ⓘ Verified 16 May 2026 from official Air India sources.
Cancellation rules change frequently — always confirm at
Air India website before cancelling.
DGCA passenger rights (India): Under DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR Section 3, Series M, Part II),
passengers on Indian carriers are entitled to a full refund (including statutory taxes) within
7 working days for credit-card bookings and 20 working days for cash bookings when
the airline cancels or significantly reschedules a flight. For voluntary cancellations, statutory government taxes
(PSF, UDF, GST on taxes) remain refundable on request even on non-refundable fare classes.
Air India Cancellation Charges by Time to Departure
Cancellation fees on Air India are charged per passenger and depend on how many hours remain before departure when you cancel. The charges below summarise the airline's published policy for domestic and international flights. Always check fare conditions at booking, as deeply-discounted promo fares may be more restrictive than the standard cancellation slabs.
| When You Cancel | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|
| More than 48 hours before departure | Economy: Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹2,500 • Flex ₹999 | Prem Eco: Value ₹5,000 • Flex ₹999 | Business: Value ₹7,500 • Flex ₹999 | First: Free Air India prices cancellation by fare brand (Value → Classic → Flex), with a 3-day (72-hour) split on Classic and First. This is the 3-days-and-more slab. Each figure is "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge"; refund to original payment in ~7 working days. | Economy cancel by region (Value / Classic / Flex): SAARC (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives) ₹5,000 / ₹2,500 / ₹999 • Gulf (UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait) & SE Asia (Singapore, Bangkok, KL, Hong Kong) ₹8,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹999 • Europe & UK: non-refundable / ₹20,000 / ₹999 • Australia ₹25,000 / ₹20,000 / ₹999 • USA & Canada: non-refundable / ₹25,000 (≈$275) / ₹999 Air India prices international cancellation by region × fare brand (official rates). Economy shown — Value is most restrictive (non-refundable on Europe/UK/USA/Japan, taxes only), Flex is a flat ₹999. Premium Economy ≈ Value; Business Value runs ₹12,000 (Gulf/Asia) up to ₹30,000 (USA). "Whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge." |
| Between 24 and 48 hours | Within 72 hr: Economy Classic ₹3,500 • First ₹1,000 (Value ₹5,000 & Flex ₹999 unchanged) Inside 3 days (72 hours) of departure, Economy Classic rises to ₹3,500 and First to ₹1,000. Value (₹5,000) and Flex (₹999) do not change with timing. Premium Economy and Business follow their own Value/Flex slabs. | Same region/brand fees — Air India international is priced by fare brand, not by 24/48-hour timing Unlike a time-slab carrier, Air India's international cancellation depends on your region and brand (above), not how many hours remain — the only time element is the 4-hour no-show cutoff. The region reference table below lists every region. |
| Between 4 and 24 hours | Within 72 hr: Economy Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex ₹999 Same within-72-hour slab. Cancellation is allowed up to 2 hours before a domestic departure. GST is added on the cancellation fee — 5% (Economy) or 18% (Premium Economy / Business / First) — see the GST & Refund Application Fee note below. | Same region/brand fees (Economy Flex stays ₹999 throughout) Cancellation is allowed up to 4 hours before an international departure. Economy Flex stays ₹999; Value/Classic are set by region, not timing. Korea is the exception — Economy Value forfeits 80% of base fare. |
| Less than 4 hours / no-show | No-show (T-2 hr cutoff) Air India no-show window starts 2 hours before scheduled domestic departure. Inside it, refund and change are not permitted — base fare + fuel surcharge (YQ) forfeited; only statutory taxes refundable on request. | No-show (T-4 hr cutoff) International no-show window starts 4 hours before departure: base fare + YQ forfeited, only statutory taxes refundable (Korea: 90% of base fare forfeited). Star Alliance codeshare segments may differ — operating-carrier rules apply. |
Air India International Cancellation by Region & Fare Brand
Air India prices international cancellation by your fare brand (Economy Value → Classic → Flex) and your region — not by how many hours remain before departure. Find your destination's region below for the Economy cancellation charge. Flex is a flat ₹999 almost everywhere; Value is the most restrictive (non-refundable on Europe, the UK, the USA and Japan). Premium Economy mirrors Value; Business Value is higher. Official rates, verified 2026.
