FlyerTalk Forums - Changing return after schedule date

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)

- Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles-665/)

- - Changing return after schedule date (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1845645-changing-return-after-schedule-date.html)

Changing return after schedule date

I have already flown the outbound of a round-trip ticket and may want to use the return portion of a ticket I booked at a later date, but I won't know before my originally scheduled departure. It's my understanding that with most DL fares you can just no show and rebook within the ticket validity, thus only paying any change fees if you choose to actually use the ticket. Does this sound correct?

Here is what I believe is the relevant text from my fare:

Code:

     AFTER DEPARTURE OF JOURNEY AND WITHIN TICKET VALIDITY

     CERTAIN DOMESTIC REISSUE PROVISIONS MAY BE OVERRIDDEN

     BY THOSE OF DL INTERNATIONAL FARES

     CHARGE USD 300.00/CAD 300.00 FOR REISSUE OR HIGHEST

     FEE OF ALL CHANGED FARE COMPONENTS AND

       CHANGES NOT PERMITTED/REFUND TKT-ANY REMAINING AMT

       WILL APPLY TO NEW TKT

     WHEN CHANGE RESULTS IN LOWER FARE SUBTRACT RESIDUAL

     FROM THE PENALTY THEN ADD-COLLECT/REFUND

     ENDORSEMENT BOX - HIGHER NON-REF AMT AND NEW

     ENDORSEMENTS.

I don't trust the phone agent answers because they always need to call someone else to decipher what should happen.

Why not just cancel if you know you will not be taking the booked return? You will have a voucher valued at the return fare. When you use it, you be be charged the change fee plus any fare difference between the original return fare and the new return fare, if the new return fare is much less, you save money, if more, you pay the difference too. I believe it does not matter if you are a no-show or cancel in advance. Note the key word "reissue" which means they sell you a new ticket at the lowest fare bucket currently available, priced at when you bought the original ticket. You can also use the residue value to buy an unrelated ticket minus the change fee.

The tricky thing is with some international fares, you have to fly on the same routing. If you just want to change the dates then it should be no problem... just pay the change fee and the new price based on historical data when you originally booked.

Its best to cancel it before you would be missing the return to be safe.

I don't mind officinally cancelling, just wonder if I really must book the substitute flight at the time, not knowing if I will be taking it either.

What you could do is call and inquire what the change fee and price would be if you make a change... just give a guess for dates, and if they can give you a price then the system can use the ticket.

You shouldn't have to rebook at the same time, as long as its within a year from the original booking date.