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How to book flight tickets with 24 hour FREE cancellation on Expedia – A step-by-step guide

Updated: September 8, 2023 97 Comments

Book Flight Tickets with 24 hour FREE cancellation on Expedia
© Ragsac19 | Dreamstime.com

Expedia offers FREE cancellation on flight tickets within 24 hours of booking. If your plans change or if you find a better deal, you can simply cancel your flight tickets within 24 hours of booking and get a full refund. This 24-hour cancellation option is offered by all Expedia Group websites including Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, and Priceline.

In this article, you will how to book and cancel flight tickets with 24-hour free cancellation on Expedia.

Table of Contents

  • Why book flight tickets with 24-hour FREE cancellation?
  • Expedia flight cancellation policy WITHIN 24 hours of booking
  • Expedia flight refund policy WITHIN 24 hours of booking
  • Expedia flight cancellation policy AFTER 24 hours of booking
  • Steps to book and cancel flight within 24 hours for a full refund on Expedia
    • Step 01. Browse to Expedia.com (not co.uk, not co.ph, etc)
    • Step 02. Search for flights
    • Step 03. Choose your departing flight
    • Step 04. Review your trip
    • Step 05. Complete your flight booking
    • Step 06. Make a note of the date/time by which you must cancel your flight booking
    • Step 07. Check and retain your fight confirmation email
    • Step 08. Cancel your flight booking within 24 hours
    • Step 09. Verify if the flight booking has been cancelled
    • Step 10. Receive a full refund in a few days
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    • Does expedia have a 24 hour cancellation policy?
    • Is expedia free cancellation really free?
    • Is expedia customer service 24 hours?
  • Conclusion

***

Why book flight tickets with 24-hour FREE cancellation?

Expedia’s 24-hour flight cancellation is very convenient if you are on the lookout for a perfect flight deal. Or, you just want to book something in case the prices go up.

This 24-hour flight cancellation option is also the easiest and foolproof way for your onward or return flight proof.

Get a proof of onward ticket for your trip from OnwardTicket

***

Expedia flight cancellation policy WITHIN 24 hours of booking

Expedia allows you to cancel a flight ticket and get a full refund within 24 hours of booking. The Expedia 24-hour flight cancellation policy is a US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulation, passed along to the customer by the airline through Expedia. 

As per the US Department of Transportation (DOT), airlines must allow their customers to cancel their flight tickets within 24 hours of booking to get a full refund, provided the booking was made at least 7 days prior to the flight departure date. 

This regulation applies to all US airlines and their international partners booked through any US-based airline’s website or an online travel agent’s website such as Expedia. This regulation DOES NOT apply to low-cost or budget airlines.

***

Expedia flight refund policy WITHIN 24 hours of booking

When you book a flight on Expedia, your credit card will be charged by the airline and not by Expedia. Therefore, the refund also comes from the airline. Generally, the refund from the airline is issued on the same day of cancellation but it may take a few days to reflect in your credit card statement.

***

Expedia flight cancellation policy AFTER 24 hours of booking

After the initial 24 hours, the airline’s cancellation policy will be enforced. If the airline allows you to cancel a flight ticket with a penalty, then Expedia will also allow you to cancel that ticket with a penalty. If it’s a non-refundable ticket, then you cannot cancel the ticket anymore.

That being said, it’s important to note that Expedia allows more than 24 hours to cancel for a full refund. This is because the ticket must be cancelled by 11.59 PM CST the next business day for a full refund.

If you navigate to the cancellation page of your booking on Expedia, you will see the days or hours by which you must cancel for a full refund. This is usually more than 24 hours. You must cancel your ticket within this time frame for a full refund otherwise you cannot cancel or get a full refund.

***

Steps to book and cancel flight within 24 hours for a full refund on Expedia

Step 01. Browse to Expedia.com (not co.uk, not co.ph, etc)

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Start Page
  • Go to Expedia’s US website expedia.com (see picture above)
  • Click on the “Flights” tab

NOTE
Ensure the URL is Expedia’s US website (expedia.com) and not one of Expedia’s regional websites (such as expedia.co.uk, expedia.co.ph, etc.). The 24-hour FREE cancellation option is only available on Expedia’s US website and NOT on any of Expedia’s regional websites.