Type any Air India international destination to jump straight to its region and Economy Value / Classic / Flex cancellation charge — no scrolling.
| Region | Destinations Air India flies to | Economy cancel Value / Classic / Flex |
|---|---|---|
| SAARC / Sub-Continent | Kathmandu, Colombo, Dhaka, Malé, Yangon | ₹5,000 / ₹2,500–3,500 / ₹999 |
| Gulf | Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Bahrain, Kuwait | ₹8,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹999 |
| South-East Asia & Far East | Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Manila | ₹8,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹999 |
| Africa | Mauritius, Nairobi | ₹8,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹999 |
| Japan | Tokyo (Narita/Haneda), Osaka | Non-refundable (taxes only) / ₹12,000 / ₹999 |
| Korea | Seoul | 80% of base fare / ₹12,000 / ₹999 |
| Europe | Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Rome, Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv | Non-refundable (taxes only) / ₹20,000 / ₹999 |
| United Kingdom | London (Heathrow/Gatwick), Birmingham | Non-refundable (taxes only) / ₹20,000 / ₹999 |
| Australia | Sydney, Melbourne | ₹25,000 / ₹20,000 / ₹999 |
| North America | New York, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, Toronto, Vancouver | Non-refundable (taxes only) / ₹25,000 (≈$275) / ₹999 |
"Non-refundable" means only statutory taxes are returned (the base fare is forfeited) — common on Economy Value to Europe, the UK, the USA and Japan. Korea forfeits 80% of the base fare on a Value cancellation. Change (date-change) fees are lower and listed in the Reschedule section below. The exact amount for your ticket is shown before you confirm, on the happyfares.in Manage Booking screen.
💡 GST & Refund Application Fee — charged on top
Air India is a full-service (GDS) carrier, so the cancellation and change fees above are the airline penalty only. Two charges apply on top: (1) GST on the penalty — 5% for Economy or 18% for Premium Economy, Business & First — charged on both domestic and international cancellations; and (2) a Refund Application Fee (RAF) of ₹300 + 18% GST = ₹354 per ticket, on international (ex-India & SOTO) tickets only. Low-cost carriers (IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa, Air India Express) instead quote an all-inclusive fee with GST and processing charges already built in.
When Will I Get My Air India Refund?
Refund Timeline
Once your Air India cancellation is confirmed, the refund (after deducting cancellation charges) is processed to your original mode of payment. Credit-card refunds typically appear faster than bank transfers or wallet credits.
Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.
Air India Rescheduling Charges — Change Your Flight Instead
Rescheduling (also called "date change") is usually cheaper than cancelling and rebooking. If your travel dates have moved but you still want to fly with Air India, change the date instead of cancelling — you only pay the rescheduling fee plus any fare difference.
Domestic Reschedule
Date-change fee by cabin & brand, plus any fare difference:
| Economy Value | ₹3,000 |
| Economy Classic | ₹300 (>3 days) / ₹1,000 (0–3 days) |
| Economy Flex | ₹250 |
| Premium Economy Value | ₹3,000 |
| Premium Economy Flex | Free |
| Business Value | Free (>3 days) / ₹5,000 (0–3 days) |
| Business Flex | Free |
| First | Free |
International Reschedule
Economy date-change by region (Value / Classic / Flex), plus fare difference:
| SAARC / Sub-Continent | ₹3,000 / ₹300–1,000 / ₹250 |
| Gulf | ₹4,000 / ₹500–2,000 / ₹250 |
| South-East Asia & Far East | ₹4,000 / ₹2,000 / ₹250 |
| Africa | ₹4,000 / ₹500–2,000 / ₹250 |
| Japan | ₹7,000 / ₹7,000 / Free |
| Korea | ₹7,000 / ₹7,000 / Free |
| Europe | ₹15,000 / ₹7,000 / Free |
| United Kingdom | ₹15,000 / ₹7,000 / Free |
| Australia | ₹12,000 / ₹8,000 / Free |
| North America | ₹15,000 (≈$165) / ₹10,000 (≈$110) / Free |
Premium Economy mirrors Value; Business Flex is free; Economy Flex changes are free on long-haul. Plus any fare difference.
Air India No-Show Policy — What If I Miss My Flight?
No-Show Rule
Air India defines no-show as failing to change or cancel a booking at least 2 hours before a domestic departure or 4 hours before an international departure. Inside the no-show window, refund and change are not permitted across any cabin or fare type; the base fare and fuel surcharge (YQ) are forfeited and only statutory taxes are refundable on request via airindia.com (Korea routes forfeit 90% of base fare).
Pro tip: If you know you cannot make the flight, cancel online before departure — even a last-minute cancellation usually preserves more value than a no-show. Statutory taxes (PSF, UDF, GST on taxes) are always refundable on request, even on no-show bookings.
Which Air India Fares Are Non-Refundable?
