Air Canada cancellation policy offers the most flexible and convenient cancellation thus offering passengers to be as flexible and agile with their travel.
In this post, we will discuss the pre-conditions/restrictions to know before making the cancellation request, passengers’ options if the flight is cancelled by the airlines, the refund, the cancellation fee, and much more.
- Air Canada Flight Cancellation Rules
- Air Canada Free Cancellation within 24 Hours
- Air Canada Cancel Trip Due to Covid
- How to Cancel an Air Canada Booking?
- Method 1: Air Canada Cancellation Online
- Method 2: Cancel Flight via Phone Number
- Method 3: Flight Cancellation at the Airport
- Air Canada Compensation For Flight Cancellation
- Air Canada Refund Policy
- Air Canada Ticket Cancellation Charges
- FAQs – Air Canada Booking Cancellation Policy
Air Canada Flight Cancellation Rules
Air Canada cancellation policy is applicable on the refundable as well as non-refundable tickets, regardless of the fare type and the class of service selected. Similar to this there are other important points that you should consider before making the Air Canada flight cancellation –
- You are not bound to pay the cancellation fee within 24 hours of purchase. With the help of the Air Canada cancellation policy, you can claim a full refund provided the scheduled departure date must be 7 or more days at the time of making the cancellation.
- The airline reserves the right to restrict the passengers to travel if they need to adhere to the government’s guidelines due to weather or other conditions that are beyond the airline’s control.
- Some ticket fares require that you purchase them in advance. The airline may cancel your reservation if the third-party travel agency fails to generate the ticket number by the advance purchase requirement date.
- If you fail to board the flight, the airline may forfeit your travel funds. Passengers are not entitled to get any refund unless otherwise specified.
- You are not supposed to board the flight if you fail to complete the check-in up to 45 minutes before the scheduled departure for flights within Canada and the United States.
- In terms of international flights, you need to complete the check-in up to 90 minutes before the flight departure. Failure to comply with the check-in guidelines may result in cancellation and forfeiture of travel funds.
- Air Canada flight cancellation applied to the unused or unflown flight segments only.
Air Canada Free Cancellation within 24 Hours
Once you purchase the flight, you always want to know everything about the cancellation policy. Whether it is fully refundable or not within 24 hours? Does the airline promote refunds on its tickets within a 24-hour window? Can I cancel an Air Canada booking without paying any extra fee?
Air Canada 24 hour cancellation works in tandem with the Department of Transportation requires all the airlines to ‘hold a fare’ at the listed price for 24 hours without payment or allows cancellation of the reservation within 24 hours without paying any penalty. This Air Canada flight cancellation policy is applicable on all domestic and international reservations, to and from U.S and Canada.
During the festive time or during the weekend, usually, you may be granted a 24 hour cancellation time frame at zero cost. For example, in case you booked a reservation on Friday, you might get the time till Monday to decide on the cancellation part. In such cases, it is always preferred to book the reservation directly with Air Canada only.
Air Canada Cancel Trip Due to Covid
The airlines have implemented the flexibility and expanded the cancelation option due to COVID-19 restrictions You can have unlimited cancellation and changes until Feb 2022. The details include –
- No cancellation fee would be charged If you cancel before February 28, 2022.
- After this date, you need to pay the change/cancel fee. If your new fare is more expensive than the original fare, you only have to pay the difference.
- Passengers can cancel up to 2 hours of the scheduled departure.
- You can request an Air Canada flight change for free if the airline changes or cancels your flight schedule.
- You can request a refund if your flight is cancelled for any reason.
- If the airline fails to offer you an alternate flight option within 3 hours of your original departure or arrival time, you are eligible for the cancelled flight compensation, specified as per the Air Canada cancellation policy.
- If you need to cancel a reservation, the entire booking value would be converted into a travel voucher, which never expires and is fully transferable to book flights for another passenger.
- Tickets that are refundable will be refunded according to the applicable fare rules; however, a cancellation fee may still apply.
