Booking flights with points and miles is one of the best ways to travel for less, but plans do not always go as expected. 

If you need to cancel a trip or switch to different dates, understanding award ticket refund policies can help you avoid losing miles or paying high fees.

Each airline has its own rules for cancellations and refunds. Some offer free changes, while others charge significant penalties. Miles might be refunded instantly with one airline but take weeks to process with another. Knowing these details in advance can help you make smarter booking decisions and avoid costly surprises.

This guide will break down the award ticket refund policies for major airlines worldwide. 

You will learn which airlines offer the most flexibility, which ones have stricter rules, and how to reduce fees when making changes. From frequent flyers to first-time travelers using miles, this guide will ensure you are prepared for any situation.

Let’s dive in and explore your options!

Key Factors To Consider

Not all award ticket refund policies are created equal. Some airlines offer generous cancellation terms, while others impose strict rules that can cost you miles or money. Before booking an award ticket, it is important to understand the key factors that determine how easy – or expensive – it will be to cancel or change your flight:

• Cancellation Fees
• Timeline For Cancellation
• Refund Processing Time
• Taxes And Fees
• Elite Status Perks And Benefits
• Direct vs Partner Award Booking

Airline Change And Cancellation Policies: North America

North American airlines have some of the most flexible award ticket policies in the world, but the rules vary by carrier. 

Below is a breakdown of the award ticket refund policies for major North American airlines, including key details on cancellation fees, mileage refunds, and processing times.

Air Canada

Air Canada is the largest airline in Canada and a key player in international travel. 

Its frequent flyer program, Aeroplan, is known for offering excellent redemption options, including flights on Air Canada and a wide range of partner airlines within the Star Alliance. 

While Aeroplan provides flexibility in award bookings, its cancellation and refund policies vary based on the fare type and whether or not a traveler has Aeroplan Elite Status.

• Country: Canada
• Airline Alliance: Star Alliance
• Cancellation Fees:
  • Standard Aeroplan Award Tickets:
    • $150 CAD cancellation fee for non-elite members
    • $75 CAD cancellation fee for Aeroplan 25K, 35K, 50K, and 75K members
    • No cancellation fee for Aeroplan Super Elite members
  • Flex and Latitude Award Tickets: Can be canceled for free, regardless of status
  • Basic Economy Award Tickets: Non-refundable and non-changeable
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be canceled at least 2 hours before departure to receive a mileage refund
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded within a few days, but processing times may vary
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable after cancellation
• Elite Status Perks:
  • Reduced cancellation fees for mid-tier elite members
  • No cancellation fees for Super Elite members
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner airline award tickets follow the same refund policy as Air Canada flights

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is a popular choice for travelers within the U.S. and beyond, thanks to its fantastic Mileage Plan program, strong partnerships, and recent entry into the Oneworld alliance. 

In addition to its Oneworld membership, Alaska also has an extensive network of non-alliance partners, including Korean Air, Condor, and Starlux Airlines, offering travelers even more redemption options. 

The airline is also in the process of merging with Hawaiian Airlines, which should further expand its reach in the coming years.

• Country: United States
• Airline Alliance: Oneworld
• Cancellation Fees: No fee to cancel and redeposit miles on award tickets
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be canceled before departure to receive a mileage refund
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded instantly, but may take a few days
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable after cancellation
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings:
  • Partner award tickets follow the same refund policy as Alaska Airlines flights
  • The $12.50 partner award booking fee per direction of travel is non-refundable if the award ticket is canceled

American Airlines

American Airlines is one of the largest carriers in the world, with a vast network covering domestic and international destinations. 

Its frequent flyer program, AAdvantage, allows travelers to book award flights using miles, offering flexibility across American Airlines and its Oneworld partner carriers.

• Country: United States
• Airline Alliance: Oneworld
• Cancellation Fees: No fee to cancel and redeposit miles on most award tickets
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be canceled before departure to receive a mileage refund
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded instantly, but may take a few days in some cases
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable for most award bookings after cancellation
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner award tickets follow the same cancellation rules, but may require a call to American Airlines to start the refund process

Delta Airlines

Delta Air Lines is one of the largest U.S. carriers, known for its reliability and extensive global network. Its frequent flyer program, SkyMiles, allows travelers to book award flights on Delta and its SkyTeam alliance partners. 

