Air India Cancellation Policy — Charges, Refund Rules & Process

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.
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ⓘ 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 Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹2,000 • Flex Free Air India splits at the 72-hour mark — these are the >72 hr slabs. Value cancellation forfeits the fare and refunds taxes only; Classic deducts ₹2,000; Flex is fully refundable. Varies by region — verify in your booking Gulf / SE Asia Classic Economy: roughly USD 75-125. Europe / North America Classic Economy: roughly USD 150-200. Flex Economy: ₹0 or low (>48h). Value: non-refundable. Confirm exact amount at airindia.com/in/en/book/smart-fares.html.
Between 24 and 48 hours Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex Free Inside 72 hours — Classic rises to ₹3,500. Premium Economy and Business follow same >72/<72 split with their own slabs. Varies by region — verify in your booking Inside 48 hr fees rise. Classic Economy roughly USD 150-250. Premium Economy / Business proportionally higher. Codeshare on Star Alliance partners follows operating-carrier rules.
Between 4 and 24 hours Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex Free Same <72 hr slab applies. Refund processed within 7-10 business days (Air India press release) to original payment method. GST: 5% on cancellation fee for Economy, 12% for Premium Economy/Business/First. Varies by region — verify in your booking Inside 24 hr is the most restrictive slab — close-in fees typically 20-30% of fare paid for Classic Economy. Always cancel before T-2 hr to retain at least the tax refund.
Less than 4 hours / no-show No-show (T-2 hr cutoff) Air India no-show window starts 2 hours before scheduled departure. Inside this window: refund and change are NOT permitted — entire fare and YQ are forfeited. Only statutory taxes refundable on request. No-show (T-2 hr cutoff) Inside the 2-hour no-show window on international: base fare and YQ forfeited, only statutory taxes refundable. Star Alliance partner segments may have different no-show windows — check operating carrier rules.

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

Value: ₹3,000 (flat). Classic: ₹300 (>72 hr) / ₹1,000 (<72 hr). Flex: Free anytime. Plus fare difference. Free re-booking permitted within the DGCA 24-hour rule if departure is at least 7 days away.

International Reschedule

Premium Economy Classic: Free (>72 hr) / ₹5,000 (<72 hr). Business Classic: Free (>72 hr) / smaller fee (<72 hr). Flex tiers: Free anytime + fare difference. Star Alliance codeshare on partner metal follows operating-carrier rules.

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 scheduled departure. Inside the no-show window, refund and change are not permitted across any cabin or fare type; the entire base fare and fuel surcharge (YQ) are forfeited and only statutory taxes are refundable on request via airindia.com.

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

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

  1. Visit www.airindia.com or open the HappyFares My Bookings page on happyfares.in.
  2. Enter your 6-character PNR (booking reference) and the lead passenger's last name.
  3. Click "Cancel Booking" and select the passengers and segments you want to cancel.
  4. Review the cancellation charges shown on screen against the time-to-departure brackets above.
  5. Confirm the cancellation — you will receive an email acknowledgement with a cancellation reference.
  6. 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

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:

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 Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹2,000 • Flex Free for domestic and Varies by region — verify in your booking 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.
Air India cancellation charges depend on time-to-departure and route. For domestic flights: Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹2,000 • Flex Free more than 48 hours out, Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex Free between 24-48 hours, and Value ₹4,000 • Classic ₹3,500 • Flex Free between 4-24 hours. International flights: Varies by region — verify in your booking more than 48 hours out, scaling up to Varies by region — verify in your booking 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 (non-refundable cabin-bag-only fare — only statutory taxes returned, change against ₹3,000 fee permitted), Tickets cancelled inside the 2-hour no-show window (any fare class), Reward / Maharaja Club point-redemption tickets follow programme-specific rules, 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: Value: ₹3,000 (flat). Classic: ₹300 (>72 hr) / ₹1,000 (<72 hr). Flex: Free anytime. Plus fare difference. Free re-booking permitted within the DGCA 24-hour rule if departure is at least 7 days away. International rescheduling: Premium Economy Classic: Free (>72 hr) / ₹5,000 (<72 hr). Business Classic: Free (>72 hr) / smaller fee (<72 hr). Flex tiers: Free anytime + fare difference. 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 scheduled departure. Inside the no-show window, refund and change are not permitted across any cabin or fare type; the entire base fare and fuel surcharge (YQ) are forfeited and only statutory taxes are refundable on request via airindia.com. 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.