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The 72 Hour Rule for Cancelling Delta SkyMiles Award Tickets
For many, many years now, Delta has had a policy wherein you could not cancel an award ticket within 72 hours of departure. This applied to both Delta operated and partner award flights.
The rationale for it was that Platinum and Diamond members, who could make free changes to awards, would book multiple awards, fine tune what they could get, and drop what they didn’t need at the last minute.
The introduction of the “72 hour rule” was instituted to combat that behavior, in an epic “throw the baby out with the bathwater” move. While agents have been able to make exceptions in extreme circumstances, that was certainly the exception and not the rule. This meant that if plans changed last minute, you would be out the miles (you could still get the taxes and fees refunded).
Delta Ends The 72 Hour Rule For Cancelling Award Tickets
Delta has now removed this restriction per their website.
Remember that Delta has already waived all change and award redeposit fees permanently for Delta tickets purchased for travel originating from North America to anywhere in the world (excluding Basic Economy fares).
It’s great news indeed. The COVID-19 pandemic has been brutal, but at least a few positive things have come out of it, like airlines broadly removing change fees. Let’s see if this all sticks when planes are full again.
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