be worth it just to be immune from change fees. Sure enough, an opportunity came along. I changed my return trip by a few days. I actually received a credit from American because the fare had gone down.

 

[sam_gordon]

Thats ridiculous !

That's "non-refundable".

 

[zoo2tycoon]

That's also why it is important to READ THE TERMS prior to purchasing a ticket on any airline....
Can't complain if you don't bother to read the terms and agree to them without knowing what you agreed to.

 

[airplanegod]

Most major airlines (Delta, United, US Airways, American) have $200 change fees. The notable exceptions are Jetblue, which has a $75 change fee, and Southwest, which has no change fee. You have to do some research though when booking your ticket. If you believe something might come up down the road, pay the extra couple hundred to be safe. When you booked your non-refundable ticket, you agreed that in the event you needed to change it, you agree to pay the change fee or lose the ticket value.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

That's also why it is important to READ THE TERMS prior to purchasing a ticket on any airline....
Can't complain if you don't bother to read the terms and agree to them without knowing what you agreed to.

Keep in mind the $200 change fee is only for domestic tickets. On many airlines, the change fee for international flights is $300.00.

 

[Gracie09]

Thats ridiculous !

You always have the option to buy refundable tickets

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Keep in mind the $200 change fee is only for domestic tickets. On many airlines, the change fee for international flights is $300.00.

Actually it can be higher. My change fee on a deep discounted fare to London was 400

 

[maryj11]

I knew they had a change fee but didnt know it had went up that much.

 

[JanaDee]

You always have the option to buy refundable tickets

Or fly on another airline.

 

[Lewisc]

I sort of agree with the previous posters. Customers need to carefully review the terms before they purchase a ticket. Customers who need more flexibility might need to delay purchasing tickets until their plans are firm, book with an airline which has low change fees (such as Southwest--can't go lower then zero) or pay higher fares (AA "upgraded" fares or even fully refundable).

HOWEVER there is another side. Consumers don't really have the ability to "negotiate" terms. It's basically take it or leave it. Government steps in when a business (or industry) attempts to enforce rules which are considered unfair. We now have the right to cancel our reservations within a 24 hour window after making the reservation. Airlines are required to advertize fares which include all taxes and fees. Change fees which equal 100% the fare in some cases and a significant % of the fare in others might motivate government regulations.

How many other transactions might result in the loss of your complete purchase price after only 24 hours? How many of those transactions are non-transferable? Airlines want the ability to keep our money but not allow the passenger to sell the ticket on the open market. My concert ticket is non-refundable but I can sell my ticket on stubub. Airlines want it both ways. I'm not sure if that position could be defended if the government has an issue with it. Either have a "reasonable" change fee or let passengers transfer the ticket. Spirit allows that. The fee is $70 to change the name on a reservation. That fee is to change the person flying. Corrections due to a misspelling or legal name change are done with out that fee.

Group of 3. One passenger won't be flying. That person gets a partial credit which may (or may not) be used. Change the rules so that person gets no credit. Should the other two passengers be entitled to an empty middle seat? Forget reading the "fine print". Does that sound fair?

Bumping. Passengers who purchase tickets which have no value if not used deserve to be the last passengers bumped. Airlines who don't want to bump business passengers should be required offer high enough to get volunteers. Overbooking passengers who book fully refundable fares has logic. A percentage of those passengers will be no shows without any financial consequences.


My memory, not sure if it's a real fact or an "internet fact", is change fees were instituted to make it easier for the industry. Instead of having to evaluate the "worthiness" of an excuse the airlines had a way to accommodate passengers with issues.
A reasonable fee avoided the issue. I'm not sure what the airlines would do if a passenger asked for an exception. Jury duty? Reservist recalled? Police officer hospitalized after being shot on duty? Airlines are going to have a "secret" system for making exceptions. Too public and they'll be deluged with exceptions. No policy and it won't be long before an exceptional example will cause PR issues.

A business can go so far before the government sees the need to protect the consumer. Spirit can no longer promote their $1 fares.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Actually it can be higher. My change fee on a deep discounted fare to London was 400

Just curious, what airline? Are you sure the $400 wasn't the change fee plus an additional ticket cost?

Edited to add, never mind. I see Delta is charging up to $450 to change an international ticket.

http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/3801089/airline-fees-us-carriers-updated/

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

...

HOWEVER there is another side. Consumers don't really have the ability to "negotiate" terms. It's basically take it or leave it. Government steps in when a business (or industry) attempts to enforce rules which are considered unfair. We now have the right to cancel our reservations within a 24 hour window after making the reservation. Airlines are required to advertize [sic] fares which include all taxes and fees...

Did you know that if you purchase your ticket less than seven days before your flight, the airlines are NOT required to refund the full price of your ticket if you cancel within 24 hours?

 

[maryj11]

That's also why it is important to READ THE TERMS prior to purchasing a ticket on any airline....
Can't complain if you don't bother to read the terms and agree to them without knowing what you agreed to.[/QUO

First of all I wasn't complaining just asking if it went up to 200.00 or was I reading it wrong and was shocked it had been raised that much. I already knew the terms but didnt realize it went up. I always fly Delta because I'm a skymiles member and earn free flights..

 

[Lewisc]

Did you know that if you purchase your ticket less than seven days before your flight, the airlines are NOT required to refund the full price of your ticket if you cancel within 24 hours?

I am. DOT refers to the policy as 24 hour reservation requirement. My point was a general comment regarding government regulations, not a discussion of this specific regulation. Most of the discussions on DIS are concerned with how many days in advance you can book a flight. I can count on one hand the number of threads I remember started by posters who want to book a flight 7 days in advance on one hand.

A carrier can satisfy the requirement by offering a complimentary 24 hold. An airline doesn't have to offer a complimentary hold and a refund. An airline which offers a 24 hour hold doesn't have to offer a refund if a customer chooses to book a flight, rather then take advantage of a hold.

I think airlines are on a slippery slope. There will be a point where the government may either regulate the amount of change fees or give ownership of the booking to the passenger. By that I mean the passenger would be allowed to transfer the reservation to another person or as an empty seat.

I don't think a $200 change fee is high enough to motivate regulators. I think if a higher change fee motivates regulations the maximum fee allowed is likely to be less then $200.