ToadGuy

Hey, hopefully someone can help me on this.

Booked a flight to Japan for this week back in May of 2020. Used points.

Since then, Delta has changes my trip multiple times and shortened the trip by 4 days. Oh and there's that thing where Japan isn't allowing American tourists in.

I still would love to go to Japan and at price (low miles) I booked it with. What are my options if any? Specifically, any hope I can change for a flight in November without having to pay a fare difference (almost $120,000 point difference)?

Or am I just going to get an e-credit that will expire or simply the points refunded? If it's just a refund, yeah, I don't think I'm ever going to Japan haha.

lsquare

I've been out of the loop on the latest COVID-19 cancellation and flight change policies. I just received my AMEX Platinum and I need to meet the minimum spending requirement. There is probably no better way to do that than to book direct with DL and earn 5x MR points. I want to do some speculative bookings between now and the next few weeks for travel in Q1 2022. This will not only help me meet the MSR, but hopefully take advantage of some good deals. I fully expect to be vaccinated by the end of this year. Obviously no one here will know when borders will re-open. I'm looking at some USA-Canada fares and USA-Asia fares. In the event, I need to cancel due to border closure or other COVID-19 related issues, can I fully cancel and get a refund? If not, will I get a travel credit? If I need to change the flight dates, will I need to pay the fare difference if the fare cost more in the future or a refund if the fare cost less?

Thank you.

xliioper

Tickets purchased on/before April 30th originating in North America are not subject to change fees (excluding Basic Economy). But there is no provision for refunds simply due to the fact that there may be continuing Covid-19 related travel restrictions. There are few routes operating to Canada and many other countries right now. It's likely there will be significant changes to the schedule if there are still restrictions to travel when your travel is scheduled. Anything 2 hours or more allows for a refund. For example, service to a number of Canadian airports (YVR/YYC/YWG/YYZ) from MSP is scheduled to resume June 18th. This is the start of the current "placeholder" schedule. There's a good chance these will either get reduced, or, if travel to Canada is still restricted to essential travel only, have their restart dates pushed back further.

lsquare

From what I gather, the April 30th date only applies for basic economy fares right? Where does it say that the other fares are not subject to change fees if purchased before April 30th?

If I do a voluntary cancel up to the day before my departure date, I'm assuming I'll just get an eCredit? The credit is only valid for a year from my purchase date?

xliioper

Sorry, yes, the April 30th date is just for BE fares and you'll still have an eCredit for other fares until a year from purchase after April 30th.

safigan

You probably want an eCredit anyway. AmEx warns in their T&Cs that refunds after the spending requirement is met are subject to clawbacks and worse.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

FWIW I had to cancel a sky miles ticket (only because I could not get the change I wanted) and was fully refunded the taxes which I think they have to do??? So no eCredit for me. And I just turned around and rebooked the flights we wanted.

flyerCO

Theres no such specific thing as an ecredit. Ecredits are a term for describing either 1)unused tickets or 2)DL issued travel vouchers.

You cancelled your reservation and asked for a refund. You could have left the ticket, but like most since its refundable you elected a refund. Award tickets have always been refundable and still are (excluding BE awards).

For cash tickets, most are not refundable unless DL does something specific. (Ie schedule change, cancels flight, etc...) If you cancel the unused ticket shows up under ecredits section of your My Wallet.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Ah, I had actually never had to cancel a skymiles ticket before so was not sure what would happen. At this point though I have certainly made use of the free changes.

exwannabe

Just as a forward note, DL award tickets normally are refundable for a fee. I think it was $50 domestic. If you are DL Plat the fee is waived. Right now it is always being waived, but that will likely change as we return to the real world..

MSPeconomist

IIRC the fee had been $150 per award ticket, domestic or international, unless the miles came from a PM+ DL FF account.

lsquare

I'm a PM so I guess it's $0 for me then.

MSPeconomist

There could be other people reading this thread who aren't PM/DM/360.

sydneyracquelle

There are many mistakes in this thread re BE tickets which are still fully changeable and cancellable for a 100% credit for all BE tickets bought before May 1.

flyerCO

1)Not all posts are recent
2)DL changed their minds a couple of times since CV19 hit
3)A lot of posters are posting what policy is. The fact they can be changed is because a waiver applies. No different than with a weather waiver, policy is still the same, its just momentarily waived.
4)Most posters I find do number 3, otherwise someone reads the post say May 2 and thinks BE tickets are changeable.