Flexible Flights Explained

Most full-service airlines sell a flexible fare, but their cheapest fares stay restricted, and the rules vary by fare, route and where your trip starts.

In the cheapest fare, Delta Basic can be changed for a fee, while United Airlines and American Airlines Basic Economy cannot. At the top of the ladder, these fares refund without a refund fee: British Airways Plus Flex (“can be changed and refunded at any time, without fee”) and Select Pro, and Delta Extra. Emirates describes Flex Plus as “a totally flexible and unrestricted fare”.

For long-haul business trips from the US, United waives change fees on premium-cabin tickets for international flights that start in the US, American charges $0 to change Business and First before the day of travel when the trip begins in North or South America, and Delta Classic and Extra tickets from the US or Canada have no change fee to anywhere in the world.

The table below compares 10 airlines. Always read the fare rules for your exact flight before you book.

Whether a ticket can be changed is set by the airline’s fare rules, and Laters.com cannot override them. Here is how changes and cancellations work, from the Laters.com FAQ and terms of service.

• Deadline: send change requests at least 48 hours before departure, during customer service hours.
• Cost: you pay the airline’s change fee, if any, plus the fare difference. If Laters.com charges its own service fee for the change, it is shown before you confirm, and nothing is charged until you accept.
• Cheaper new fare: if the new fare is cheaper, airlines do not normally refund the difference.
• Changing directly with the airline: the airline takes over the booking, and Laters.com can no longer see or manage it.
• Low-cost carriers: for some low-cost airlines, changes and cancellations can only be made directly with the airline.
• Cancelling: your refund is the amount the airline returns, less a flat USD 50 per passenger cancellation processing fee. The fee is capped at the amount recovered. There is no fee if the airline cancels or materially changes the flight, or if a Refund Protect claim succeeds.
• Refund timing: airlines usually take 4 to 12 weeks to return the money. Laters.com refunds you within 7 business days of receiving it.
• Travel credit: if the airline gives credit instead of a refund, the airline sets its value, expiry and the fare classes it can be used on. The value is usually less than you paid. Depending on the airline, the credit may only be redeemable through Laters.com.
• 24-hour void: many airlines let a ticket be voided within 24 hours of booking when the flight is at least 7 days away. Ask as early as possible. Laters.com needs your request at least 6 hours before the airline’s void deadline, the cut-off can be earlier outside supplier processing hours, and some airlines close the window at midnight local time on the day the ticket was issued. The USD 50 processing fee still applies.
• No-show: if you do not check in or board, the airline may cancel the rest of your itinerary, including the return, and the ticket usually becomes non-refundable.

• A change-for-a-fee fare: Emirates Flex, Singapore Airlines Value or Standard, and Lufthansa Economy Light or Comfort can all be changed for a charge, so you pay only if you need the change.
• A budget-airline bundle: Ryanair Flexi Plus removes the flight change fee (you still pay the fare difference), and easyJet Inclusive Plus allows free date or time changes within one day either side of the original flight.
• A non-refundable fare plus Cancellation Protection: this optional add-on, available only at checkout on Laters.com, can cover cancelling for listed reasons such as serious illness or injury, jury duty, redundancy, severe weather and public-transport failure, even on a non-refundable fare. Claims go to Refund Protect. The add-on is non-refundable once bought, and you can pay for it with buy now, pay later or crypto.
• Travel insurance, if your plans are very uncertain.

Fare rules travel with the ticket wherever you buy it, but some airline perks apply only to direct bookings. United’s and Delta’s 24-hour cancellation policies are examples. American lets AAdvantage members who booked directly cancel Basic Economy for travel credit, for a fee ($99 within the 48 contiguous states, $199 from the US to destinations including Europe, Japan and Australia). Laters.com bookings have their own 24-hour void window and 48-hour change deadline instead (see above).

What’s the difference between flexible and refundable tickets?

A flexible ticket lets you change your flight for no fee or a reduced fee; you still pay any fare difference. A refundable ticket lets you cancel and get money back. Some refundable fares refund in full, for example British Airways Select Pro and Plus Flex, and Delta Extra. Others refund minus a fee: British Airways Plus Select and Select are refundable “for a reasonable fee”, Lufthansa Economy Flex refunds “against an extra charge”, and Singapore Airlines Flexi cancellation is chargeable. On Laters.com, a refund you request is the amount the airline returns, less a flat USD 50 per passenger. That fee is capped at the amount recovered and is not charged when the airline cancels.

Do all airlines offer flexible fares?

Most full-service airlines sell a flexible fare, but basic fares stay restricted. United and American Basic Economy and Singapore Airlines Economy Lite cannot be changed (American allows a change for a fee on trips that start in Europe), while Delta Basic can be changed for a fee. Budget airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet sell flexibility as a bundle you add to the fare. The table above compares 10 airlines.

Can I change my destination with a flexible ticket?

Yes, on some fares you can change the route with no change fee and pay only any fare difference. Delta Classic and Extra tickets from the US or Canada can change “the date, time or location” with no change fee. Turkish Airlines Flexible fares allow date and route changes free of charge. Ryanair Flexi Plus allows a change of date, time or route without the flight change fee. Other fares charge for a route change or do not allow it, so check the fare rules before booking.

Are flexible tickets more expensive?

Usually, yes. The extra cost can save you money if your plans change, because a cheaper fare may charge a change fee, return only travel credit, or not allow changes at all.

Is basic economy changeable?

It depends on the airline. Delta Basic can be changed for a $0–$400 fee plus the price difference after the 24-hour window. United Basic Economy cannot be changed unless you upgrade, and Southwest Basic must be upgraded before it can be changed. American Basic Economy cannot be changed, except on trips that start in Europe, for a fee. Lufthansa Economy Basic cannot be rebooked or refunded.

What if the new flight is cheaper?

Airlines do not normally refund the difference. United gives you a travel credit for it. On a Laters.com booking, a cheaper new fare is not normally refunded.

What happens if the airline cancels my flight?

You are owed a refund whatever fare you bought. In the US, that applies when the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you do not accept the alternative. Under EU rules, the airline must offer a choice of reimbursement or re-routing. On Laters.com, the USD 50 cancellation processing fee is not charged when the airline cancels.

Do budget airlines sell flexible fares?

Some sell flexibility as a bundle. Ryanair Flexi Plus removes the flight change fee (you pay the fare difference), and same-day changes to a flight on the same route are free. easyJet Inclusive Plus allows free date or time changes within one day either side of the original flight. easyJet tickets are non-refundable. On a Laters.com booking, some low-cost airlines require you to make changes directly with the airline.