American Airlines
American Airlines waived their change fees for tickets purchased before May 31, 2020 for travel through September 30, 2020. American Airlines is also waiving change fees for new trips booked between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2020. Additionally, tickets expiring between March 1 and September 30, 2020 will now be valid through December 31, 2021. They’re also enhancing the AAdvantage program, extending travelers’ elite status through early 2022.
In order to promote social distancing, American Airlines is also making updates to seat assignments and food and drink service through April 30, 2020.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines waived their change fees for tickets purchased on or before February 26, 2020 for original travel dates between March 9 and December 31, 2020. Travelers are able to use their tickets for flights up to one year from their original travel date. Additionally, they also waived their change fees for flights booked between February 27 and May 31, 2020 for original travel dates between February 27, 2020 and April 30, 2021.
Customers who purchased Saver fare on or before February 26 for travel through December 31, 2020 can cancel their trip without a fee and deposit the funds into My Account wallet or receive a credit certificate for future travel. Customers who purchased a nonrefundable First Class, main, or award ticket on or before February 26 can also cancel their trip without a fee and deposit the funds into My Account Wallet or receive a credit certificate for future travel or change their trip without a fee.
Customers who purchased Saver fare between February 27 and May 31, 2020 for travel through April 30, 2021 can cancel their trip without a fee and deposit the funds into My Account wallet or receive a credit certificate for future travel. Customers who purchased a nonrefundable First Class, main, or award ticket between February 27 and May 31, 2020 can also cancel their trip without a fee and deposit the funds into My Account Wallet or receive a credit certificate for future travel or change their trip without a fee.
In order to promote social distancing while flying, Alaska Airlines has blocked the middle seat in each row in addition to other seats in the cabin through May 31, 2020. First class seats are also capped at 50% capacity. In addition, Alaska Airlines is reducing their flight schedule by 80% in the months of April and May.
Unaccompanied child fliers will only be allowed on nonstop flights through May 31, 2020.
Delta
Delta is waiving their change fees and offering greater flexibility through September 30, 2022 for customers who have upcoming travel already booked March through September 30, 2020 as of April 17, 2020 and customers who have existing eCredits or canceled travel from flights in March through September 30, 2020. Delta expanded the ability to re-book travel without change fees for travel scheduled through June 30, 2020. All applicable eCredits will be automatically extended to September 2022.
Additionally, tickets purchased between March 1 and May 31 can be changed without a change fee for a year from the date you purchased it.
In order to promote social distancing, Delta is also boarding by row now, starting from the rear of the aircraft and moving forward. Middle seats are also now blocked from seat selection.
They’ve also extended benefits and 2020 Medallion Status will be extended for an additional year through January 31, 2022.
Frontier
Frontier is allowing customers who booked tickets prior to March 10 with travel through April 30, 2020 to make a one-time change to their itinerary without a change/cancel fee. Customers are also able to make a one-time change to their itinerary without a change/cancel fee for tickets issued March 10 through April 15, 2020.
Changes must be made within 24 hours of departure to receive a fee waiver. Credits are valid for 90 days, but you can book travel with the credit through September 12, 2021. Additionally, Frontier’s credits are non-transferable and may only be redeemed by the passenger to whom it was issued.
JetBlue
JetBlue waived change/cancel fees for customers traveling through June 30, 2020. Customers can rebook their flights for travel through January 4, 2021 or create an open ticket.
Open tickets can be transferred to a different person as credits are not name-specific at JetBlue.
JetBlue is allowing customers to get refunds instead of credits for flights that have been cancelled not been rescheduled by JetBlue and for customers whose flights have been cancelled and rescheduled with a schedule change of 120 minutes or more.
In order to promote social distancing, JetBlue has reduced their flight schedule by 80% and they are capping flight capacity. Starting May 4, all JetBlue passengers are required to wear face masks during check-in, boarding, on the flight, and deplaning. They are the first US air carrier to require passengers to wear masks.
JetBlue has temporarily suspended service to some airports that have alternative airports nearby in order to consolidate service in metro areas from April 15 to June 10, 2020. Service is temporarily suspended to Providence, RI (PVD), New York-LaGuardia (LGA), Westchester (HPN), Newburgh (SWF), Hollywood/Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT), San Jose, CA (SJC), and Baltimore, MD (BWI).
Southwest
Southwest allows travelers to cancel their flights without change fees up to ten minutes before the scheduled departure and the funds used to pay for a nonrefundable ticket are typically only valid for one year after the date of purchase. However, due to the COVID-19 crisis, customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1 and September 7, 2020 will now expire on September 7, 2022. Additionally, any funds created due to canceled flights between March 1 and September 7, 2020 will expire on September 7, 2022. Funds that would have expired between March 1 and September 7, 2020 are not eligible for LUV Vouchers.
United Airlines
United Airlines has waived all change fees for tickets issued on or before March 2, 2020 for travel dates between March 3 and December 31, 2020. All changes and cancellations must be made on/before April 30, 2020. New tickets must be purchased within two years from the original ticket date and rebooked travel must commence within two years of the original ticket date. There are no change fees for new bookings now through April 30, 2020.
They’re also extending electronic certificates and electronic certificates are now valid for two years after the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid certificates and new ones issued after April 1, 2020.
Additionally, United Airlines is offering free, round-trip flights to medical personnel to get to New York and California to assist with the COVID-19 outbreak.