How to Cancel an Air Canada Booking?
You can cancel the Air Canada booking online as well as over the phone. Plus, the cancellation of flight booking can be complete at the airport up to a certain stipulated time. Here’s the detailed workflow that you need to know –
Method 1: Air Canada Cancellation Online
You can cancel the Air Canada flight online via the Manage Booking section. You need to retrieve your booking online, pay the required fee and follow the on-screen prompts to cancel your reservation. Follow these straps –
- Visit aircanada.com and hit the ‘Manage Booking’ section page.
- Insert the booking credentials to access your flight reservation.
- Select the flight segment that you would like to cancel.
- On the next page, you will see the refund amount and the Air Canada flight cancellation fee associated with your booking.
- Confirm your selection at the checkout page.
- You will receive an email confirmation at your registered email. The said refund would be credited back to the original method of payment within 20 business days.
Method 2: Cancel Flight via Phone Number
If you’re holding a restricted fare, or want to cancel an individual booking when there is more than one passenger, call the Air Canada flight cancellation phone number. Please note the cancellation fee may apply.
Method 3: Flight Cancellation at the Airport
You can also cancel your flight at the last moment at the airline’s booking counter at the airport. Please note as per the Air Canada cancellation policy, you need to request cancellation up to 3 hours before the scheduled departure for international flights, and 2 hours for domestic flights. The cancellation fee may vary at the airport, as additional surcharges may apply.
Air Canada Compensation For Flight Cancellation
The compensation for delay, flight cancellation or passenger’s denied boarding is calculated based on the arrival time of the passenger at the final destination. Below is the overview of the compensation based on the following events or situations –
In case of delayed flight – Air Canada compensation for flight cancellation would only be provided to the passengers whose flight is delayed for 3 or more hours. The compensation mentioned below varies with the length of arrival delay, such as –
| Length of arrival delay | Amount (in USD) |
| 3 – 6 hours | 300 |
| 6 – 9 hours | 600 |
| 9+ hours | 850 |
In case of a cancelled flight – As per Air Canada cancellation policy, the compensation would be offered to the passenger whose alternate flight arrival was delayed for 3 or more hours. The compensation mentioned below varies with the length of arrival delay, such as –
| Length of arrival delay | Amount (in USD) |
| 3 – 6 hours | 300 |
| 6 – 9 hours | 600 |
| 9+ hours | 850 |
In case of denied boarding – The compensation amount varies with the length of arrival delay due to denied boarding, such as –
| Length of arrival delay due to denied boarding | Amount (in USD) |
| 0 – 6 hours | 750 |
| 6 – 9 hours | 1500 |
| 9+ hours | 2250 |
Air Canada Flight Delays and Cancellations
Please note: This section applies to the flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Air Canada Express.
In case of delayed or cancelled flights
The airline will do its best to keep you informed if a flight is delayed or cancelled due to an unforeseen problem. In addition, the airlines will offer timely updates based on the information that is available, including the reason for the delay or cancellation. You are entitled to get the following –
Standard of treatment – When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to circumstances beyond Air Canada’s control reasons, and –
- You have been informed less than 12 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- You have waited two hours after the scheduled departure time on your ticket.
You’re entitled to the following standard of treatment –
- Meals and refreshments, in relation to the passenger’s waiting time.
- Communication access.
- Hotel accommodations for affected passengers for overnight delays.
- Transportation to and from the hotel or other accommodation.
Alternative travel arrangement – If the flight is delayed for 3 hours or more, here’s how your travel plans will be accommodated, as per Air Canada cancellation policy –
- You will be rebooked on the next available flight within 48 hours of the original departure schedule.
- If no flights have been arranged within the stipulated time period, the airline will arrange the flight with another airline for the same travel destination and the class of service as originally booked.
If the flight is delayed for 3 hours or more, and the situation is within the airline’s control –
- You will be rebooked on the next available flight within 9 hours of the original departure schedule.
