Due to the unprecedented flight changes and cancellations right now due to COVID-19, if your flight is more than 72 hours from departure please wait until your flight is closer so we can prioritize those with immediate needs.
Given the circumstances, many people who booked trips for March, April, or beyond want to cancel right now. Unfortunately, this process isn’t as easy or straightforward as it should be. Airlines and online travel agencies are inundated with requests and sometimes impossible to reach. At CheapAir, we have been unable to keep up and we know that for some of you that is making an already stressful situation worse.
If you have a ticket to cancel, please know that, while each airline has a slightly different policy, most airlines are not providing refunds on tickets. Instead, for trips scheduled between now and the end of May, they will waive standard change penalties. This means you can cancel your ticket and you will receive a credit toward a future trip. We know this isn’t ideal for people in the face of so much uncertainty. But for now, the airlines are holding firm and our hands are tied.
There is, however, one important loophole that we can help many of our customers take advantage of. Airlines are dramatically cutting their schedules right now. If your flight is canceled, and the airline is not able to rebook you on another similar flight, you usually can get a refund.
This is key. If you are not scheduled to fly right away, it’s best to wait before your contact us — for two reasons. First, it helps us manage the more urgent calls from travelers who are departing soon and who need the help immediately. But second, the longer you wait the more likely the airline is to cancel your flight, which means you would be eligible for a refund instead of a credit.
Bottom line, if your flight is leaving before April 5, please do not contact us until you are within 72 hours of your scheduled departure. We have to prioritize the imminent departures first.
If you are scheduled to depart after April 5th, please wait until you are within 14 days.
We’re working frantically to respond to every customer and to streamline our processes so we can deliver the best help and the best advice possible. Eventually, this will pass and there will come a day when we are able to live our lives again, including travel. We want to earn your confidence for whenever that time comes. In the meantime, we don’t want to lose sight of what’s most important — the safety of our customers, our team members, and our communities.
Please stay safe.
**A CheapAir.com booking consists of 10-digits and generally begins with a number 1 or 2 (#1xxxxxxxxx or #2xxxxxxxxx_). If you have a booking number that looks different (for example, is 8 digits long and begins with a 6), please look carefully at your confirmation as your booking may be with another company, and not CheapAir.com.**
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