What happens if I cancel the return flight on Delta?

24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Process Delta will process the refund of your ticket when canceled within 24 hours of purchase, however, some banks or credit card issuers may initiate a hold of funds on your credit or debit card. We encourage you to contact your card issuer for their specific policies.



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If you're within 24 hours of purchasing your ticket you can cancel your flight without a penalty when you book directly with Delta. Be sure to cancel your flight prior to departure. If you purchased a non-refundable ticket, you may cancel your ticket prior to departure and receive an eCredit if applicable.

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Canceling a nonrefundable fare will result in an eCredit for the full amount paid (minus any cancellation fees, depending on fare type and route). However, if you cancel a refundable ticket, you'll get the amount paid refunded back to your original form of payment.

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To offer you the best price on your chosen route, we found that a round-trip ticket is actually cheaper than a one-way flight. However, the practice of “throwaway ticketing” — only using the first part of a round-trip ticket — is prohibited by a majority of airlines in their terms and conditions.

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If you book a roundtrip flight and want to change the return before you have taken the first flight you may have to call to change the flight because the price of the first flight could have gone up since you originally booked. If you try to change that online it could result in a higher price for the same flight.

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While refundable tickets typically cost more to buy, if you think there's a good chance you'll have to cancel and you don't want to worry about a Delta credit, buying a refundable ticket might be your best option. To be eligible for a Delta refund, you'll need to cancel your flight before departure.

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Though Delta's basic economy tickets are nonrefundable, if the airline cancels your flight, you're eligible for a full refund.

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No, you cannot skip the first leg of any itinerary. As stated above, after you've skipped a flight, all remaining flight legs on your itinerary will be canceled by the airline. It may seem silly, but this is a common mistake many infrequent travelers make.

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The airline will most likely cancel the remaining portion of your trip. So, if you have a return leg, it will be cancelled. If you're a frequent flier, and do this often, the airline could ban you, or take away your points.

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Is skiplagging illegal? No, but it's against most airlines' contracts of carriage or the rules people must follow to fly with the airline. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both put skiplagging first on their lists of prohibited booking practices.

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Round-trip tickets are usually cheaper than one-ways, sometimes significantly so. NerdWallet compared fares across multiple international routes and found that, typically, buying two one-way tickets costs 20% more than a single roundtrip.

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If legs are missed, airlines can cancel the whole journey, including any future returns. This is something that travelers often forget about. They may change plans on the spur of the moment, choosing a scenic road trip or rail journey, but plan to use their pre-booked return for the trip home.

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Every major U.S. airline (except Southwest Airlines) typically charges penalty fees to change or cancel an economy fare flight. The fees, however, can vary from as low as $75 on a domestic flight to more than $400 on an international flight.

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