Compensation can be difficult when airlines cancel flights due to weather, crew scheduling, maintenance or operational meltdowns. However, you'll sometimes face steep fees when making changes or canceling your reservations. Fortunately, many airline loyalty programs — especially in the U.S. — waive these fees for award tickets, though policies still vary widely across global programs.
For airlines that still impose fees, there are strategies to minimize or avoid them, such as taking advantage of schedule changes or travel waivers. Here are some tips for avoiding fees when changing or canceling award tickets.
Many airlines offer same-day changes on the same route for a fixed fee. However, same-day change fees are often waived for elite members. The advantage of same-day changes is that you likely won't have to pay any fare difference if you switch to a more expensive flight.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on The Points Guy Articles.