—

Step 02. Search for flights

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Search for a flight
  • Enter Leaving From, Going To, Departing, Travelers, etc.
  • Click on the blue “Search” button

***

Step 03. Choose your departing flight

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight list
  • On this “Choose departing flight” page, you will see a list of flights
  • Click on a flight that’s convenient and/or affordable for you

A pop-up will open on the right side of the page with more details

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Choose a flight
  • On the pop-up, click on the blue “Select” button

You will be taken to the “Review your trip” page in a new tab.

NOTE
If you are booking a roundtrip ticket, choose your return flight on the same airline as the departing flight. You can choose a different airline but it can get a bit complicated.

***

Step 04. Review your trip

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Review flight
  • On this “Review your trip” page, you will see the details of the flight you have selected
  • Make sure there is a note saying “Free cancellation – There is no fee to cancel within 24 hours of booking” right below the blue “Check out” button
  • Click on the blue “Check out” button

You will be taken to the “Secure booking – only takes a few minutes” page.

IMPORTANT
If you don’t see this “Free cancellation within 24 hours” note below the “Check out” button, that means this flight is not eligible for 24-hour free cancellation. DO NOT continue further. Instead, close this tab and choose another flight from the previous list. Repeat this process till you find a flight that has this note.

***

Step 05. Complete your flight booking

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation -Complete booking
  • On this “Secure booking – only takes a few minutes” page, you will see the form to fill in the passenger and payment details
  • Make sure there is “Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking!” at the top of the page
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Complete booking
  • Scroll down and also make sure there is “Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking!” under the “Review and book your trip” section
  • Fill in the passenger and payment details
  • Click on the yellow “Complete Booking >” button

You will be taken to the “Thank you! Your trip is booked” page.

***

Step 06. Make a note of the date/time by which you must cancel your flight booking

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight Booking Confirmation
  • On this “Thank you! Your trip is booked” page, click on the yellow “View My Itinerary” button
  • You will be taken to the “Your booking” page for the flight you just booked
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Current booking
  • On this “Your booking” page, you will see the flight you have just booked. Click on it. 
  • You will be taken to the “Flight to <city>” page with your flight booking details
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Current booking
  • On this “Flight to <city>” page, click on the blue “Change or cancel booking” button
  • You will be taken to the “Manage Booking” page
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Manage booking
  • On this “Manage Booking” page, click on the “Cancel reservation” button
  • You will be taken to the “Cancel your flight” page
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Cancel flight
  • Check the days and hours displayed within the “Additional information” section. It would be something like “To receive a full refund for your flight, you must cancel in 1 day 21 hours and 24 minutes or less.“
  • You must cancel your flight booking within this time frame to get a full refund
  • If you do not see the days and/or hours yet, do not panic. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page.

IMPORTANT
There were incidents where the “days or hours” by which you must cancel the flight booking was less than 24 hours. Therefore, as soon as you complete your booking, check the time frame by which you must cancel your booking. Make sure you cancel your flight booking within this time frame. If you fail to cancel within this time frame, you CANNOT cancel anymore and CANNOT get a refund.

***

Step 07. Check and retain your fight confirmation email

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight confirmation email
  • Check your email inbox for Expedia flight purchase confirmation
  • Retain this email till you cancel your flight booking
  • This email also serves as a way to get to your booking cancelation page later

***

Step 08. Cancel your flight booking within 24 hours

If you like to cancel your flight ticket within 24 hours of booking, you can do so from your email or from “Trips” on expedia.com

From Email

  • Go to your Expedia flight purchase confirmation email
  • Click on the blue “View your trip” button
  • You will be taken to the “My trip” page on expedia.com for that flight booking

From “Trips” on expedia.com

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Trips
  • Go to Expedia’s US site expedia.com
  • Click on the “Trips” link at the top of the page
  • You will be taken to the “Trips” page.
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Upcoming
  • On the “Trips” page, within “Upcoming“, you should see your flight booking. Click on it.
  • You will be taken to the “My trip” page
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Current booking
  • Under “Your booking“, you will see the flight that you want to cancel. Click on it. 
  • You will be taken to the “Flight to <city>” page with your flight booking details
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Current booking
  • On this “Flight to <city>” page, click on the blue “Change or cancel booking” button
  • You will be taken to the “Manage Booking” page
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Manage booking
  • On this “Manage Booking” page, click on the “Cancel reservation” button
  • You will be taken to the “Cancel your flight” page
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Cancel flight
  • On this “Cancel your flight” page, first make sure the original flight cost and refund amounts are correct and accurate
  • Then click on the yellow “Cancel my flight” button

You will be shown a popup to confirm that you really want to cancel your flight.

