In the wake of the disruptions COVID-19 has caused to air travel, a number of leading airlines have removed their change fees for new flight bookings made in March 2020, allowing passengers to book with confidence.
The removal of change fees for March bookings means that should you need to amend your flights down the track, you can do so without additional charges and penalties from the airlines. (Normal fare differences will still apply at the time of rebooking however).
The airlines currently removing change fees for bookings made during March 2020 include:
Air New Zealand Air New Zealand is introducing change flexibility for all new international flights booked and ticketed from 5-31 March 2020. Customers who purchase an international ticket between these dates will have the standard change penalty waived should they need to amend their flight dates, regardless of the number of changes made. The normal fare difference will still apply should the booking class not be available at the time of rebooking. This applies to International tickets departing Australia only.
Book Air New Zealand Flights Here
British Airways British Airways will waive change fees on any flights booked between 3 March and 16 March 2020. The policy covers all British Airways routes with changes available right up to departure. Any fare difference due to a date change will still apply.
Book British Airways Flights Here
Cathay Pacific Cathay Pacific are offering the flexibility to make free and unlimited changes to all new tickets issued between 8 March 2020 and 20 April 2020, as long as all travel is completed before 28 February 2021 and any fare differences are paid at the time of rebooking.
Book Cathay Pacific Flights Here
Delta Airlines Delta Airlines is removing change fees for tickets booked between 1 and 31 March 2020. The removal of fees is valid for any tickets from Australia to the USA, and new travel must commence on or before 28 February 2021. Internal flights within the USA are not included. Any fare differences are still applicable.
Book Delta Airlines Flights Here
Emirates Emirates will remove change fees on flight bookings made from 5 March to 31 March 2020, regardless of travel date. If there is a difference in the airfare or applicable taxes due to the change of date or route of the ticket, the additional amount will need to be paid. Passengers can change their booking to any date for travel available for booking.
Book Emirates Flights Here
Etihad Airlines Etihad Airways is allowing one complimentary date or destination change for all flights booked between 8 March and 7 April 2020. Valid for travel from 22 March 2020, the offer is applicable to all fares including Etihad Guest redemptions and Etihad Holiday bookings. Any fare difference arising from the rebooking/rerouting will be applied
Book Etihad Flights Here
LATAM Airlines LATAM will remove change fees for all international flights up to December 31, 2020, for new bookings made between 6 - 22 March, 2020. Customers making new reservations will be able to change the date and/or destination of their ticket once without penalty, fare differences are still applicable to be paid
Enquire About LATAM Flights Here
Lufthansa Group The Lufthansa Group including Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines are removing change fees for new flights booked between 6 March and 31 March 2020. The airlines are offering passengers one free of charge change and the new travel dates must be before 31 December 2020. Any additional fare difference needs to be paid at the time of rebooking.
Book Lufthansa Flights Here
Qantas Qantas are offering a one-time fee-free change to new international flight bookings made between 10 - 31 March 2020, for travel before 30 June 2020, subject to availability. If the value of your rebooked flight is greater than that of your original booking, you’ll need to cover the fare difference. Changes must be made at least 3 days before travel, and travel must commence on or before 30 June 2020.
Book Qantas Flights Here
Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines are removing change and reissue fees for tickets issued from 5 March 2020 to 31 March 2020. Rebooked travel must be completed by 31 March 2021, and any additional fare diffenrce will still need to be paid.
Book Singapore Airlines Flights Here
United Airlines United Airlines will remove change fees from new fares booked by 31 March 2020. Passengers will be able to change their flights for new dates up to 12 months from the original ticket issue date. Any differences in fares will need to be paid at the time of rebooking and no refunds will be offered if the new flights are cheaper.
Book United Airlines Flights Here
Virgin Australia Virgin Australia passengers with new or existing international bookings for travel from 10 March through to 30 June 2020 have the option to change their flight to a later date and/or to a different destination, without incurring a change fee. Any fare difference or applicable taxes will need to be paid should the same booking class/fare not be available on the new travel date.
Book Virgin Flights Here
To book your business class travel for 2020 contact our Specialist Flat Beds Airfare Consultants.
