I am trying to get some clarity about refunds for airline tickets.

I have read that there is a law that any airline that flies into the US has to offer the customer a refund if the ticket is for a flight more than 7 days away and is canceled within 24 hours. But it also seems according to many sites that this only applies to flights going to or coming from the US, and since I'm traveling outside the US right now I don't know if it applies.

However, I have also seen it said that you have to be careful because some fares are not refundable (how is this possible given the above law?) and that some airlines charge exorbitant fees for issuing the refund (which also doesn't sound like it accords with the 24 hour law).

I have also read that US online travel bookers like Expedia and Travelocity will offer refunds on any ticket canceled within 24 hours. So does that mean any ticket booked through these sites on any airlines so long as canceled in that time frame will receive a full refund? Because I see some people saying even on expedia not all tickets are refundable. But in the "fare review" window of the tickets, I do not see any information relating to refunds shared.

Is there a way to know for sure if the ticket your purchase will be fully refundable if canceled with 24 hours?

Also, is it true that even if you cancel in 24 hours, it can take up to three months for your money to refunded? Or does that only apply to refunds requested after that time period?

Thanks for helping clarify these issues for me!

this DOT rule only applies if you buy directly from the airline's USA website, with the following fineprint:

a) the DOT rule is either 24 hour cancel, or 24 hour hold - AA does 24hour hold
AA: Possible end to 24 hold?
actual DOT rule: https://www.transportation.gov/airco...ur-reservation
b) will not apply if you buy from an online travel agency (OTA) like priceline
though sometimes the OTA will "match" the airline to be competitive and offer 24 hour cancellation too
but OTAs are not bound by the DOT law/rule
c) only applies to airline's website targeting USA consumer (aka if you use the airline's EU website instead of airline's USA website, it wont apply)
d) will not apply if you book a flight less than 7 days away, though many USA airlines allow 24hour cancel still for these flights


the DOT 24 hour rule overrides the fare (nonrefundable) rules.
some airlines make it difficult to cancel online - you have to call in, wait on hold, hopefully agent gets on in time to cancel (or argue that you've been waiting on hold before the cutoff time)

as mentioned above, OTAs are not bound by the DOT rule
they are free to "match" the airline to remain competitive. when you checkout on OTA, if it offers 24hr cancel, it'll say that

some OTAs even offer "up to next business day midnight". so if you buy on friday 10pm, you have until 11:59pm on monday
Expedia(forTD): Cancel free until midnight

if you read the fare rule (nonrefundable, then no cancellation via fare rule) and the website policy (website offers free 24hr cancellation wavier on top of the rules?
eg expedia, on the chechkout page, it'll say

DOT says airline and OTAs have to refund promptly

if you buy from airline directly, DOT defines promptly as 7 days (credit card ) or 20 days (cash/check)

if you buy from OTA, "promptly" is not defined

https://www.transportation.gov/indiv...ection/refunds

generally if you cancel within 1-24 hour, the pending auth on your credit card drops and you dont even see the charge (i say generally, it really depends on your credit card and airline)
if you cancel after 24 hour, then depends

I'm pretty sure Priceline's 24 hour refund policy applies to all airplane tickets it sells because it gets mentioned whenever this topic comes up on FT. I'm guessing some other OTA's are similar, but I wouldn't be willing to bet that OTA <xxx> is just because it has a .com website.