gary_nj

My understanding is that if you need to change the outbound flight, then you are starting over from scratch - you are then not guaranteed that your original fare basis will still be available. So you might wind up paying much more for your ticket.

In this situation, I might advise you to fly the outbound. Then, after travel has started, contact AC and ask about changing the date on the return. You would need to pay the penalty fee, but you should be able to then book your return for any flight that has your fare basis available. (Once travel has started, it is usually better to contact the airline directly instead of the agency.)

The one risk with this is that if your fare basis is sold out on the date that you wish to return, you may have to pay a higher fare for the trip back.

If this sounds risky for you, do some shopping now to see what fares are available to purchase as a brand new ticket. If you find something that you like, on the days that you like, then you can have Expedia cancel your original, pay the penalty fee, and buy the new ticket that works for you.