Originally Posted by
inno.SAN-ICN
1. Try to call DL and cancel the tickets to get DL voucher. Zero chances to get $ unless it was a full fare ticket, or it was a schedule change.
2. (1) may not work - some tickets could be cancelled only by Expedia... DL agent will tell to call them. In this case your friend will pay also expedia cancellation fees, but may get expedia voucher (non-restricted to DL).
3. I would wait for schedule change... and than call DL or Expedia to get $$.
Normally DL wouldn't give out ECVs in the past for ticket cancellations, but that was when an ECV could be used under any name. But now with ECVs only good for the named passenger, it is worth to ask for an ECV (of the ticket value - change fee), as the ECV then can be used to make reservations online, while if just the ticket is cancelled they will need to call to book, that will be more time consuming and frustrating, and there is no way to see the cancelled ticket and its "$ balance" online, while with an ECV you can easily see that anytime under profile.
And I also second, or make it third, what
mtkeller said earlier and what is noted above in #3: if there is still some time until flight, don't cancel it yet. Wait until a few days before and see if there are any >90 min schedule changes that will entitle them to a full refund with no penalty. Only if no such changes this has to be done, otherwise they may be able to get a full refund due to schedule change - the likelyhood of which is pretty good.