Non-Refundable / Restricted Fares
- Economy Value on Europe, UK, USA, Canada and Japan routes (non-refundable — only statutory taxes returned; a change is still permitted against the regional fee)
- Economy Value on Korea routes (cancellation forfeits 80% of base fare)
- Tickets cancelled inside the no-show window (2 hr domestic / 4 hr international, any cabin or fare)
- Reward / Maharaja Club point-redemption tickets follow programme tier rules (Platinum / Gold / Silver / Red)
- Star Alliance codeshare segments — operating carrier rules apply
Note: even on non-refundable fares, statutory government taxes are refundable on request. The fare component is forfeited but PSF, UDF, and GST on taxes can be claimed back.
Air India Fare Lock / Hold Option
Hold the Fare Before Cancelling
Air India does not currently advertise a standalone fare-hold product on airindia.com — pricing is locked once booked.
How to Cancel Your Air India Ticket — Step by Step
- Visit www.airindia.com or open the HappyFares My Bookings page on happyfares.in.
- Enter your 6-character PNR (booking reference) and the lead passenger's last name.
- Click "Cancel Booking" and select the passengers and segments you want to cancel.
- Review the cancellation charges shown on screen against the time-to-departure brackets above.
- Confirm the cancellation — you will receive an email acknowledgement with a cancellation reference.
- Refund is processed in Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance. to your original mode of payment.
Where Can I Cancel My Air India Booking?
Cancellation Channels
- airindia.com (Manage My Booking)
- Air India mobile app
- HappyFares My Bookings
- Air India customer care: 0124-264 1407
- Air India city booking / ticketing offices
DGCA Passenger Rights — What If Air India Cancels My Flight?
DGCA CAR Section 3, Series M, Part IV — Indian carriers
Under the DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements, if Air India cancels your flight or makes a schedule change of more than 2 hours without offering a viable alternative, you are entitled to:
- A full refund of the ticket (including all fare components and taxes), processed within 7 working days; OR
- An alternate flight on the same airline at no extra cost (subject to availability); OR
- Compensation of ₹5,000–10,000 plus refund/alternate flight, depending on flight duration, if cancellation is at the airline's discretion (not weather/force majeure).
Force majeure exception: Bad weather, ATC restrictions, security situations and similar unavoidable circumstances are treated as force majeure — only refund or alternate flight applies, no cash compensation. Always retain your boarding pass and any communication from Air India.
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Air India Cancellation — Frequently Asked Questions
Air India allows ticket cancellation up to flight departure time, with cancellation charges that increase as you get closer to departure. The earliest bracket (more than 48 hours before departure) carries the lowest fee at Economy: Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹2,500 • Flex ₹999 | Prem Eco: Value ₹5,000 • Flex ₹999 | Business: Value ₹7,500 • Flex ₹999 | First: Free for domestic and Economy cancel by region (Value / Classic / Flex): SAARC (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives) ₹5,000 / ₹2,500 / ₹999 • Gulf (UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait) & SE Asia (Singapore, Bangkok, KL, Hong Kong) ₹8,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹999 • Europe & UK: non-refundable / ₹20,000 / ₹999 • Australia ₹25,000 / ₹20,000 / ₹999 • USA & Canada: non-refundable / ₹25,000 (≈$275) / ₹999 for international. Cancellation closer to departure attracts higher fees, and a no-show forfeits the entire fare on most fare classes. Statutory taxes are always refundable on request.
Under the DGCA free-cancellation lock-in you can cancel or reschedule free of charge within 24 hours of booking if you booked through HappyFares or another travel agent/OTA, or within 48 hours if you booked directly on www.airindia.com — provided the scheduled departure is at least 7 days away (domestic) or 14 days away (international). Most readers here booked via an OTA, so the window for you is 24 hours, not 48. Any fare difference on rescheduling is still payable. After the lock-in, standard cancellation fees apply and statutory taxes stay refundable.
Air India cancellation charges depend on time-to-departure and route. For domestic flights: Economy: Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹2,500 • Flex ₹999 | Prem Eco: Value ₹5,000 • Flex ₹999 | Business: Value ₹7,500 • Flex ₹999 | First: Free more than 48 hours out, Within 72 hr: Economy Classic ₹3,500 • First ₹1,000 (Value ₹5,000 & Flex ₹999 unchanged) between 24-48 hours, and Within 72 hr: Economy Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex ₹999 between 4-24 hours. International flights: Economy cancel by region (Value / Classic / Flex): SAARC (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives) ₹5,000 / ₹2,500 / ₹999 • Gulf (UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait) & SE Asia (Singapore, Bangkok, KL, Hong Kong) ₹8,000 / ₹6,000 / ₹999 • Europe & UK: non-refundable / ₹20,000 / ₹999 • Australia ₹25,000 / ₹20,000 / ₹999 • USA & Canada: non-refundable / ₹25,000 (≈$275) / ₹999 more than 48 hours out, scaling up to Same region/brand fees (Economy Flex stays ₹999 throughout) closer to departure. Less than 4 hours before departure typically forfeits the full fare.