Terms & Conditions
Information is correct as at 5 March 2020. Policies may be changed or removed at anytime without notice.
All flights are subject to availability at time of rebooking. Any fare and tax differences at the time of rebooking are payable.
Emirates Terms & Conditions
Advertised fares are for Business and Economy Class return travel departing from Perth inclusive of taxes and surcharges, correct as of 14 February 2020, subject to currency fluctuation and availability. Offer ends 16 March 2020. Business Class fares are for travel commencing 18 March to 31 December 2020. Economy Class fares are for travel commencing 7 March to 23 March and 30 March to 11 June and 12 July until 3 December 2020. Higher levels apply for other travel periods. Flight restrictions, day-of-week surcharges, inbound blackout periods, amendment and cancellation fees apply. Inbound flights may be restricted for travel between 1 July to 30 July and 20 September to 10 October 2020.
Delta Airlines Terms & Conditions
Policy Information
Delta will waive administrative change fees and travel agents may rebook and reissue tickets provided the below guidelines are met and applied:
1. Travel has not commenced on the affected flight segment and the ticket has not been reissued by Delta
2. The first departure flight is more than 3 hours away
3. Customer has not checked in; if checked in, travel agent may contact Delta Sales Support or Reservations for assistance
4. Only one change is permitted under this policy (Bulletin #1) without a change fee (Administrative Service Charge – ASC)
5. Tickets can only be reissued by the agency that originally issued the ticket
6. Bulk/Net Fare tickets must be referred to original issuing agent
7. Some affected itineraries may have been proactively rebooked and reissued. If assistance is needed with additional changes, please contact Delta.
8. Changes outside of the guidelines are subject to the reissue rules of the ticketed fare. This includes any applicable additional collection or administrative fees.
Future Travel Rebooking Options
• Customers who reschedule their reservation and are able to reissue no later than 28 February, 2021, may be subject to any applicable additional fare for their new itinerary, however, the change fee will be waived. Change to Origin/Destination
• Changes to Origin / Destination are permitted and subject to additional collection for the new itinerary.
• Change fee may be waived provided ticket is reissued within policy guidelines,
Please note: For tickets reissued after 28 February, 2021, change fees will apply.
Delta’s Travel Exception Policy may change at any time without advance Notice.
Air New Zealand Terms & Conditions
Air New Zealand is introducing change flexibility for all new international flights booked and ticketed on NZ ticket stock (086) from 5-31 March 2020.
Customers who purchase an international ticket between these dates will have the standard change penalty waived should they need to amend their flight dates, regardless of the number of changes made. The normal fare difference will apply should the booking class not be available at the time of rebooking.
This applies to International tickets ex. Australia only, for any standalone domestic New Zealand bookings standard change and refund rules will remain.
United Airlines Terms & Conditions
Due to ongoing uncertainty over travel planning, we are offering a waiver for change fees on all fares (including Basic Economy, bulk and fixed fares, etc.). Starting today, March 3 through March 31, 2020, newly purchased tickets will be exempt from change fees.
This change waiver applies to:
All fare types, including Basic Economy, bulk, fixed, etc.
All destinations
All points-of-sale
All travel up to 12 months from the original ticket issue date
Future itinerary changes
Customers can change to a flight of equal or lesser value with no change fee. If the new fare is of lesser value, there's no refund or residual of the fare difference. If the new ticket is a higher fare, the customer only pays the fare difference.
Lufthansa Group Terms & Conditions
Due to the current spreading of the corona virus, the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are offering passengers the possibility to rebook their flights (worldwide) once free of charge.
Rebooking options for future bookings (tickets issued from 6 March to 31 March 2020)
Goodwill policy for free of charge rebooking/reissue of flights which are not cancelled – no refund permitted:
The goodwill policy is applicable if following prerequisites are fulfilled:
Passengers
with a booked flight between 6 March 2020 and 25 March 2021, and
whose OS/LH/LX/SN/EN ticket (257/220/724/082/101) has been issued between 6 March and 31 March 2020, and
with a booked Austrian Airlines/Lufthansa/SWISS/Brussels Airlines/Eurowings/Edelweiss/Germanwings/Air Dolomiti flight worldwide (operated by OS/LH/LX/WK/SN/EW/4U/EN), or
Worldwide flights operated by other airlines (OAL) with OS/LH/LX/WK/SN/EW/4U/EN flight numbers (“code share”)
may rebook once free of charge.
