What You Need To Know About Airline Weather Waivers
Intense winter storms are expected across the Midwest and the Northeast this week. Airlines are offering weather waivers to passengers who want to try to avoid the storms and the resulting flight cancellations and delays.
On most airlines, you would normally need to pay change fees and/or fare differentials if you want to change your flight (and if your ticket even allows changes). In anticipation of significant disruptions, many airlines are allowing passengers to make free changes, and in some instances, are also waiving fare differentials.
Note, if the airline cancels your flight for any reason, you are entitled to a refund.
The airlines are placing restrictions on these “Weather Waivers.” Here are the most important things to keep in mind:
- To be eligible, make sure your flight involves an eligible airport and is on an eligible day. Most airlines are only extending the waiver to flights scheduled to occur between December 20-24. The exact dates vary by airline and by region.
- You must rebook a flight for the same departure and arrival airport.
- You must have purchased the ticket before these weather waivers were announced, generally before December 19.
- You must rebook your new flight to occur before a certain date in order to preserve the value of the flight and to potentially avoid fare differentials as well.
On JetBlue, your flight must occur on or before December 26. However, most other airlines will allow you to complete your travel within a year of the original purchase date.
On Delta, fare differences are waived if you travel on or before December 26. But if you travel after December 26, you will have to pay fare differences. Same goes with Spirit, United, and Alaska (December 28) and Hawaiian (January 3).
On Southwest, you can avoid fare differences when you make your first change.
It appears American and Frontier will not waive fare differentials. Allegiant’s policy is not very clear, stating only “If a weather advisory is issued for your flight, you may elect to rebook yourself for another Allegiant flight on a later date, within seven days of original departure date at no additional cost.”
As always, the airlines must provide you with a refund if they cancel a flight for any reason. Travel around the holidays can always be tricky, as delays that stack up in New York and Chicago reverberate throughout the country. It is advisable to purchase direct flights whenever you can and to opt for morning flights when available.
FlyersRights.org is here to help you. For the most common travel issues, you can access our “Know Your Rights” page. Passengers may also call our hotline at 1-800-FLYERS-6 (1-800-359-3776).
Please consider becoming a FlyersRights.org supporter or donor. We are the nation’s largest airline passenger advocacy organization, and we are zealously fighting for you.