You can cancel your Air India ticket online at www.airindia.com (Manage Booking), through the Air India mobile app, or via HappyFares My Bookings if you booked on HappyFares. Enter your PNR and last name, select "Cancel Booking", review the charges, and confirm. You will receive an email acknowledgement, and the refund is processed in Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance. to your original mode of payment.
Air India processes cancellation refunds in Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.. Credit-card refunds typically reflect faster than bank transfers or wallet credits. The refund goes to your original mode of payment (not as voucher/credit unless you specifically choose that option). If your refund is delayed beyond the published timeline, contact Air India customer care at 0124-264 1407 with your cancellation reference number.
Most Air India tickets are refundable subject to the cancellation charges shown in the table above. However, the following fare classes are non-refundable except for statutory taxes: Economy Value on Europe, UK, USA, Canada and Japan routes (non-refundable — only statutory taxes returned; a change is still permitted against the regional fee), Economy Value on Korea routes (cancellation forfeits 80% of base fare), Tickets cancelled inside the no-show window (2 hr domestic / 4 hr international, any cabin or fare), Reward / Maharaja Club point-redemption tickets follow programme tier rules (Platinum / Gold / Silver / Red), Star Alliance codeshare segments — operating carrier rules apply. Always check fare conditions at the time of booking — promotional and deeply-discounted fares are usually the most restrictive. Even on non-refundable fares, you can claim back PSF, UDF, and GST on taxes on request.
If Air India cancels your flight, the DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR Section 3, Series M, Part IV) entitle you to a full refund within 7 working days, or an alternate flight at no extra cost, or compensation of ₹5,000-10,000 plus refund/rebooking depending on flight duration. Force-majeure events (weather, ATC, security) are exempt from cash compensation but you still get a full refund or alternate flight.
Yes, rescheduling is usually cheaper than cancelling and rebooking. Domestic rescheduling: Date-change fee by brand, plus any fare difference: Economy Value ₹3,000 • Economy Classic ₹300 (>3 days) / ₹1,000 (0–3 days) • Economy Flex ₹250 • Premium Economy Value ₹3,000 / Flex Free • Business Value Free (>3 days) / ₹5,000 (0–3 days), Business Flex Free • First Free. Free change within the DGCA 24-hour window if departure is 7+ days away. International rescheduling: Economy date-change by region (Value / Classic / Flex), plus fare difference: SAARC ₹3,000 / ₹300–1,000 / ₹250 • Gulf ₹4,000 / ₹500–2,000 / ₹250 • SE Asia & Far East ₹4,000 / ₹2,000 / ₹250 • Africa ₹4,000 / ₹500–2,000 / ₹250 • Japan & Korea ₹7,000 / ₹7,000 / Free • Europe & UK ₹15,000 / ₹7,000 / Free • Australia ₹12,000 / ₹8,000 / Free • USA & Canada ₹15,000 (≈$165) / ₹10,000 (≈$110) / Free. Premium Economy mirrors Value; Business Flex is free. Star Alliance codeshare on partner metal follows operating-carrier rules. You only pay the change fee plus any fare difference for the new date. Rescheduling is not available on the most restrictive fare classes — check fare conditions at booking. Use the same www.airindia.com Manage Booking flow to change dates instead of cancelling.
Air India defines no-show as failing to change or cancel a booking at least 2 hours before a domestic departure or 4 hours before an international departure. Inside the no-show window, refund and change are not permitted across any cabin or fare type; the base fare and fuel surcharge (YQ) are forfeited and only statutory taxes are refundable on request via airindia.com (Korea routes forfeit 90% of base fare). To avoid forfeiting your fare entirely, always cancel online before departure even if it is last-minute. The cancellation charge will usually be lower than a complete fare forfeit. Statutory government taxes (PSF, UDF, GST on taxes) remain refundable even on no-show bookings — submit a tax-refund request at www.airindia.com or via HappyFares.