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Cancel flight popup
  • On this popup (“Are you sure you want to cancel your flight?”), click on the yellow “Yes, cancel flight” button.

You will be taken to the “Your booking has been cancelled” page.

***

Step 09. Verify if the flight booking has been cancelled

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight cancelled
  • On the “Your booking has been cancelled” page, click on the yellow “Go to itinerary” button. 
  • You will be taken to the booking page that you just cancelled
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight cancelled
  • On this page, you should see your cancelled booking under “Your canceled items”
  • If your booking has a “Canceled” note in red, then your booking has been cancelled successfully.
Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight cancellation email
  • Check your email inbox for the flight booking cancellation confirmation
  • Verify that the email says “Your flight has been cancelled“
  • Retain this email until you receive your refund

If for some reason, you cannot cancel your booking, contact Expedia customer service using the following options.

Chat

You can find a small sticky “Help” button on the right bottom of your screen. You can click on that button and start chatting with an agent.

If you can’t find the help or chat button, go to Expedia service page and you can find the “Chat Now” button on the top of the page. 

Phone

If you prefer to call, you can call Expedia US customer service at the following numbers.

Expedia phone number: +1 (404) 728-8787

***

Step 10. Receive a full refund in a few days

Expedia 24 hour Cancellation - Flight cancellation refund
  • In most cases, the airline name will be shown in your credit/debit card transactions instead of Expedia or expedia.com
  • After the flight booking has been cancelled, keep an eye on your credit/debit card transactions
  • You should receive a full refund of the flight booking in a few days

NOTE
Most often a hold on the funds is placed on your credit card at the time of booking. It takes about 24-48 hours for the hold to turn into a confirmed transaction. If you cancel your booking within 24 hours, the hold is usually dropped and you will not see any transactions from Expedia on your credit card as if you have never made a payment on Expedia.

***

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does expedia have a 24 hour cancellation policy?

Yes. Expedia has a 24-hour cancellation policy. As mandated by the US Department of Transportation (DOT), Expedia offers a full refund on flights if cancelled within 24 hours of booking.

Is expedia free cancellation really free?

Yes. If the fight tickets booked on Expedia are cancelled within 24 hours of booking, you will get a full refund of the amount you have paid for. There are no catches, gotchas or gimmicks.

Is expedia customer service 24 hours?

Yes. The Expedia customer service is available 24 hours to help you with your flight cancellation. You can chat with them or call them at their phone number +1 (404) 728-8787.

***

Conclusion

That’s it! Those are the steps to book flight tickets with 24-hour FREE cancellation on Expedia. The steps are exactly the same on all Expedia Group websites including Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and Priceline.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati

Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER
We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please refer to our full disclosure for further information.

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97 Comments

  1. Firas says

    July 1, 2019 at 11:02 pm

    Hello Thirumal,

    I’m a fan of your blogs, keep up the good work!

    When using Expedia’s feature of free cancellation, embassies don’t have a way to verify that you did that if presented with an itinerary that’s actually been canceled?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      July 4, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      Hi Firas! An Expedia itinerary is only valid for Visa on Arrival or as a proof of onward travel. They are not applicable to visas that take longer than 24 hours to process.

      Reply
  2. Kate says

    June 17, 2019 at 5:05 pm

    I have booked 2 tickets on June 10th and canceled it 3 hours after the booking. It was written that I will get my whole money back as I canceled it within 24 hours. 7 Days after I still did not get my money back. Why is that?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      June 18, 2019 at 4:22 pm

      Hi Kate! Yes, you will get a full refund if canceled within 24 hours of booking. But the refund may appear in your credit card transactions at a later date as it depends on how soon Expedia processes the refund.

