Big relief for passengers: Full refund if air ticket cancelled within 48 hours, rules updated

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced a major change in ticket booking rules by allowing a 48-hour free window. Passengers can now cancel or modify their bookings within this period without paying any fee.

According to the regulator, passengers can cancel or make changes to their tickets within 48 hours of booking without any charges. However, if the ticket is changed to another flight, the fare difference, if any, will have to be paid.

This facility will be applicable only if at least seven days remain before departure for domestic flights and 15 days for international flights. DGCA clarified that once the 48-hour period ends, standard cancellation charges will apply.

The revised rules were issued on February 24 and will come into effect from March 26, 2026.

The regulator has also issued clear guidelines regarding name corrections and refund timelines. If a ticket is booked directly through an airline’s website and a name error is reported within 24 hours of booking, the airline cannot charge any fee for correcting the passenger’s name.

In cases where tickets are booked through travel agents or online portals, airlines will remain responsible for issuing refunds, as agents act as their representatives. DGCA has instructed airlines to ensure that refunds in such cases are processed within 14 working days.

Under the new timelines, refunds for credit card transactions must be processed within seven days, while cash payments made at airline offices should be refunded immediately at the same location.

The regulator has also made it mandatory for airlines to refund all statutory taxes and passenger-related charges in cases of cancellation or no-show, even if the base fare is non-refundable.