While Delta has removed most cancellation fees for award tickets, there are still a few important rules to understand when it comes to refunds, especially for tickets originating outside the United States and Basic Economy awards.

• Country: United States
• Airline Alliance: SkyTeam
• Cancellation Fees:
  • Tickets originating in the United States: No fee to cancel and redeposit miles (except for Basic Economy awards)
  • Tickets originating outside the United States: $150 cancellation or change fee (except for Basic Economy awards)
  • Basic Economy awards:
    • Domestic and short-haul international flights: 9,900 SkyMiles penalty for cancellation
    • Long-haul international flights: 19,900 SkyMiles penalty for cancellation
• Timeline For Cancellation: All award tickets must be canceled before scheduled departure, or the entire ticket is forfeited
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded instantly, but may take a few days
• Taxes And Fees: refundable after cancellation
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner award tickets follow the same cancellation policy as Delta flights

JetBlue

JetBlue is a U.S.-based airline known for its customer-friendly service, spacious economy seating, and free in-flight Wi-Fi. Its frequent flyer program, TrueBlue, allows members to redeem points for JetBlue-operated flights, as well as select partner airlines like Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways. 

JetBlue has a unique way of handling award ticket changes and cancellations, offering flexibility with a few important restrictions.

• Country: United States
• Airline Alliance: N/A
• Cancellation Fees:
  • Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, and Mint Award Tickets: No cancellation or redeposit fee
  • Blue Basic Award Tickets: $100–$200 redeposit fee if canceled
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be canceled before departure, or the entire ticket is forfeited
• Refund Processing Time: Points are typically refunded instantly, but may take a few days
• Taxes And Fees: Instead of being refunded to the original payment method, they are credited to a JetBlue Travel Bank, which can be used for future JetBlue flights
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Cancellation policies may vary for partner airlines and should be checked before booking

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is known for its customer-friendly policies, including two free checked bags, no change fees, and one of the most flexible award ticket refund policies in the industry. 

Its frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, allows travelers to book flights using points with no blackout dates, and its cancellation rules make it easy to modify or cancel award bookings without penalties.

• Country: United States
• Airline Alliance: N/A
• Cancellation Fees: No fees to cancel and redeposit points on any award ticket
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be canceled at least 10 minutes before departure, or the entire ticket is forfeited
• Refund Processing Time: Points are refunded instantly
• Taxes And Fees: Fully refundable to the original payment method upon cancellation
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: N/A

United Airlines

United Airlines is a major U.S. carrier with a strong domestic and international network. Its frequent flyer program, MileagePlus, offers award tickets on United flights as well as partner airlines within the Star Alliance. 

Thanks to recent policy changes, United has made it easier to cancel award tickets without extra fees, giving travelers more flexibility when plans change.

• Country: United States
• Airline Alliance: Star Alliance
• Cancellation Fees: No fee to cancel and redeposit miles on most award tickets
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets can be canceled anytime before departure for a full mileage refund
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded instantly, but may take a few days in some cases
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable after cancellation, except for certain partner airline-imposed fees
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner award tickets follow the same refund policy as United flights

Airline Change And Cancellation Policies: International

International airlines have a wide range of award ticket refund policies, with some offering generous flexibility and others imposing strict cancellation fees. 

While many global carriers allow mileage refunds, the rules and costs vary significantly depending on the airline and fare type.

Below is a breakdown of the award ticket refund policies for major international airlines, including key details on cancellation fees, mileage refunds, and processing times.

Air France-KLM

Air France-KLM has a straightforward change and cancellation policy, making it relatively easy for travelers to modify award bookings. 

Its joint frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, allows members to redeem miles for flights on Air France, KLM, and a wide range of partner airlines within the SkyTeam alliance and beyond.