      Reply
  3. Aly says

    June 17, 2019 at 2:40 am

    WARNING! I followed the exact procedure that this blog recommended (not the blog’s fault of course) and Expedia point blank REFUSED to honour the cancellation and refund even though it was confirmed TWICE on the phone.

    I formally requested to hear a recording of the phone call and they refused to allow that. Simply it has come down to my word against theirs, and they will not budge.

    I’ve spent a fortune in phone calls (calling from Thailand to the U.S), and I have a flight that I cannot use. Total scam. Will never use Expedia for anything again.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      June 17, 2019 at 9:56 pm

      Hi Aly! Thanks for letting us know! Expedia is a business and they have the right to change their policies anytime. Maybe the 24-hour cancellation policy is updated to not honor bookings originating outside the US? I will do some research on this and update everyone.

      Question: If the flight was marked as “Free cancellation w/in 24-hours” then they have to honor it, correct? Then, what was the exact reason they gave you to NOT honor the 24-hour cancellation?

      – Is it the origin of your booking (Thailand)?
      – Is it non-US flights?
      – Is it over the 24-hour period?
      – Is it a time zone related issue?

      Reply
  4. Yahaya says

    May 29, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    Hello, please I booked a flight today and I found a better deal, I want to cancel it. I have the 24 hours period, and I used a debit MasterCard for the booking, how long do you think it will take for the refund to come to my account?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      May 31, 2019 at 4:04 am

      Hi Yahaya! The refunds are pretty quick. Usually, within a few days. I usually get my refund within 3-4 working days.

      Reply
  5. G says

    May 21, 2019 at 3:25 am

    Hello! If I booked a flight at 5pm, so I can cancel up to 5 pm the next day or do I have only up to 12mn the same day. Just confused because some travel websites their 24hr policy is like that. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      May 21, 2019 at 5:26 pm

      Hi G! In my experience, if you booked at 5pm CST, then you will have time till 11.59pm CST on the next day to cancel your ticket to get a full refund.

      When you book a ticket that has free cancellation, you will receive a booking confirmation with date/time by which you can cancel to get a full refund. Just make sure you cancel within that date/time. In my experience, it was always 11.59pm CST the next day.

      Reply
  6. Ckell06 says

    April 8, 2019 at 2:25 am

    Hi,
    I’ve followed the first two steps, but the “Free cancellation w/in 24 hours” label (highlighted in step 3) does not appear for any of the listed flights.
    I’ve cancelled flights within 24-hours with Expedia before, but I’m wondering if their policies have recently chanced or something?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      April 8, 2019 at 8:46 pm

      Hi Ckell06! Probably there aren’t any flights that can be canceled within 24hours in that route. I still see them when I search for a random route. Try for a different route.

      Reply
  7. Rohit says

    March 25, 2019 at 5:24 pm

    Hi Thirumal. Thanks for this informative website. I have fews doubts and I hope you can help me.

    1. Suppose if we calling the Expedia customer care for this 24hr refund query then do we need to tell them that I am based in USA because this 24hr refund is only for US website?

    2. On the US website, can i make payment with my Indian Debit Card and still get the 24hr refund on cancellation.

    3. From my time of booking is 24hr added to that time for example if i book at 9pm Indian time on 1st of may then i can cancel it before 8.59pm Indian time on 2nd may? Or do I need to cancel it same day on 12 midnight 1st May.

    4. If i book the Ticket while I am in India then can I cancel it next day after i reach Singapore or for that matter any other country.

    Thanks for all your help

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      March 25, 2019 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Rohit!

      1. No. You don’t need to be a US resident.

      This 24-hour cancellation is a US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulation. It applies to all major US airlines and their partners. As long as the airline is US-based or a partner of a US-based airline, you should be able to use this feature. You will see such airlines clearly marked with “free cancel w/in 24 hrs”.

      2. Yes, you can make the payment with an Indian credit/debit card and still get the full refund if canceled within 24 hours of booking.

      3. It’s not exactly 24 hours. You must cancel by 11.59 CST of the next business day. Usually, if booking from Asia, you will get almost 2 days to cancel because of the time difference.

