How to get a refund for the difference in ticket price?

Imagine you’ve been planning your trip for a long time, choosing tickets at a suitable price, and as soon as you bought them, the airline announces a sale. And now your tickets cost not 20,000, but only 12,000. Can anything be done in this situation? It’s hard to believe, but some airlines refund the difference.

First, check the fare rules. If your ticket is refundable, there will be no problems exchanging it for the same ticket at a cheaper fare. If you were initially looking for cheaper tickets, then most likely, you have a non-refundable ticket. Here, it’s more complicated, and it depends on the airline’s policy. Only a few carriers practice such refunds, also known as “rollover”. Money is usually not returned in cash, but an electronic voucher is issued, which you can use within one year. However, this is not the most optimal option. If you received a voucher for $100, and you plan to spend only $80 on a ticket purchase, then the remaining $20 will expire. Some companies issue credits in such cases; there’s more flexibility here, if you have $20 left in a similar situation, you can spend it when purchasing your next ticket. Only two airlines practice such refunds: Alaska and JetBlue. Others will charge a fee for ticket exchange, the amount of which, in most cases, exceeds the difference itself. AirTran and Virgin America will charge you $75, and the airline Hawaiian Airlines requires a fee of $100. And United, Continental, Delta, US Airways, and American will charge even more, $150 for a ticket exchange. Naturally, the price difference must exceed the fee you pay for the exchange.