Should I cancel my fight or not show up?

Cancel my flight or be a no-show; which one is a better option?

Many travelers find it way beneficial to cancel a reservation rather than being a no-show. If you are a no-show, you might not be able to recoup any amount of the base fare of your reservation. Still, if you cancel your reservation, you can receive a full refund and sometimes a travel voucher to benefit the upcoming trips. So, it would help if you had a clear mind regarding should I cancel my flight or not show up. If you also are stuck in that dilemma and find it hard to decide between them, take help from this article.

Important points to help you choose between flight cancellation or being a no-show

There are several advantages of canceling a flight over choosing to be a no-show for the flight. Being a no-show can create a bad reputation in front of the airline, and you might not get a loyalty reward even in the future. Take a look at the given points that can help you differentiate between the two options and decide better-

When you cancel a flight

  • If you cancel a flight within the set time limit, the airlines entitle you with a partial or full refund that depends on the type of fare you have selected.
  • Even if you do not get a refund, you can ask the airline to make the next flight adjustment for the same fare.
  • When you have a transit flight to or from the United States of America, some airlines might deduct the cancellation charges, but still, you get the rest amount.

When you are a no-show

  • If you are wondering is it better to cancel a flight or not show up, many airlines provide flexible policies to help you cancel or make changes in your itinerary. Even after that, when you choose to be a no-show, the airline marks you with bad ratings as a traveler.
  • If you booked a connecting flight to or from the USA and prefer a no-show, the airlines do not recoup your scheduled flight.
  • Contact your chosen airline if you are missing your flight due to genuine and uncontrollable reasons. In such a condition, the airline might adjust some exceptions and help you get a reimbursement.

Keeping the mentioned points in mind, you can find the most feasible answer to should I cancel my flight or not show up. In a nutshell, the inclination favors flight cancellation over being a no-show. However, if you need professional assistance regarding the options and possible consequences, try contacting the airline’s travel consolidators.

Now we will discuss the no-show policy of the different airlines

1.         AMERICAN AIRLINES:  American airlines have the policy to provide the passenger with a new flight ticket without paying any extra cost if they arrive within the 2 hours of their departure. But there are a few conditions which apply to it which is:

  • If they are not having their travel documents which are required for the verification then it is considered to be eligible for the refund or to book the next flight.

  • If they have their boarding pass on their phone but by mistake, they reached the wrong airport. In this condition also it is considered to give the passenger another ticket.

2.         DELTA AIRLINES: Delta airlines do not provide any refund or give any other provision to the no-show passengers.  The airlines believe that it promotes the act of being late and they do not want their passengers to make it a habit of not reaching on time and getting there. Instead, they can inform the airlines about the delay on the call before the departure then the airlines will see if they can help the passenger about the same or if they arrive late then they have to visit their ticket counter.

3.         SOUTHWEST AIRLINES:  A southwest airline has the same policies as American airlines. The passenger has to reach the airport within two hours of its departure. Then only the airlines will provide the next flight available.  There is only one condition which is to be kept in mind that this policy will only be applicable if the passenger is not responsible for being late. If you want to cancel your flight then you can cancel 10 mins before your departure time if you don't want to pay the penalty fees.

4.         UNITED AIRLINES: United airlines do not have a stable policy in any show up situation. The passenger has to arrive at the ticket counter of the United airlines and then book a ticket for the next flight available. You can contact united airlines within 30 minutes of your missed flight.

5.         JETBLUE: Their policy for the no-show situation is that they charge a fee from the passengers who have non-refundable flight tickets. But they book your next flight whichever is available without any extra cost. So it is advised to contact the airline if you think that you might miss your flight.

6.         BRITISH AIRWAYS: British airlines do not help any passenger who missed their flights. They clearly mention that the passenger has to book another flight ticket. They only help the passenger if they have missed their connecting flight. Then the British airways automatically book another flight ticket.

7.         AIR FRANCE: their policies are very clear on their websites. They have mentioned that if you have missed your flight then they will provide you with the new ticket within 24 hours of your missed flight departure. The cost will be limited to the cost of your missed flight ticket. You have to pay the difference.

Researching and comparing sites before booking the ticket about their policy on no-show-up can be very helpful for the future. It will save you time and money. There are many other flights that have different policies. The reason should be genuine otherwise you will not be granted any refund.

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