      For example: If you book at 9.00pm IST on Monday (8.30am CST on Monday), then you have till 12.29pm IST on Wednesday (11.59pm CST on Tuesday).

      This is just an example, but you will see the exact date and time by which you must cancel in your email confirmation. Cancel before that date and time to get the full refund. Pay attention to the time zone (CST) in your email.

      4. Yes, you can cancel before the given cancellation date and time in your email to get the full refund. If you are using it as an onward ticket proof, yes cancel it as soon as you reach your destination.

      Reply
  8. Joane says

    March 20, 2019 at 9:56 am

    Thanks for this!!! If I only knew I can cancel flight tickets through Expedia, I should have done it before.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      March 21, 2019 at 10:14 pm

      Hi Joane! Not just Expedia, but many booking sites and airlines offer this service. It’s mostly meant for US travelers but you can take advantage of it if using the US-based websites.

      Reply
  9. Jonny says

    February 8, 2019 at 1:10 am

    I’m trying to book a refundable flight as proof of onward travel. Do you think it would work to book the ticket and get the flight confirmation but cancel the ticket before using it as proof of onward travel?

    I’m a bit worried I wont be able to cancel it within 24 hours otherwise.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      February 8, 2019 at 7:43 pm

      Hi Jonny! There may be serious consequences if the boarding airline or immigration staff check for the authenticity of your ticket. I advise against it. But if you have to do that, you are better off renting an onward ticket from an online travel agent such as the ones listed in this article. They cost about $10 USD.

      Reply
  10. Richard says

    January 22, 2019 at 10:38 pm

    Hello, I just looked on the Expedia US site for a ticket from Detroit to Medellin and I got hit with this info:

    Important Flight Information
    See more
    Tickets are non-refundable and non transferable. A fee of $225.00 per ticket is charged for itinerary changes. Name changes are not allowed.
    Fare Rules and Restrictions:

    Pay to choose your seat
    Pay to bring a carry-on bag
    Pay to check your bags
    Cancellations are not permitted
    Bring a personal item

    So this doesn’t look like a free cancellation policy to me. Please clarify if there’s something I’m missing coz I’m definitely not paying that huge fee if I have to cancel or change my dates.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      January 22, 2019 at 11:19 pm

      Hi Richard! There is a cancellation policy from the airline side which may incur a fee. This cancellation is applicable until the date of the departure. Whereas the cancellation policy from Expedia is only for the first 24 hours.

      If you see the text “Free cancel w/in 24 hrs” in Step 3 and “Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking!” in Step 4/5, then it’s definitely refundable within 24 hours of booking. I have seen a few cases like that and they were still completely refundable within 24 hours of booking.

      Reply
  11. Ken says

    December 29, 2018 at 3:42 pm

    Please consider adding a comment plugin that allows us to subscribe to replies/comments so we see when someone replies to us. Otherwise nobody will ever remember to check the site after they leave a comment.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      December 30, 2018 at 11:02 pm

      Great suggestion, Ken! Thanks a lot! I’ll look into adding the option to be notified. Thanks again!

      Reply
  12. Rakefet says

    December 12, 2018 at 5:44 am

    Very informative and accurate until this stage.
    Expedia says in the confirmation mail “ticket in progress” and it may take up to 24 hours.
    How can I cancel the booking without being charged?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      December 13, 2018 at 8:49 pm

      Hi Rakefet! If your email says “ticket in progress”, go to Expedia and check the status there. It usually takes only a few minutes to get the ticket issued and confirmed. Sometimes the email notification goes out before the ticket is issued. But you will see confirmation and the date/time by which you would need to cancel within “my trips” on Expedia.

      Reply
      • Problem says

        December 27, 2018 at 12:44 pm

        I have the same problem. Waiting for a few hours already on my e-ticket. The e-mail and “my trips” say “ticket
        in progress”. When i go to manage my reservation on the website i can only change the flight, but not cancel it…

        Reply
        • Thirumal says

          December 29, 2018 at 5:18 am

          In my experience, it only takes a few minutes to issue the ticket. If it is taking too long, I would suggest calling Expedia. Either way, let us know your experience here so it can help others.