Changing the date is almost always cheaper than cancelling and rebooking. When you cancel you lose the cancellation penalty AND have to buy a brand-new ticket at today's fare; when you reschedule you pay only the date-change fee plus any fare difference. On Air India the domestic date-change fee is typically lower than the cancellation fee, and it is free inside the look-in window when departure is far enough away. The only time cancel-and-rebook wins is if a fresh fare for your new date is dramatically lower than your original. HappyFares shows both the change fee and the cancellation deduction side by side before you confirm.
Cancel through the channel you booked on. If you booked on HappyFares, cancel from HappyFares My Bookings — for an agency-issued ticket the airline routes the refund back through the booking source anyway, and cancelling directly with Air India can get the request rejected or the refund stuck. The refund timeline itself is set by Air India (Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.), not by who you cancel through, so neither route is genuinely "faster" — but using the correct channel avoids a bounced request and a delayed refund. The money returns to your original payment method either way.
When you cancel a Air India ticket, the GST charged on your base fare is refunded along with the refundable fare portion. However, GST levied on the cancellation penalty itself (5% on Economy, 18% on premium cabins for ex-India tickets) is NOT refundable — it is retained with the fee. Statutory airport taxes and the GST on them are always returned on request. Keep your GST invoice from Manage Booking if you need input credit.
Convenience, booking and payment-handling fees charged at the time of booking are generally NON-refundable — they cover the transaction and processing cost and are retained even on a full cancellation (when Air India itself cancels the flight you can dispute the service fee). What is always refundable is the statutory tax component — PSF, UDF, ASF and the GST on those taxes. On HappyFares the cancellation review screen shows exactly which parts of your payment are refundable and which are retained before you confirm.
Yes. Even on a no-show, the statutory airport and government taxes — User Development Fee (UDF), Passenger Service Fee (PSF), Aviation Security Fee (ASF) and the GST charged on those taxes — remain refundable on request. Only the base fare and fuel surcharge (YQ) are forfeited when you miss the flight. The catch: Air India does not auto-refund a no-show — you must raise a tax-refund request through www.airindia.com Manage Booking or HappyFares My Bookings (usually within 6 months). This is the single most-missed refund — most no-show travellers never claim the taxes they are owed.
Yes. On a multi-passenger PNR you can cancel one or more individual travellers while everyone else keeps their seats. The cancellation fee applies per passenger cancelled — dropping 1 of 4 charges one fee, not four. An infant booked against a cancelled adult is cancelled with that adult. Do it on www.airindia.com Manage Booking (select the passenger to cancel) or on HappyFares My Bookings. Note: on a special group or round-trip fare, removing a passenger can occasionally reprice the remaining seats — the review screen shows any change before you confirm.
Usually yes on a standard round-trip (two one-way fares combined) — cancel the return sector and the cancellation fee applies only to that leg, leaving the onward flight active. On a special round-trip fare sold as a single unit, cancelling one leg can reprice or void the other, so check the fare rule first. Statutory taxes on the cancelled sector are refundable. Cancel the specific segment via www.airindia.com Manage Booking or HappyFares My Bookings rather than cancelling the whole booking.
Pay only the date-change fee plus fare difference, and change as early as you can. Three ways to keep it to a minimum: (1) change inside the free DGCA lock-in — Air India waives the change fee within 24 hours of booking for HappyFares/agent (OTA) bookings, or 48 hours if booked directly on the airline website, when departure is 7+ days away domestic / 14+ days international, so you pay only the fare difference; (2) change online — a counter or call-centre change adds a service fee; (3) pick a cheaper date so the fare difference is ₹0 or negative. Rescheduling is almost always cheaper than cancelling and rebooking. Air India domestic date-change: Date-change fee by brand, plus any fare difference: Economy Value ₹3,000 • Economy Classic ₹300 (>3 days) / ₹1,000 (0–3 days) • Economy Flex ₹250 • Premium Economy Value ₹3,000 / Flex Free • Business Value Free (>3 days) / ₹5,000 (0–3 days), Business Flex Free • First Free. Free change within the DGCA 24-hour window if departure is 7+ days away.
Generally no. When you move to a cheaper date you still pay the date-change fee, but the lower fare difference is normally NOT returned to you as cash — you simply pay ₹0 extra, and the saving is not refunded. A few flexible fare brands credit the difference as a residual or credit-shell rather than cash; check your fare rule. If you genuinely want the lower price back as money, the only route is to cancel and rebook and absorb the cancellation fee — which is rarely worth it. HappyFares shows the new total before you commit to the change.
