Change fees officially disappeared from most U.S. legacy carriers in 2020. In practice, they were replaced by fare-difference charges that often cost more than the original fee ever did. This is a plain look at what twelve widely-flown carriers actually charge in early 2026, drawn directly from published fare rules.
U.S. legacy carriers
| Carrier | Change fee (non-Basic) | Basic Economy | Refund policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | $0 + fare difference (domestic + international) | No changes on domestic; international change with fee since 2024 | eCredit unless the airline changes/cancels |
| United | $0 + fare difference | Not changeable domestic; international allowed with change fee | eCredit unless airline-caused |
| American | $0 + fare difference | Not changeable at all | TravelCredit unless refundable fare |
| Alaska | $0 for Main and above | $25 change fee on Saver | eCredit unless MVP/refundable |
Delta stands out for the most liberal international change policy in this group. United and American both quietly reintroduced change fees on international Basic tickets in 2024 after briefly dropping them.
U.S. low-cost carriers
| Carrier | Change fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest | $0 on all fares, all fares changeable | No fare difference refunded to cash - stays as credit |
| JetBlue | $0 on Blue and above | Blue Basic: not changeable, no credit if cancelled |
| Spirit | $79-119 depending on time to departure | Cancellation returns a reservation credit only |
| Frontier | $0 within 60+ days; $49-99 closer in | The Works add-on removes fees but costs $40-90 up front |
| Allegiant | $25-75 depending on timing | Trip Flex add-on ($20-25) removes fees at booking |
European full-service
- Lufthansa: Economy Light is technically non-changeable; changes are quietly allowed against a fare-difference payment. Economy Classic and Flex are increasingly flexible up the stack.
- British Airways: no change fee on non-Basic; refund via voucher for non-refundable fares.
- Air France / KLM: change fees dropped on most fares in 2022; some Light fares excluded.
- Iberia: change fee of 40-90 EUR depending on route on standard fares, plus fare difference.
- SAS: SAS Go Smart and above are freely changeable up to 24 hours before departure.
European carriers generally still require you to pay a fare difference, and that difference on close-in changes can be substantial. In practice, changing a Lufthansa Light fare from a Tuesday to a Friday can cost 200-400 EUR.
Middle East and Asia
| Carrier | Standard change fee | Refund policy |
|---|---|---|
| Emirates | USD 75-200 depending on route + fare diff | 10% cancellation fee on most fares |
| Qatar Airways | USD 100-150 + fare diff | Flexible fares fully refundable |
| Singapore Airlines | Lite fare: not changeable; Standard: SGD 50 + fare diff | Flexi fully refundable |
| ANA | Free changes on higher fares; discounted fares: JPY 5,000-30,000 | Some fares not refundable |
| Cathay Pacific | USD 100-200 + fare diff on Economy Value/Standard | Flexible fares refundable |
Middle Eastern carriers routinely waive change fees for elite frequent flyer members and for corporate contracted rates. Ask before you pay.
The 24-hour rule
Under U.S. DOT regulations, any ticket bought directly from an airline that operates flights to, from or within the U.S. must be either cancellable free within 24 hours of purchase, or offer a 24-hour hold at the quoted price. This rule applies regardless of the airline's own fare rules, but only for tickets purchased at least 7 days before departure.
Not all airlines interpret this the same way:
- Delta, United, American, Alaska, JetBlue: 24-hour free cancellation.
- Southwest: no free cancel needed - all fares above Basic are already refundable to credit.
- British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France on U.S.-touching flights: 24-hour cancellation policy.
- OTAs (Expedia, Kiwi): 24-hour cancellation applies but must be through the OTA, which sometimes charges a service fee on the return.
See also: how to change your flight without losing money, same-day flight changes, and voucher vs refund for what happens if you cancel entirely.
Frequently asked
Are these fees changing for 2026?+
The overall trend is stable. U.S. legacy carriers appear settled at no-change-fee-plus-fare-difference. Some European carriers are drifting toward higher Light fare change fees, however.
Does elite status waive change fees?+
On U.S. legacies most base change fees are already $0, so status mostly matters for waiving fare differences on same-day changes and standby.
What about award tickets?+
Award change fees range from $0 (Delta, United domestic) to $75-125 (American close-in), with mileage top-ups if the new flight is more expensive.
Editorial team
AirHelpService at AirHelpService
Writes about air travel operations, passenger rights and airport procedures. Reader questions and corrections welcome via our contact page.
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