          Reply
  13. Holland says

    December 4, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    Hi, Thanks for your info!

    But I try to find refundable tickets from San Jose (Costa Rica), but none of them have the “Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking”. At the important flight information stays: Cancellations are permitted, fee may apply. This is not the same right?

    Do you know if some airports / airline companies at airports don’t offer this option?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      December 4, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      I see quite a few tickets from San Jose (Costa Rica). What destinations are your searching for?

      Reply
  14. togo says

    December 2, 2018 at 12:39 am

    Hi, do you think “Step 02. Search for refundable flights” is necessary?
    If you ‘Select “Refundable flight” option’ then you get a lot more expensive hits then without selecting the “Refundable flight” option. And they are also indicated with “Free Cancel w/in 24 hrs”.

    I guess actually there are two types of refundable flights. One is refundable only for 24 hours, the other is refundable practically unrestricted in time. The selectable option influences only the latter, so it is unnecessary to select, in my opinion.

    In my concrete case with the option you get flights from $650, while without it (but still getting the 24 hrs cancellation period) you get flights from $81, which makes a difference.

    Thanks for your informative post.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      December 2, 2018 at 5:58 pm

      Hi Tugo! You are absolutely correct. Without selecting the “Refundable flight” option, I see many cheaper options still with free cancellation within 24 hours. Thanks for letting me know! I will update the article.

      Thanks again! Very helpful.

      Reply
  15. Hanna Söderquist says

    November 29, 2018 at 7:14 am

    I LOVE YOU

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      November 29, 2018 at 5:08 pm

      Haha, thanks!

      Reply
      • Olga Kalacheva says

        November 29, 2018 at 5:42 pm

        Me too! Lol

        Reply
        • Thirumal says

          November 29, 2018 at 6:15 pm

          :-)

          Reply
  16. Olga Kalacheva says

    November 27, 2018 at 11:35 am

    Hi, if the booking is made outside the US, would the cancellation within 24 hours, provided I follow your helpful instructions, still apply?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      November 28, 2018 at 2:53 am

      Hi Olga! Yes, the booking can be made from outside the US. But, the website must be Expedia’s US website.

      Reply
      • Olga Kalacheva says

        November 28, 2018 at 10:53 am

        Thanks a lot for what you do, Thirumal!

        Reply
        • Olga Kalacheva says

          November 29, 2018 at 5:42 pm

          I booked from outside the US, and the booking was cancelled, no problem at, all with the confirmations sent as it should be. Thank you!

          Reply
          • Thirumal says

            November 29, 2018 at 6:15 pm

            Awesome! You’re welcome!

  17. Dave says

    November 4, 2018 at 1:44 pm

    I’m trying to find a refundable flight between Bangkok and any nearby city. All of the airlines (Thai, Cathay,etc) have refundable tickets but have a cancellation fee. If you check carefully the wording on Expedia it says there are no fees from Expedia itself, but fees from the airline will be passed on. How do I ensure if I need to refund that I won’t get a cancellation fee, even when Expedia says free cancellation within 24 hrs? Virtually all flights from Bangkok with “free cancellation” have a footnote saying “cancellations are permitted, fee may apply”. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      November 5, 2018 at 4:17 pm

      Hi Dave! The 24-hour free cancellation is actually a US Department of Transportation’s regulation. All airlines are required to follow this regulation if the booking originates from the US. If you are using Expedia’s US website, then you are allowed to cancel the tickets within 24 hours of purchase and receive a full refund.

      The fine print on the airline cancellation fee is different from the 24-hour cancellation policy. The airline cancellation fee is applicable after the 24 hours has passed. Since these are non-refundable tickets, there may be a fee (after 24hrs passed) associated with changes/cancellation. This is normal with any booking site. They themselves will not charge any change/cancellation fee (again after 24hrs passed) but the airline will charge a fee.

      If you want to ensure the tickets you are about to purchase are completely refundable within 24 hours of your purchase, give a quick call to Expedia customer service. That’s the only way to ensure that you will not be charged a fee in case you cancel your tickets within 24 hours of your purchase.

