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What To Do When There is a Schedule Change On Your Ticket

23 Aug 2021
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Author Gennady Podolsky

If you purchased a ticket well in advance it is very likely the airlines will make changes to the flights you purchased. In fact, it would not be uncommon if they do it more than once, as travel demand and policies are constantly changing. Pandemic-related adjustments by the airlines are producing a flurry of schedule changes to virtually every reservation. Schedule changes do not have to be for the worse, but they usually are. In this article we are going to discuss mitigation techniques on how you can minimize the damage and protect your trip.

Minor or Major?

The answer to this question will define what options you have.  Every airline has its own policies on how it defines what constitutes a major schedule change. We have prepared highlights of the policies from most major airlines to guide you.

Airline

Change

(minor or major)

Re-accommodation options

Refundable

Aeromexico

Minor Change: 

120 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted  

No

Major Change:

▪120 mins or more;

▪from a non-stop to a connection; ▪misconnect;

▪class of service 

▪Need to rebook in the same cabin;

▪date change +/- 1-2 days allowed 

Yes

American Airlines

Minor Change: 

239 mins or less

▪Change for same day only

▪same origin/destination;

▪connection city may be changed, departure/arrival airports may be changed if with the same city;

▪you can fly in and/or out of other airports within a 300 mile radius with no fare difference

No

Major Change:

▪240 mins or more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪Date change +/- 1 day

▪connection city may be changed, departure/arrival airports may be changed if with the same city;

▪you can fly in and/or out of other airports within a 300 mile radius with no fare difference

Yes

Aer Lingus

Minor Change: 

119 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted  

No

Major Change:

▪120 mins or more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

Re-accommodation allowed. Check your options with the airline

Yes

Alaska 

Airlines 

Minor Change: 

60 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted  

No

Major Change:

▪60 mins or more; 

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪Allowed for the same carrier in the same cabin;

▪date change +/-1 day;

▪no rerouting

Yes

Air New Zealand

Minor Change: 

▪flight number and time only

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major Change: 

▪misconnect;

▪flight is cancelled with no protection offered;

▪class of service

▪Allowed for the same carrier in the same cabin;

▪date change +/-1 day;

▪no rerouting

Yes

British Airways

Minor Change: 

60 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major Change: 

▪60 mins or more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

Major change 240 mins or less:

▪allowed in the same cabin on BA and in the same class on AA, IB, JL, AY or QR (depends on route);

▪date change +/- 2 days;

▪same origin and destination.

Major change 241 mins or more:

▪allowed in the same cabin on BA and in the same class on  AA, IB, JL, AY or QR (depends on route);

▪date change +/- 3 days;

▪same origin and destination

Yes for changes 241 mins or more

Air France

KLM

Minor Change: 

▪5 hours and less for long-haul flights 

▪3 hours and less for short and medium

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major Change: 

▪more than 5 hours on long-haul flights;

▪more than 3 hours on short and medium-haul flights;

▪misconnect;

▪class of service

▪allowed in the same cabin;

▪date change +/-1 day;

▪you can use DL and KL flights;

▪change of origin airport is permitted within 300 miles for long flights and 100 miles - for short and medium

Yes

Copa Airlines 

Minor Change: 

30 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major Change: 

▪30 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier

▪same class of service

▪date change +/- 21 days

Yes
Delta Airlines

Minor Change: 

120 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪120 mins and more; ▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier

▪same class of service 

▪no rerouting

Yes

Etihad Airways

Minor Change: 

59 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪60 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪date change +/- 7 days 

Yes

Hawaiian Airlines

Minor Change: 

89 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪90 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪rerouting permitted within nearby airports;

▪dare change +/- 2-7 days (depends on route)

Yes, for changes more than 2 hours 

LATAM

Minor Change: 

30 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪31 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪no rerouting;

▪dare change -7/+15 days from the original flight

Yes 

Lufthansa 

Minor Change: 

