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What does fully refundable mean?

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Old Apr 17, 2023 | 2:48 pm
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What does fully refundable mean?

Asked this in the newbie thread but didn't get a response.

I've got a refundable main ticket booked for a few weeks time from SFO - ATL (via MSP). My aim is to get an earlier direct flight on a different airline, however timing is tight and I might miss that.

At what point can I cancel the SFO - ATL ticket? Or rather, what is the latest point I can cancel it? Also, if I forget to cancel it and manage to get on the other flight, will it auotmatically be cancelled and refunded if I no-show? Does it make a difference if I check-in on the app?

I don't usually like doing this, but the earlier direct flight gets me in 3hrs before this one and I'm quite short on time in ATL.
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Old Apr 17, 2023 | 3:00 pm
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Nevermind, missed the part about flying another airline.

Last edited by xliioper; Apr 17, 2023 at 3:16 pm
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Old Apr 17, 2023 | 3:07 pm
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If no-show, you'll still need to request a refund. In the unlikely event you have a no-show penalty in fare rule, DL hasn't been imposing them since CV19 hit. Delays in getting to agents on phone, and fact online doesn't let you cancel everything, plus lack of trained agents have meant they've just ignored it.

Best bet, if possible cancel in app/online before departure. Can be one minute, there's no cutoff.

You will need to make sure to sekect refund when doing so, otherwise it'll be left as ecredit and youll need to call in to request ecredit be refunded instead.
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Old Apr 17, 2023 | 3:08 pm
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Originally Posted by xliioper
Are you planning to pay for a new ticket on the SFO-ATL non-stop flight? You can't same-day change from a connecting itin to a non-stop, so you would have to exchange existing ticket and pay fare difference for new ticket (at which point, existing ticket would no longer be valid). Or buy new walk-up ticket and refund existing ticket (which can refunded before or after departure on domestic refundable fares).

https://www.delta.com/us/en/change-c...-flight-change
OP said wants to fly another airline.
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Old Apr 18, 2023 | 8:56 pm
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You dont need to proactively cancel refundable domestic tickets. The gate agent will cancel your reservation when you dont check in by the cutoff. The only deadline you need to worry about is that you need to request the refund within 1 year of the ticketing date (not flight date but date the ticket was issued). Once your reservation has been canceled you can either go online and request the refund or call (its faster overall to call).

The whole business about canceling before departure only applies to non refundable tickets or international tickets that have specific penalty provisions. I routinely wait until after departure to settle up refundable tickets and have never had an issue.
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Old Apr 19, 2023 | 12:12 am
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Originally Posted by kenn0223
You dont need to proactively cancel refundable domestic tickets. The gate agent will cancel your reservation when you dont check in by the cutoff. The only deadline you need to worry about is that you need to request the refund within 1 year of the ticketing date (not flight date but date the ticket was issued). Once your reservation has been canceled you can either go online and request the refund or call (its faster overall to call).

The whole business about canceling before departure only applies to non refundable tickets or international tickets that have specific penalty provisions. I routinely wait until after departure to settle up refundable tickets and have never had an issue.
The agent doesn't cancel. You are marked as no-show. This cause remaining legs to be canceled. However the 1st legt will be marked as no-show.

No-show can indeed change what you get for refund. In some cases, you could end up losing value of ticket.

Right now DL isn't imposing the penalties. However they are indeed still part of the fare rules.
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Old Apr 19, 2023 | 11:22 am
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Thanks all. Made the earlier flight on another airline and have cancelled for a full refund.
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