      Reply
      • Dave says

        November 10, 2018 at 3:23 pm

        Thanks! Since the travel doesn’t originate in the US and is a non_US airline, it’s possible there will be a cancellation fee even if within Expedia’s 24 hour limit. I’ll call and find out.

        Reply
        • Thirumal says

          November 10, 2018 at 4:41 pm

          Hi Dave! Yeah, the best bet is call up Expedia and find out. I have booked quite a few non-US airlines myself. I have canceled some within 24hrs due to personal reasons. I wasn’t charged any cancellation fee. This included airlines such as Thai, Philippines and Malaysian airlines.

          Reply
  18. Dave says

    November 3, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    It seems to be different getting cancellable flights between foreign cities. For example I try to get a refundable flight between Bangkok and Hong Kong. Many of the airlines, such as Thai, Cathay, etc, have refundable tickets which are more expensive but always involve a cancellation fee which can be a few hundred dollars. If you check carefully the wording on Expedia, it says there are no fees from Expedia itself, but fees from the airline will be passed on. How do I make sure if I need to refund that I won’t get such a cancellation fee, even when Expedia says free cancellation within 24 hrs? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      November 5, 2018 at 4:28 pm

      Especially between foreign cities, there are premium airlines and budget airlines. For example, between cities in South East Asia, there are premium airlines such as Thai, Malaysian, Cathay, etc and budget airlines such as AirAsia, Scoot, Cebu, etc. The fare on premium airlines is higher than the budget airlines. Only premium airlines follow the 24 hr cancellation regulation. Therefore, the tickets on Expedia with 24 hours free cancellation will be expensive (premium airlines).

      I explained the airline cancellation fee in the above comment. If you want to make sure you will not be charged a cancellation fee within 24 hrs of booking, call and confirm with the Expedia customer service. That’s the only way to ensure that you will be not charged a fee in case you cancel within 24 hours of booking.

      Reply
  19. L says

    October 22, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    Hi Thirumal – this is a great article, thanks so much for these helpful tips!

    Can I check that it’s actually 24 hours that these types of Expedia flights are refundable for? So – if I booked one the evening before I need to be at the airport, and then cancelled it the next day (within the 24 hour window), would that be ok?

    Or does it need to be within the same day?

    Thanks in advance for your advice!

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      October 23, 2018 at 5:09 am

      Yes, that would be ok. It is still within the 24-hour window, therefore the tickets are fully refundable.

      Reply
  20. Yael says

    October 12, 2018 at 6:32 pm

    Hello thank you for the information.
    I’ve got 2 questions:
    1) My friend booked a refundable flight and when he wanted to cancel it they told him his reason is not good enough and they didn’t payed him back (it was in the 24h window). Have you heard of this and is there anything that he can do about it?
    2) the airline can take additional fee for cancellations regardless to Expedia?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      October 12, 2018 at 9:57 pm

      1) I have never heard anything like that. It’s a policy and they have to refund if the cancellation is within that 24-hour window. You change your mind or find a cheaper fare somewhere, you can always cancel and get the refund within 24hrs of booking. Do you know his reason for cancellation?
      2) No. Not during the 24 hours window.

      Reply
  21. J. says

    October 11, 2018 at 8:26 am

    What about travel insurance? I booked and found a better deal. I already see the return of the flight on my credit card but not the insurance?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      October 11, 2018 at 6:18 pm

      I’m not quite familiar with the cancellation policy of insurance. Insurance is mostly useful to get a full refund if you have to cancel the flight after the initial 24 hours due to reasons such as natural disasters, family emergency, etc. I believe it is separate from the flight ticket and therefore it’s non-refundable. Your best bet is to call Expedia and check what their policy on the insurance is.

      Reply
  22. Augusto says

    October 3, 2018 at 2:34 am

    Hi. I saw that on step 5 there was this “taxes and fee” amounting for $51.92. Is this also refunded after cancellation? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      October 4, 2018 at 11:23 pm

      Yes, taxes and fee are also refunded after cancellation.

      Reply
  23. Liz Moore says

    September 19, 2018 at 6:12 pm

    Hi. I”m about to do this for a friend who is traveling and needs a ticket to proof he is exiting the country. Do you have a number that you use to contact Expedia? I want to call them before I book just to make sure that I am booking a refundable ticket, but I’m never sure the best way to get ahold of companies like that. If you’ve got a number you can share, that would be great. I’ll be calling from Costa Rica!