On a non-refundable fare the base fare and fuel surcharge are forfeited, but you still get back ALL statutory taxes — PSF, UDF, ASF and the GST charged on them — on request. So your refund equals the tax component of the ticket (often a few hundred to a couple of thousand rupees domestically, more on international tickets), with nothing else deducted. Add-ons you paid for (seat, meal, extra baggage) are not refunded on a passenger-initiated cancellation. The exact refundable amount is shown on the cancellation review screen before you confirm — so you never have to guess.
Standard travel insurance covers cancellation only for INSURED reasons — medical emergency, hospitalisation, death in the family, natural disaster or visa rejection — not change-of-mind or finding a cheaper fare. If you bought a cancellation-protection ("zero cancellation") add-on at booking, it typically waives or refunds the cancellation fee within stated limits, often only outside 24–72 hours of departure. To claim: cancel the ticket, then file with the insurer or add-on provider using the cancellation invoice, the refund-reference number and (for medical claims) supporting documents — usually within 30 days. Air India's statutory taxes are refunded regardless of any insurance.
On most airline Manage-Booking portals (including Air India's), "Cancel Booking" cancels the ENTIRE PNR — all passengers and all flights — and starts the full refund, while "Cancel Flight" or "Cancel Segment" cancels only the flight you select, leaving the rest of the itinerary active. Use "Cancel Booking" only when you want to drop the whole trip. If you just want to drop one leg of a round-trip, one city-pair of a multi-city, or one passenger, use the segment- or passenger-level option so you do not forfeit the parts you still need. The fee is charged only on what you actually cancel.
If your refund is past Air India's published timeline (Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.): (1) check status on www.airindia.com Manage Booking or HappyFares My Bookings using your cancellation reference; (2) contact Air India customer care (0124-264 1407) with the cancellation reference and your original payment-method last 4 digits; (3) for any flight to or from India, raise a grievance on AirSewa, the Government of India's MoCA portal (airsewa.gov.in or the AirSewa app) — airlines are required to respond there, and you can escalate to the DGCA if it stays unresolved; (4) as a last resort, a card chargeback through your bank (within 120 days) recovers a stuck card refund. Booked on HappyFares? We chase Air India's refund desk directly — the fastest path.
Air India ticket cancellation refund flow: (1) Cancel via www.airindia.com Manage Booking → confirmation screen shows the refund amount AFTER deducting the cancellation charge. (2) Save the Refund Reference Number from the cancellation email. (3) Refund credit to your original payment method takes Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.. (4) If you booked on HappyFares, you can also trigger the cancellation from HappyFares My Bookings; we relay the cancellation to Air India's GDS and surface the refund status. Statutory taxes (PSF, UDF, GST on taxes) are always refunded — even on non-refundable fare classes and no-show bookings.
The Air India refund policy lets you cancel any ticket up to flight departure and receive a refund to your original mode of payment, minus the cancellation charge for that fare class. Domestic refunds typically deduct Economy: Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹2,500 • Flex ₹999 | Prem Eco: Value ₹5,000 • Flex ₹999 | Business: Value ₹7,500 • Flex ₹999 | First: Free when cancelled more than 48 hours before departure. International refunds depend on fare brand and time-to-departure. Statutory taxes (PSF, UDF, GST on taxes) are refundable on every cancellation including no-show bookings. Refund credit timeline: Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.
Air India refund time: Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.. Card refunds typically arrive in 5-7 working days; bank transfers and wallet credits may take 7-10 working days; Miles/loyalty points redeposit in 5-7 working days. Per DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (for Indian carriers), credit-card refunds must complete within 7 working days of the cancellation request; bank-transfer and cheque refunds within 30 days. Track your refund status using your cancellation reference at www.airindia.com.
Check your Air India refund status in three ways: (1) Open www.airindia.com Manage Booking, enter PNR + last name, view "Refund Status" tab. (2) Open the Air India mobile app, go to My Trips → Cancelled bookings → tap the booking for status detail. (3) On HappyFares, log in and open My Bookings → Cancellation history. If the refund is delayed beyond the published timeline (Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.), contact Air India customer care at 0124-264 1407 with your cancellation reference number and original payment-method last 4 digits.
Air India customer care number (India): 0124-264 1407. For refund-specific questions, ask the agent to route you to the Refunds team and quote your cancellation reference. Air India customer care operates 24x7 in English and Hindi. For HappyFares-booked tickets, you can also call HappyFares support — refund follow-up is faster from our team because we hold the GDS booking reference.
Air India refund customer care: (1) Call Air India at 0124-264 1407 and request the Refunds desk. (2) Email refunds via www.airindia.com contact form — attach booking confirmation + cancellation acknowledgement. (3) HappyFares customer support (write2shanti@gmail.com or call +91 76700 70070) for tickets booked on HappyFares — we escalate to Air India's GDS desk directly. Always have your PNR, cancellation reference, and original payment-method screenshot ready.
