How to Change a Flight You Booked Online
Who can change your ticket, what it costs by fare type, and why calling before the flight matters.
By WarBird Flight editors · Updated September 16, 2026 · 2 min read
Who can make the change
The seller of the ticket controls it. Booked on the airline's site, the airline can change it. Booked through an online agency, the agency usually must make the change, and airlines will often refuse to touch it until departure day. Booked by phone with our partner agency, call the same number.
What it costs
On standard economy and higher fares from US carriers, there is no change fee; you pay the fare difference. Basic economy cannot be changed on any US carrier. International carriers usually charge a change fee on lower fare brands.
Before the flight, always
A no-show voids most tickets, including the return. If you cannot make the flight, change or cancel it before departure to keep the value as a credit.
The fare difference is the real cost, not the fee
Now that the major US carriers have dropped change fees on standard economy, people expect a change to be free — and the fee is, but the fare difference usually is not. When you move to a new date, you pay the gap between what you paid and today's price for the new flight, which on a busier date can be substantial. If the new fare is lower, most US carriers hand you the difference back as a credit rather than cash. This is why changing early helps: the closer to departure, the higher the replacement fare tends to be, so a change made weeks out often costs far less than the same change made the day before.
Change versus cancel-and-rebook
Sometimes the cheaper move is not a change at all. If you booked two one-ways, you can drop or move just the affected leg without touching the other. If the new trip is much cheaper or your plans have collapsed entirely, cancelling to a credit and rebooking fresh can beat a same-ticket change, though basic economy usually forecloses both. And if you are still inside 24 hours of booking, the federal rule lets you cancel for a full refund and simply buy the flight you actually want. When it is not obvious which path is cheapest, an agent can compare the change against a cancel-and-rebook on the spot before anything is committed.
What to have ready
Confirmation code, the name on the booking, and the new dates. Call (708) 866-8751; if the ticket was sold elsewhere, the agent will tell you who has to make the change and what to ask for.
Change rules by airline
Standard fares, summarised from each carrier's policy. Basic economy differs; the agent reads the exact rule for your ticket. Policy copy last checked September 2026.
| Airline | Rule | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | Delta removed change fees on Main Cabin and above for travel originating in the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. | Details |
| United Airlines | United has no change fees on Economy and above for travel within the US or between the US and Mexico, the Caribbean, or international destinations originating in the US. | Details |
| American Airlines | American does not charge change fees on Main Cabin and above for travel within the US, and on most international itineraries originating in North America. | Details |
| Southwest Airlines | Southwest does not charge change fees on any fare; you pay the fare difference if the new flight is more expensive. | Details |
| Alaska Airlines | No change fees on Main and First fares; fare difference applies. | Details |
| Hawaiian Airlines | No change fees on Main Cabin and above; fare difference applies. | Details |
| Air Canada | Unlike the US carriers, Air Canada still charges change fees on Standard fares; Flex and higher fares reduce or waive them. | Details |
| Lufthansa | Economy Light fares cannot be changed. | Details |
| British Airways | Economy Basic fares cannot be changed. | Details |
| Air France | Economy Light cannot be changed. | Details |
| KLM | Economy Light cannot be changed. | Details |
| Norwegian | LowFare and LowFare+ can be changed for a fee plus fare difference; Flex changes free. | Details |
| Emirates | Special fares have restricted changes with a fee plus fare difference; Saver and Flex fares change for lower fees; Flex Plus changes free. | Details |
| Qatar Airways | Lite fares change for a fee plus fare difference; Classic and Convenience have lower fees; Comfort changes free. | Details |
| Etihad Airways | Basic fares change for a fee plus fare difference; Value and Comfort have lower fees; Deluxe changes free. | Details |
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