• Country: France / Netherlands
• Airline Alliance: SkyTeam
• Cancellation Fees: €50-€70 fee applies to both changes and cancellations of award tickets
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be changed or canceled before the check-in deadline for the flight (typically one to two hours before departure, depending on the airline) to receive a mileage refund. Otherwise, the entire ticket is forfeited
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are usually refunded within a few days, but may take longer in some cases
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable for most award bookings after cancellation, though some non-refundable fees may apply
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner airline award tickets generally follow the same Flying Blue cancellation policies

Singapore Airlines

The Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program is well-known for offering the best award availability for premium cabins on flights operated by Singapore Airlines. 

This makes it one of the best programs for securing business and first-class seats. KrisFlyer uses a two-tiered system for award change and cancellation fees, depending on whether the flight was booked as a Saver or Advantage award.

• Country: Singapore
• Airline Alliance: Star Alliance
• Cancellation Fees:
  • Saver Awards: $75 USD
  • Advantage Awards: $50 USD
  • Spontaneous Escapes Promo Awards: Non-refundable
• • Change Fees:
    • Saver Awards: $25-$50 USD, depending on the change type
    • Advantage Awards: $0-$25 USD
    • Spontaneous Escapes Promo Awards: Non-refundable
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be changed or canceled before the scheduled departure time to receive a mileage refund; otherwise, the entire ticket is forfeited
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded within a few days, but may take longer in some cases
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable for most award bookings after cancellation, though some non-refundable fees may apply
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner airline award tickets follow the same cancellation rules but may require contacting Singapore Airlines to process refunds

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic has modest change and cancellation fees, especially when compared to British Airways. 

Its Flying Club program offers valuable award redemptions on Virgin Atlantic flights and a variety of partner airlines, including Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, and ANA. As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Virgin Atlantic provides even more redemption opportunities across a global network.

• Country: United Kingdom
• Airline Alliance: SkyTeam
• Cancellation Fees: £30 for flights departing the United Kingdom OR $50 USD (charged in the local currency of the departure airport) for flights departing any other international location
• Timeline For Cancellation: Award tickets must be changed or canceled at least 24 hours before departure to receive a mileage refund; otherwise, the entire ticket is forfeited
• Refund Processing Time: Miles are typically refunded within a few days, but may take longer in some cases
• Taxes And Fees: Refundable for most award bookings after cancellation, but some non-refundable surcharges may apply
• Elite Status Perks: N/A
• Partner Award Bookings: Partner airline award tickets follow the same cancellation rules but may require contacting Virgin Atlantic customer service to process refunds

How To Provide Extra Travel Protection

While many airlines have flexible refund policies for award tickets, unexpected events can still disrupt your travel plans. This is where credit cards with travel insurance can provide extra protection. 

Some premium travel credit cards offer coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays – even when booking award flights. Understanding which credit cards offer these benefits can help you avoid losing miles, cash, or both if something goes wrong.

How Travel Insurance Works For Award Tickets

Many travel credit cards provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which reimburses non-refundable expenses if your trip is canceled for a covered reason (e.g., illness, weather disruptions, or emergencies). 

For award flights, these policies typically cover:

• Taxes and fees paid on the award ticket
• Non-refundable travel expenses (e.g., hotels, tours, rental cars)
• Mileage redeposit fees (if applicable)

It is important to check the specific policy of your credit card, as coverage varies between issuers.

Best Credit Cards With Travel Insurance For Award Flights

Here are some of the top credit cards that offer strong travel insurance protections:

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Final Thoughts

Understanding award ticket refund policies is essential for travelers who rely on points and miles. While many airlines have removed cancellation fees, important differences remain in refund timelines, taxes and fees, and partner award bookings. Being aware of these details can help you make better decisions when booking and canceling award flights.

Beyond airline policies, using a credit card with travel insurance can provide an extra layer of protection. Premium travel cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express, offer coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, and even redeposit fees in some cases. 

This added protection can be valuable when unexpected changes disrupt your travel plans.

By staying informed about airline refund policies and leveraging the right credit card benefits, you can book award flights with confidence. Maximizing flexibility and protecting your miles ensures that you get the most value from your rewards while avoiding unnecessary fees or losses. 

Whether you are planning a dream vacation or a last-minute trip, knowing your options will help you make the most of your travel experiences.