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      September 21, 2018 at 3:35 am

      Here are the steps to contact Expedia
      – Go to https://www.expedia.com/service/#/articles/397/34/12324
      – Scroll down to “Still need help?”
      – Click on “If you need assistance with canceling your flight, please contact us”
      – A popup will appear and you will see the phone numbers at the bottom

      Reply
  24. Sarah says

    September 18, 2018 at 9:49 am

    Hi Thirumal,

    thank you for this helpful information! I want to try this out but I´m afraid to lose a lot of money if in the end the free cancellation doesn´t apply. For example in Step 4:
    Also, make sure there is “Tickets are non-refundable 24 hours after booking …” under “Important Flight Information” section…
    In my case it shows:
    Tickets are refundable. Cancellations are permitted, fee may apply…
    Do you think this makes a difference or will it still be a free cancellation?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      September 18, 2018 at 7:17 pm

      If you want to make sure a particular ticket can be cancelled within 24 hrs, give a call to Expedia to confirm. The wordings can be slightly different in different situations. But in doubt, calling and verifying with Expedia is the best bet.

      Reply
  25. Kalina Bhagwandin says

    September 16, 2018 at 8:26 pm

    I cancelled my tickets within 24hrs. When I checked ‘my trips’ it says that it’s cancelled, the amount is NOT zero – it still shows the amount for the tickets?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      September 18, 2018 at 7:10 pm

      Hi Kalina! In that case, give Expedia a call to check on your cancellation. In my opinion, you should still receive the refund since your cancellation was within your 24 hours window.

      Reply
  26. Lisa says

    September 10, 2018 at 2:34 pm

    I am British, by paying in dollars do you know if I would be charged a conversion fee? I contacted expedia, but they said I should use .co.uk and not .com – not helpful.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      September 10, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      Hi Lisa! Yes, your bank will charge a “foreign transaction fee” since you will be paying in dollars. There is no work around that. But, more and more banks are offering credit cards with “no foreign transaction fee” these days. It would probably be helpful to get one for your travels.

      Reply
  27. Janica says

    August 26, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    Hello! How many days till they fully refunded the amount if I am to use a debit card to pay? Thanks! Great info!

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      August 27, 2018 at 4:08 pm

      Hi Janica! I have always received my refunds within 1-2 business days. There might sometimes be a delay from the bank’s side but from Expedia side, the refund is processed in just 1-2 business days.

      Reply
  28. Robert says

    August 12, 2018 at 8:04 pm

    Thanks for the info… what about a person who cancels often fights with expedia (because ia a nomad or whatever) is there a chance it could be banned or something?

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      August 13, 2018 at 2:08 pm

      I haven’t heard any issues like those. In my opinion, booking and canceling tickets every few months is perfectly fine. If you mix that with actual flight and hotel bookings, you will not have any issues at all.

      Reply
  29. Chas says

    August 10, 2018 at 4:29 am

    Hi,
    Do you know if any ‘admin fee’ or ‘booking fee’ is charged and not refunded or is the total amount fully refunded?
    Thanks
    Chas

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      August 10, 2018 at 4:56 am

      Hi Chas! There is no “admin fee” or “booking fee”. Your full amount will be refunded provided you cancel within 24 hrs or the date/time mentioned in your booking confirmation. Refer to Step 07 above. You should see a date/time under “cancel” link. You must cancel before this date/time.

      Reply
  30. Masood Mir says

    July 19, 2018 at 9:14 am

    Very informative as usual, one thing I would like to ask.
    3 days ago I was looking for flights within US cities.
    Today when I was trying to make bookings the fares are almost double!!
    Please advise what happened or any particular reason for this?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Thirumal says

      July 21, 2018 at 3:29 am

      If you are booking tickets last minute, the prices fluctuate drastically.

      That being said, if you are booking tickets far ahead and you still see the prices change every day, it could be that the airlines are raising their prices on purpose. They use cookies and when they see that you are searching a lot, they raise their prices. In that case, you should try clearing your cookies or use Incognito mode in your browser.

      Reply
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