Air ticket Refund and Cancellation Rules to change from 26 March 2026: Cancel ticket within 48 hours without any fee

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised the air ticket Refund & Cancellation Rules for passengers effective from 26 March 2026.

48-Hour Free “Look-in” Option
- Passengers can cancel or amend tickets within 48 hours of booking without extra charges.
- Only fare differences apply if changing flights.
- Not available if departure is within 7 days (domestic) or 15 days (international) of booking.

Name Corrections
- No extra charge for correcting the name of the same passenger if reported within 24 hours of booking (when booked directly on the airline’s website).

Medical Emergency Cancellations
- If a passenger or family member on the same PNR is hospitalized during the travel period, airlines must offer either a refund or credit shell.
- For other medical cases, refunds are processed after a fitness-to-travel certificate from an airline or DGCA specialist.

Refund Timelines
- Credit card payments: Refund within 7 days.
- Cash transactions: Immediate refund at the airline office.
- Travel agent/portal bookings: Refund within 14 working days; responsibility lies with the airline.

Charges & Transparency
- Cancellation charges cannot exceed basic fare + fuel surcharge.
- Airlines must refund all statutory taxes (UDF, ADF, PSF), even on non-refundable or promo fares.
- Refund amount must be clearly indicated at booking and cancellation.

Applicability
- Rules apply to all airlines operating in India.
- Foreign carriers must follow refund norms of their country of origin but remain accountable for transparency when selling tickets in India.

This update is designed to reduce passenger complaints and ensure fair, timely refunds.