Free Modifications Inside 48 Hours
3 min learnUp to date: Feb 26, 2026 04:55 PM IST
Air ticket refund coverage 2026: The Directorate Basic of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised the air ticket refund norms for passengers. The transfer comes following rise in passenger complaints acquired by the DGCA concerning delays and points in ticket refunds.
In a press release, the aviation watchdog stated: “…it’s now thought-about that the onus rests with the Authorities to repair some minimal bench marks, so far as the refund coverage is anxious in an effort to stem the rising dissatisfaction among the many passengers concerning the refund procedures adopted by some airways.”
Air ticket refund guidelines 2026
Underneath the brand new guidelines, flyers can cancel or modify their air tickets freed from further cost inside 48 hours of reserving. Nonetheless, this new profit will probably be topic to sure situations.
“The airline shall present “Look-in choice” for a interval of 48 hours after reserving ticket. Throughout this era passenger can cancel or amend the ticket with none further expenses, apart from the traditional prevailing fare for the revised flight for which the ticket is sought to be amended.
This facility shall not be out there for a flight whose departure is lower than 7 days for home flight and 15 days for worldwide flight from reserving date when ticket is booked straight by way of airline web site. Past 48 hours of preliminary reserving time, this selection shouldn’t be out there and the passenger has to pay the related cancellation charges for modification,” the DGCA stated.
The aviation watchdog additionally said that airways should not levy any further price for correcting the identify of the identical passenger if the error is reported inside 24 hours of reserving, when the ticket is booked straight by way of the airline’s web site.
“Airline shall not levy any further cost for correction in identify of the identical particular person when the error is identified by the passenger inside 24 hours of constructing the reserving, when ticket is booked straight by way of airline web site,” it stated.
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Air ticket cancellation guidelines
The DGCA has additionally revised the norms for ticket cancellations in instances the place passengers are pressured to cancel on account of a medical emergency. The DGCA has requested airways to supply both a refund or a credit score shell in instances the place a passenger or a member of the family on the identical PNR is hospitalised in the course of the journey interval.
“Within the occasion of ticket cancellations on account of a medical emergency, the place the passenger or a member of the family listed on the identical PNR will get admitted/hospitalized in the course of the journey interval, airways might present both a refund or a credit score shell. For all different conditions, refunds will probably be issued as soon as an opinion on the passenger’s health to journey certificates is acquired from an airline’s Aerospace Medication specialist/ DGCA empanelled Aerospace Medication specialist,” it stated.
DGCA • 24 FEB 2026Your Rights: Airline Refund & Cancellation Guidelines
7 Days Bank card refund deadline
48 Hrs Free look-in / modification window
14 Days Portal/agent refund deadline
💳 Refund Timelines
a
Bank card funds — Refund should be made by the airline inside 7 days of cancellation to the account of the bank card holder.
b
Money transactions — Refund shall be made instantly by the airline workplace the place the ticket was bought.
c
Journey agent / portal bookings — Onus of refund lies with the airline. Refund course of should be accomplished inside 14 working days.
🧾 Statutory Taxes & Charges
d
Airways should refund all statutory taxes — UDF, ADF and PSF — on cancellation, no-show, or non-utilisation. Relevant even on non-refundable / promo fares
🔍 48-Hour Look-In Possibility
e
Airways should present a “Look-in choice” for 48 hours after reserving. Passenger can cancel or amend ticket at no additional cost, besides regular fare distinction.Not out there if departure is inside 7 days (home) or 15 days (worldwide)
f
Credit score shell is passenger’s alternative — Airways can’t provide credit score shell as a default. It’s the prerogative of the passenger.
📋 Transparency Necessities
g
Airways should point out the actual refund quantity on cancellation — on the ticket itself, a separate type, or on their web site — in an unambiguous method.
h
Cancellation expenses should be displayed prominently on the time of reserving.
🚫 Cancellation Cost Limits
i
In no way can the airline levy cancellation expenses greater than the fundamental fare + gasoline surcharge. Journey agent expenses absolutely disclosed at reserving are excluded.
j
No further cost shall be levied by airways to course of the refund.
⚡ Particular Circumstances
ok
Overseas carriers working to/from India shall refund in accordance with their nation of origin rules. Mode of refund as per Para 3(a), (b) & (c).
l
Title correction — no cost if error is identified inside 24 hours of direct reserving on the airline web site.
m
Medical emergency cancellations — If passenger or member of the family on identical PNR is hospitalised throughout journey interval, airways might present refund or credit score shell. For different conditions, refund issued after Aerospace Medication health certificates.
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