59 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪60 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪Lufthansa Group airlines are allowed for changes;

▪same cabin;

▪dare change +/- 3 days

Yes for changes more than 2 hours

Qatar Airways

Minor Change: 

20 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪20 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪travel should be within 14 days of the original flight;

▪reroute allowed 

Yes

Singapore Airlines

Minor Change: 

4 hours or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪4 hours and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪date change +/-3 days

Yes

South African Airways

Minor Change: 

3 hours or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪3 hours and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪date change +/-1 day

No

Turkish Airlines

Minor Change: 

14 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪15 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪same carrier and cabin;

▪date change +/- 7 days;

▪rerouting not permitted

Yes

United Airlines

Minor Change: 

29 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪30 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪alternate UA flights;

▪same class of service;

▪date change +/- 7 days;

▪you can fly in and/or out of other airports within a 100 mile radius with no fare difference

Yes, for changes more than 2 hours
Virgin Atlantic

Minor Change: 

59 mins or less

No re-accommodation options. Schedule change must be accepted 

No

Major change:

▪60 mins and more;

▪misconnect;

▪from a non-stop to a connection;

▪class of service

▪rebook on Virgin Atlantic or Delta Airlines;

▪only same day

▪original class of service 

Yes, for changes more than 3 hours

Minor schedule change

If your schedule change is considered minor, your options are limited to accepting the new flight times or choosing a flight just before or just after. If you decide to change or cancel the trip, it would be subject to the fare rules of your ticket.

Regardless of times, your schedule change would be considered major if the flight goes from a non-stop to a connection, or if the same cabin of service is no longer available or offered on the new options you are offered.  Change of equipment or operating carrier does not qualify as major schedule change on their own.

Major schedule change

Major schedule changes on the other hand are the ones where your times change significantly, or where a slight time change causes your flight to misconnect.  You have more options.  Finally, most major changes allow you to get a refund of the whole ticket or a refund for the specific part of the tickets where the change occured.

If you feel that you have a compelling case why a particular flight needs to be changed, then call your airline and make your point.  If you do not get a sympathetic ear, hang up and call again.  Call center agent do not always have authority to step outside the box, but they can enlist the help of a supervisor to advocate for your issue and authorize. They can rarely authorize refunds outside fare rules.  They have a lot more leeway in accommodating a customer on a flight outside the parameters where the solution within the parameters does not work.

You do not need to make a decision right away. 

Check all other schedules offered by the airline.  Regardless of the cost of the new trip, if they have space on another flight in the same fare cabin (economy, premium, business, or first) they will offer to accommodate you on those flights at no additional cost. If there are other airports in the area which may work better for you (usually up to 300 miles radius from the original), you can use them too. If the cost of the new fare component is higher, the fare difference will be waived by the airline.  If it is lower, you could get the difference back by purchasing a new ticket for the new schedule and refunding the original more expensive tickets or unused fare component only (after the trip).

You could choose to refund the whole ticket or just the part of the ticket where the schedule has changed.  You may be better off keeping the original outbound or return flight and buying a new ticket for the other leg of the trip. Ask your airline agent or your travel agent what the fare component of the leg could refund to see if there are other options for you on different airlines. However, don’t forget that airlines may have restricted rules for refunds. You can find list of some of these airlines below: 

  • Aeromexico (you will get money after 12 months from the date of entry of request)
  • Airlink (Refund is allowed only per fare rules, which are not waived even in case of schedule changes or cancellations) 
  • Czech Airlines (Refund is allowed in a form of voucher)
  • Fiji Airways (Refund is allowed in a form of voucher)
  • Flydubai (Refund is allowed in a form of voucher.  Purchase the ticket under Emirates codeshare flight number to make it refundable)
  • South African Airways (No refunds allowed, only changes)
  • Virgin Australia (airline has entered into voluntary administration. Refunds are temporarily paused).  

Always wait to refund any unused legs until after your trip in order to keep your options open should anything else go wrong on the trip. 

 

 

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