The following rules apply for rebookings of changeable fares:
Change and re-issue required before the original travel commencement date
Rebooking on an alternative Lufthansa Group flight/connection (flight number and operated by: OS, SN, EW, 4U, LH, LX, WK, EN), or
Rebooking on a flight operated by other airlines (OAL) with OS/LH/LX/WK/SN/EW/4U/EN flight numbers (“code share”) – if covered by the original fare conditions
The rebooking fee will be waived
Itinerary re-price is required. If applicable, the difference to the higher fare or new travel season, for example, has to be charged.
The change of origin and destination is not permitted (per original fare rule only).
New travel date (for completely unused tickets): on/before 31 December 2020
New travel date (for partially used tickets): Within the original ticket validity or on/before 31 December 2020, whichever is earlier.
All other conditions of the original fare apply
The following rules apply for rebookings of non-changeable fares:
Change and re-issue required before the original travel commencement date
Rebooking on an alternative Lufthansa Group flight/connection (flight number and operated by: OS, SN, EW, 4U, LH, LX, WK, EN), or
Rebooking on a flight operated by other airlines (OAL) with OS/LH/LX/WK/SN/EW/4U/EN flight numbers (“code share”) – if covered by the original fare conditions
The rebooking fee will be waived
Itinerary re-price is required. If applicable, the difference to the higher fare or new travel season, for example, has to be charged.
The change of origin and destination is not permitted
New travel date (for completely unused tickets): on/before 31 December 2020
New travel date (for partially used tickets): Within the original ticket validity or on/before 31 December 2020, whichever is earlier.
In case of subsequent re-issue/exchange, the original non-refundable fare or refund penalty amount remains non-refundable
All other conditions of the original fare apply
Etihad Terms & Conditions
The terms and conditions of this promotion is as follows:
This offer applies to all Etihad Published fares, Etihad Guest bookings and Etihad Holiday bookings
Rebooking can be done in the same RBD as the original ticket or the lowest available RBD in the same cabin
Rerouting is permitted to an alternate Etihad Airways online destination
Any fare difference arising from the rebooking/rerouting will be applicable
All other fare rules like refunds/no shows, advance purchase etc. will apply as per the fare booked
This offer is not applicable to Group Bookings
LATAM Airlines Terms & Conditions
LATAM will waive change fees for all international flights up to December 31, 2020, applicable to new bookings made between March 6 and 22, 2020. Customers making new reservations will be able to change the date and/or destination of their ticket* up to 14 days in advance of their outbound flight without penalty, subject to fare differences.
For more information, visit latam.com.
*One change per ticket permitted
Singapore Airlines Terms & Conditions
In light of the current environment, Singapore Airlines will provide greater flexibility and peace of mind to our customers by waiving change and reissue fees for tickets issued from 5 March 2020 to 31 March 2020.
For SQ/MI or SQ/MI/TR fares issued on SQ/MI tickets:
· Ticketing fees for re-booking or re-routing will be waived for all SQ/MI/TR destinations.
· Rebooked travel must be completed by 31 March 2021.
· Fare top-ups, where applicable, may apply for re-routing.
· Any other penalties will still apply in accordance with fare conditions.
These fee waivers not only apply to our current ‘Autumn Take-Off’ tactical fares but our year-round fares as well.
Tariff bulletins for ‘Autumn Take-Off’ fares are attached, available for sale and ticketing from 5 Mar to 18 Mar 2020. $1 Singapore Stopover Holiday (SSH) and Changi Dollar Vouchers (up to SGD$40) are also available as value-adds during this period.
Cathay Pacific Terms & Conditions
Travel must be completed on or before 28 February 2021.
Applicable to all tickets originally purchased and issued between 9 March and 20 April 2020.
The offer above applies to Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon tickets only.
Applicable to all fares, except redemption and group tickets.
Booking changes must be made before departure.
Fare/ tax differences may apply, due to the fare restrictions/ conditions of your ticket.
Standard cancellation guidelines apply to all fares.