Air India fare rules vary by fare brand and route. Domestic Air India flights typically offer multiple fare tiers (e.g. base/saver, flexi, premium) — higher tiers cost more upfront but include free changes/cancellations or higher refunds. International Air India routes follow the carrier's brand structure with Lite/Standard/Flex variants. The most-restrictive fare buckets (typically called Lite, Saver, Basic, or Value) are non-refundable except for taxes. Always check fare conditions at booking; HappyFares displays the cancellation/change rules in the fare comparison panel before you pay.
Under DGCA rules you can cancel Air India without a cancellation fee within a lock-in window after booking — 48 hours if you booked directly on the airline's website, or 24 hours if you booked through HappyFares or another travel agent/OTA — for tickets booked at least 7 days (domestic) or 14 days (international) before departure. Outside the window, Air India charges depend on fare and time-to-departure — domestic cancellation runs Economy: Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹2,500 • Flex ₹999 | Prem Eco: Value ₹5,000 • Flex ₹999 | Business: Value ₹7,500 • Flex ₹999 | First: Free more than 48 hours out. HappyFares shows the exact deduction before you confirm.
If your Air India flight is delayed, the DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements protect you: (1) Delay >2 hours: free meal/refreshments at the airport. (2) Delay >6 hours: refund OR alternate Air India flight + meal voucher. (3) Cancellation by Air India: full refund within 7 working days OR rebooking on next available Air India flight at no charge OR ₹5,000-10,000 compensation depending on route. (4) Force-majeure delays (weather, ATC, security) are exempt from cash compensation but the refund/rebooking right stays. Save the delay SMS and boarding pass — they're your proof for the refund claim.
Air India ticket cancellation online — step-by-step: (1) Go to www.airindia.com → Manage Booking. (2) Enter PNR (6 characters) + Last Name. (3) Select the segment(s) to cancel — full or partial. (4) Review cancellation charges and refund amount on the confirmation screen. (5) Click "Cancel & Refund" — you receive an email confirmation immediately with a Refund Reference Number. (6) Refund is credited to your original payment method in Refund processed within 7-10 business days per Air India press release (2-3 days airline + 2-3 days bank). DGCA SLA: 7 business days for card refunds, 20 business days for cash/cheque. You can claim refund up to 2 years from ticket issuance.. Tip: cancelling online via Manage Booking is cheaper than phone-cancellation on most Air India fares — call-centre cancellations may add a small service fee.
Air India Manage Booking is the self-service portal on www.airindia.com where you can: cancel a ticket and start the refund, change travel dates (pay difference + change fee), select or change seats, pre-book meals/baggage/lounge access, web check-in, download invoice/GST receipt, request a wheelchair or special meal, and check refund status. Login uses PNR + Last Name (no password required). HappyFares My Bookings mirrors most of these functions if you booked via HappyFares — refund start, web check-in, GST invoice. For complex changes that Manage Booking can't handle (codeshare segments, multi-city itineraries), call Air India at 0124-264 1407.
Refund = (Total fare paid) − (Cancellation charge for your fare class and time-to-departure) + (Statutory taxes always refunded). For Air India domestic, the cancellation deduction is roughly: Economy: Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹2,500 • Flex ₹999 | Prem Eco: Value ₹5,000 • Flex ₹999 | Business: Value ₹7,500 • Flex ₹999 | First: Free more than 48 hours out, Within 72 hr: Economy Classic ₹3,500 • First ₹1,000 (Value ₹5,000 & Flex ₹999 unchanged) between 24-48h, and Within 72 hr: Economy Value ₹5,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex ₹999 between 4-24h. For Air India international, charges depend on fare brand and region. A typical economy ticket cancelled 4+ days before departure recovers about 70-85% of the fare. Lowest fare buckets (Lite/Saver/Basic) only return statutory taxes. The exact refund amount is displayed BEFORE you confirm cancellation, on the www.airindia.com Manage Booking review screen.
Quickest path to Air India refund: (1) Cancel ONLINE via www.airindia.com Manage Booking (not phone — phone adds processing time). (2) Cancel as EARLY as possible — every 24-48 hour bracket you cross before departure increases the deduction. (3) Use the ORIGINAL payment method for fastest refund — credit cards typically refund in 5-7 working days; bank transfers take 7-10 days; international cards may take longer due to FX settlement. (4) For HappyFares-booked tickets, our easy refund tracker pushes the refund through Air India's GDS API — try it at HappyFares My Bookings. (5) After cancellation, save the Refund Reference Number; quote it in any follow-up with Air India customer care (0124-264 1407).
