Flights Save Big When You Follow the 24-Hour Rule
The 24-hour reservation requirement is something the airlines don't want you to know about. The rule, created by the US Department of Transportation (DOT), requires all airlines operating flights to, from, or within the United States to provide full refunds to passengers if they cancel their flight within 24 hours following the purchase of a ticket. Under the rule, airlines must refund the full fare to the original form of payment (not via travel voucher or flight credit) if a ticket is canceled within 24 hours of purchase, even on non-refundable rates.
How can this rule save you money?
Imagine you bought a plane ticket, then the next day the airline is having a big flight sale and the price of your itinerary is now less than what you paid for. If less than 24 hours have passed since you purchased your ticket, you can simply cancel the ticket and then rebook at the lowest price without worrying about change or cancellation fees.
We recommend that you check your ticket price several times during the 24-hour period following your booking to see if fares drop. This strategy often pays off and you can rebook and save.
Knowing the 24-hour rule can also give you peace of mind if you see an incredibly low rate that you want to jump on. Rather than waiting for your boss's approval for time off or your travel companion to get back to you (and potentially missing that cheap flight), you can simply book the ticket and, if that doesn't work out, cancel it within 24 hours without penalty.
If you booked a ticket quickly, you can also take advantage of the 24-hour period to double-check the information on your booking (like making sure you haven't misspelled a passenger's name) - something airlines may charge you to correct.
Important exceptions to the rule
Direct bookings with airlines are exempt from this rule. If you book through an online travel agency (OTA) like Expedia, you'll have to follow the company's refund policy (which isn't usually that lenient).
Airlines may choose to offer customers the option to hold a fare for free for up to 24 hours instead of offering a refund within 24 hours. Be sure to check that the airline you're booking with doesn't offer it before buying your ticket - American Airlines is the one that offers the free 24-hour hold. If the airline offers freehold, you can still save money by putting the fare on hold and waiting to see if the price drops within 24 days of purchasing the ticket.
Booking a flight seven days before departure is the only exception to this rule. You will therefore not be able to obtain a refund if you book a ticket less than a week before your flight.
How do I cancel under the 24-hour rule?
You don't have to do anything special to get your full refund when you cancel a flight booking within 24 hours. Simply cancel your reservation as you normally would, and the airline should promptly refund your original form of payment.
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