Why are change fees so expensive?

Airlines prefer the high change fees for reasons both obvious and less so. The obvious reason is the money. The less obvious reason is that change fees “protect” revenue and help airlines keep their planes as full as possible (achieving “higher load factors,” in the jargon).



People Also Ask

Fares with no change fees are useful for passengers who need the flexibility (they may have to change their plans), but there's no magic trick which will give you an expensive ticket for less. There is no such thing as a free lunch with airline tickets.

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Many airlines have currently waived change fees for economy fares and higher, but still require change fees for basic economy fares. These fees can range from $25 to $100+, depending on the airline's policy.

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If airline tickets could be transferred from one passenger to another, it would create a secondary market for tickets that would undermine the airline industry's entire business model, which is to discount advance-purchase fares bought by tourists and raise the price of a tickets typically bought by business travelers.

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And abolishing change fees made it easier for airlines to raise fares on fee-free tickets – while leaving you the option of buying a cheaper ticket that cannot be changed at any price. So few people were flying that airlines finally realized that change fees angered passengers.

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Four major U.S. airlines, Alaska, American Airlines, Delta and United, recently announced they were getting rid of a much-reviled travel expense: change fees.

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Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.


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Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.

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Your ticket
A refundable ticket allows you to change or cancel your flight without a fee. A non-refundable ticket may cost less, but if you need to make changes you'll be charged a change fee and any difference in fare. If you buy a Basic Economy fare, changes are not allowed.

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If you purchased a round-trip flight and need to change the first leg to a different day, your best bet will likely be to pay the change fee and book a new flight. If you only need to change the return portion of a round trip, however, it may be cheaper to book a new one-way flight than to pay the cancellation fee.

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Delta Air Lines offered passengers $10,000 each to get bumped from an oversold flight | Fortune.

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How the major airlines ranked for cancellations in 2022
  • Frontier Airlines – 2.87% of flights canceled.
  • Spirit Airlines – 3% of flights canceled.
  • Southwest Airlines – 3.26% of flights canceled.
  • Allegiant Air – 3.52% of flights canceled.
  • JetBlue Airways – 3.74% of flights canceled.


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As demand increases, supply decreases and the airline revenue management algorithm automatically increases the ticket prices of the remaining seats on the aircraft. To maximize revenue, airlines use a variable pricing strategy to sell the same seat at different prices to different customers at different times.

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Depending on the airline and your situation, you'll either receive a travel credit or a monetary refund after your change is approved. Airlines will usually waive the change fee and grant a travel credit that can be used within a year of the original booking date.

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Yes. The name submitted on your airline reservation must be an exact match to the name you provided on your application. If you use a frequent flyer account or online travel profile, ensure that your name is properly saved.

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