Understanding 'nonrefundable'Depending on the ticket type, often, 'nonrefundable' simply means: The airline will not give you all of your money back if you cancel (true for most basic economy tickets).
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Non-refundable tickets are usually a fraction of the cost of refundable tickets and most non-refundable airline tickets are reusable (with a change fee) in the case of a cancellation. Please keep in mind that airline tickets are non-transferrable and must be used by the same person whose name is on the original ticket.
If every passenger was able to cancel for a full refund at any time, airlines would have to raise their prices across the board to account for this increased risk. This is also why nonrefundable fares are often the cheapest tickets offered by an airline.
It's possible thanks to the 24-hour flight cancellation rule. The Department of Transportation's 24-hour refund regulation states that all airlines flying in the U.S., even international carriers, must issue a full refund if the reservation is canceled within a one-day window of booking.
Note: While airlines are not required to issue a refund for non-refundable tickets, they are free to do so or they may issue a credit or travel voucher for future use on the airline.
Rescheduling a nonrefundable fare to a different date is usually possible, but it most often comes with a substantial penalty charge. For passengers in some deeply discounted fare classes, like basic economy, rescheduling a nonrefundable fare is not allowed.
In such unfortunate circumstances, you can contact the airline to request a free cancellation or to reschedule your flight in light of the circumstances. You will likely need to provide some form of documentation as proof of the situation such as a death certificate.
If your flight is at least 7 days away from the time of booking, you are entitled to a full refund within the first 24 hours of booking with no fee. This only applies to tickets bought directly through the airline and not via other services providers such as online travel agencies (OTAs).
Normally (many airlines) do allow changes and/or tickets extensions (even for non-refundable tickets) - but this costs money. As a general rule changes are possible (if you change to a higher fare and/or have pay a penalty).
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