What is Allegiant Airlines cancellation policy?

Planning a trip with Allegiant Air, the popular low-cost carrier, often means scoring great deals. But what happens if your plans suddenly change? Understanding Allegiant's cancellation policy is crucial to avoid unexpected surprises. Let's break it down in an easy-to-digest way, acting as your friendly travel guide.

The Golden 24-Hour Rule: Your Best Bet for a Full Refund

First and foremost, Allegiant, like most airlines operating to/from the U.S., offers a "24-hour rule." This is your window of opportunity for a full refund. If you cancel your entire itinerary within 24 hours of your initial purchase, you'll generally get all your money back to your original form of payment. However, there's a small but important caveat: your scheduled departure must be at least one week (168 hours) away at the time of booking. So, if you book a last-minute trip for tomorrow, this 24-hour window for a full refund might not apply.

Beyond 24 Hours: Non-Refundable Tickets and Travel Credits

After that initial 24-hour window, things change. Allegiant tickets are generally non-refundable. This means you won't get your money back to your credit card or bank account. Instead, for qualifying cancellations, Allegiant typically issues a non-refundable, non-transferable travel credit voucher for future travel.

Key things to remember about these vouchers:

• Expiration: They are usually valid for 365 days from the original booking date. Don't let them expire!

• Fees: If you cancel a standard non-Trip Flex ticket outside the 24-hour window, a cancellation fee will be deducted from the value of your ticket before the credit is issued. While this fee can fluctuate, it's typically around $25 per person, per segment (it used to be $75, but has been reduced). This means a round trip could incur two fees.

• No Credit for Last-Minute Cancellations: If you cancel your flight within 7 days of departure, you generally won't receive any credit. This is a crucial point to remember for those close-to-departure changes.

Introducing Trip Flex: Your Flexibility Friend

Allegiant offers an optional add-on called Trip Flex at the time of booking. This is designed to give you more flexibility and peace of mind. If you purchase Trip Flex:

• No Change or Cancellation Fees: You can make one change to your reservation (date, flight, or destination) or cancel your trip without incurring those standard change or cancellation fees.

• Timing: You can make changes or cancel up to one hour prior to departure for flight-only bookings, and up to 72 hours prior to departure for air/hotel packages.

• Fare Difference Still Applies: While the fees are waived, you'll still be responsible for any difference in airfare if the new flight is more expensive. If it's cheaper, you won't get a refund for the difference.

• Still a Travel Credit: Even with Trip Flex, if you cancel, you'll generally receive a travel credit, not a cash refund (unless it's within the 24-hour window and meets the other criteria).

What if Allegiant Cancels or Delays Your Flight?

Sometimes, the airline has to make changes. If Allegiant cancels your flight or significantly delays it (typically 3 hours or more), you generally have a few options:

• Full Refund: You're usually entitled to a full refund back to your original form of payment.

• Rebooking: You can choose to rebook on another Allegiant flight at no additional cost.

• Travel Credit: In some cases, they might offer a travel credit as an alternative.

How to Cancel Your Allegiant Flight

The easiest way to manage your reservation, including cancellations, is through Allegiant's "Manage Travel" section on their website. You'll need your confirmation number and last name. From there, you can typically find options to cancel your entire trip, a single flight segment, or even remove a traveler from an itinerary.

In a Nutshell:

Allegiant's cancellation policy is pretty straightforward: act fast within 24 hours for a full refund (with the 7-day lead time caveat). After that, expect travel credits with potential fees, unless you've invested in Trip Flex for added flexibility. Always double-check the specific terms and conditions for your booking, as special promotions or holiday dates might have slightly different rules. And if you're ever unsure, reaching out to Allegiant's customer service is always a good idea!