Definition
The conditions attached to an air ticket: cancellation and change fees, refundability, baggage, validity and whether stopovers or name changes are allowed. They depend on the fare class, so two seats on one flight can carry very different rules.
Where to find them
Before you pay, open the fare rules or cancellation policy link. The key lines:
- Cancellation fee: on cheaper Indian domestic fares, around ₹3,000–4,000 per passenger per sector is common. On the cheapest international fares, only taxes may come back.
- Change fee and fare difference: you pay both, unless you hold a flexible fare.
- No-show: usually the harshest outcome. See no-show.
- Validity, minimum stay and stopovers: these matter on long-haul and multi-city tickets.
What the DGCA rules add
Revised DGCA refund rules took effect on 26 March 2026. At the time of review:
- Airlines must offer a 48-hour look-in window after booking, in which you can cancel or change without a fee, paying only any fare difference. It isn't available on tickets bought directly from the airline's website when the flight is less than 7 days away (domestic) or 15 days away (international).
- Cancellation charges cannot exceed the basic fare plus fuel surcharge.
- Statutory taxes and fees are refundable even on non-refundable fares and no-shows.
- Refunds on card payments are due within 7 days; bookings through an agent or portal within 14 working days.
- A name correction within 24 hours of booking is free on direct bookings.
An example
A Pune couple books a ₹14,000 return to Kolkata for a wedding three weeks away. The next morning the date moves. Inside the look-in window, they cancel without the usual fee of ₹3,000 or more per person per sector. Two days later, the same cancellation would have wiped out most of the fare.
Agent and portal service fees may not be refunded, so ask first. Compare fares and conditions on our flights page.