Delta Air Lines Joins United, and Permanently Eliminates Change Fees

Delta Air Lines on August 31, 2020 announced that it would be making its change fee policy, which had gone to free change fees in March 2020 because of the impact of COVID-19, permanent for all domestic tickets within the U.S.

Delta’s announcement comes a day after United announced a similar policy, waiving its $200 change fee, the same price as Delta’s, for all domestic flights permanently.

The policy is effective immediately, Delta said, and includes all tickets purchased for travel within the U.S. and its territories aside from Basic Economy tickets. Delta will continue to waive change fees for all tickets, including international and Basic Economy, through the end of 2020.

Both United and Delta waiving change fees could mark a changing of the tide for airline policies as a result of the stress that COVID-19 has placed on the travel industry. Only Southwest, among the major North American carriers, had allowed passengers to change their flights without a fee, paying only the difference in fares.

Now, with both United and Delta onboard, other major North American carriers are likely to follow.