Air India sells Economy in three brands. Value is the lowest, most restrictive fare — domestic cancellation ₹5,000, and on long-haul (Europe, UK, USA, Japan) it is non-refundable (only taxes returned). Classic sits in the middle — domestic cancellation ₹2,500 (more than 3 days before departure) or ₹3,500 (within 3 days), and ₹6,000–₹25,000 internationally by region. Flex is the most flexible — a flat ₹999 cancellation domestically and on every international region, with free or low changes. Premium Economy and Business also come in Value and Flex. Every charge is capped at "the lower of the fee or your base fare + fuel surcharge". Choose Flex if there's any chance you'll cancel; choose Value only if your plans are firm.
Yes. Air India is a full-service (GDS) carrier, so the published cancellation charge is the airline penalty only. On top, GST applies to that penalty on every cancellation — domestic and international — at 5% for Economy or 18% for Premium Economy, Business and First. On international tickets there is also a Refund Application Fee (RAF) of ₹300 + 18% GST = ₹354 per ticket (charged on all flights departing India and on SOTO tickets). For example, cancelling an Economy Classic domestic ticket (₹2,500 penalty) costs ₹2,500 + 5% GST = ₹2,625; an international Economy ticket adds the ₹354 RAF on top of the fee plus GST. Low-cost carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa instead quote an all-inclusive cancellation fee, with GST and processing charges already included.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to the USA or Canada (New York, Toronto) (Economy): Value Non-refundable (taxes only), Classic ₹25,000 (≈$275), and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to the UK (London) (Economy): Value Non-refundable (taxes only), Classic ₹20,000, and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to Europe (Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Amsterdam) (Economy): Value Non-refundable (taxes only), Classic ₹20,000, and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to the Gulf (Dubai, Doha, Riyadh) (Economy): Value ₹8,000, Classic ₹6,000, and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong (Economy): Value ₹8,000, Classic ₹6,000, and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to Australia (Sydney, Melbourne) (Economy): Value ₹25,000, Classic ₹20,000, and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India prices cancellation by fare brand, not by hours-to-departure. For a flight to Nepal, Sri Lanka or the Maldives (Economy): Value ₹5,000, Classic ₹2,500–3,500, and Flex ₹999 — per passenger, "whichever is lower of the fee or base fare + fuel surcharge". Flex is the most flexible Economy brand and Value the most restrictive; Premium Economy mirrors Value and Business Value is higher. An international ticket must be cancelled at least 4 hours before departure (only statutory taxes are refunded after that). You can cancel on happyfares.in under My Trips. Verified from airindia.com, current 2026.
Air India Maharaja Club (the loyalty programme) award tickets follow programme-specific rules: cancellation inside 48 hours of departure forfeits ~50% of redeemed miles; outside 48 hours, miles are redeposited minus a service charge (typically 500-1,500 miles or ₹500-1,500). Award tickets in higher cabins (Premium Economy, Business) follow proportionally higher service charges. Always cancel award bookings at airindia.com Manage Booking — phone cancellation may add a service fee. For Star Alliance partner award redemptions, partner-carrier rules apply.
Vistara merged into Air India in April 2025. All Vistara flight numbers (UK xxx) were reissued as Air India AI-2xxx series during the integration. If you hold a Vistara ticket from before the merger or an AI-2xxx ticket today, the Air India cancellation policy above applies. Use airindia.com Manage Booking with your Air India PNR. For pre-merger Vistara tickets that show "UK" prefix, Air India honours the original Vistara fare conditions on a one-time courtesy basis — call Air India India support: 0124-264 1407 to retrieve your record.
No. Vande Bharat repatriation flights (operated 2020-21 during COVID), defence charter flights, and government-block-booking arrangements DO NOT follow the standard Air India cancellation policy. Those bookings followed special MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) terms — refunds were handled case-by-case via Indian Missions abroad. If you hold a legacy Vande Bharat booking with unresolved refund, contact the issuing Indian Mission or write to refunds@airindia.in citing your VBM booking reference. Vande Bharat operations ended August 2022; new charter operators on lease-and-charter agreements (e.g. specific corporate group bookings) follow their own contract terms, not airline retail policy.
Going further — your passenger rights
Air India's cancellation policy is one piece. If you're dealing with a delay, denied boarding, or lost baggage, these DGCA + Montreal Convention guides cover the full traveller-rights framework.