- If no flights have been arranged within the stipulated time period, the airline will arrange the flight with another airline within 48 hours of the original departure time.
In case of a denied boarding
At times, due to operational or inventory reasons, the airlines may not accommodate you even you have a confirmed reservation. During such a situation,
- The airline looks for volunteers who are willing to give up their seats in exchange for an alternate flight as well as compensation.
- If there aren’t enough volunteers, the airline offers will prioritize the reservation for the passengers in the following order – unaccompanied minors, passengers with a disability, service animal, and emotional service animal.
Alternate travel arrangement – You are entitled to get the following –
- You will be rebooked on the next available flight within 9 hours of the original departure schedule.
- If no flights have been arranged within the stipulated time period, the airline will arrange the flight with another airline within 48 hours of the original departure time.
- If the airline is still unable to provide a confirmed reservation, you may be rerouted to your destination from a nearby airport. The airline will arrange the transportation to the nearby airport.
- If you refuse the alternate flight, you’re entitled to get a refund on the unused portion of the ticket.
Standard of treatment – if you’re denied boarding for a situation within the airline’s control, you will be offered the following before you board the next flight –
- Food and drink
- Access to communication
- Hotel accommodations
- Airport transfer
Air Canada Refund Policy
If you are unable to redeem a flight ticket that you have already purchased and need to cancel it, you may get eligible for an Air Canada refund. The rules related to refunds are tied to specific fare types, but in certain circumstances, different rules may apply, such as –
- If you book a ticket through one of the airline’s booking channels, you will be able to cancel it without penalty. If the reservation is made more than 7 days prior to the scheduled flight departure and is cancelled within 24 hours of purchase, you will receive a full refund. Please note that such Air Canada refund terms do not apply to groups of ten or more people.
- You’re entitled to get the refund on the unused value minus the ticket cancellation fee for Air Canada.
- If the booking was made through a travel agency, you must contact the point of purchase directly for a refund.
- As per the Air Canada cancellation policy, the refund will only be possible if the fare rule associated with the booking permits one. Different conditions apply for different fare types and classes of service.
- If tickets are purchased with a credit card, the refund amount would be reflected in the card statement within 7 business days.
- If the tickets are purchased with cash or other forms of payment, a full refund within 20 working days will be provided in the original method.
- As per Air Canada refund policy, the airline may refuse a refund if the application is made after the expiry of the ticket.
Air Canada Ticket Cancellation Charges
The cancellation fee varies with the travel route and the class of services, such as –
Within Canada/Between Canada and the US
Economy Latitude Fares/ Premium Economy/Business Class (flexible) – 250 USD
Economy Standard Fares/Economy Flex Fares/Premium Economy (lowest)/Comfort/Business Class (lowest) – 225 USD
International travel –
The cancellation fee depends upon the itinerary as well as the fare type.
All Cabin Classes except Basic Economy fare – 500 – 1000 USD
In general, Air Canada has a very lenient cancellation policy. The procedure of cancellations is easy, the refund is issued in the form of credit and can be used for alternative flights (flexible or not), buying a ticket on another airline, or posting it to your credit card. Its flexibility allows customers to choose their travel plans according to their convenience.
Tips to avoid Air Canada cancellation fee
- Air Canada cancellation fee can be avoided on the grounds if you decide to upgrade your economy fare to business or first class with them. In that case, all you need to pay is the difference in the fare. Hence your change fee can be waived off in that case.
- Make sure if you decide to cancel your reservation, do it within 24 hours from the date of booking.
- In cases you are making the alteration or cancellation due to bereavement reasons, Air Canada will not only support you but also empower you by waving the 200 USD fee as well as providing relaxation to some extent in paying fare difference.
- If you purchased your travel insurance with Air Canada and if the flight got cancelled due to severe weather or traffic disruption, then also your cancellation fee can be waived off.
FAQs – Air Canada Booking Cancellation Policy
All you need to do is log on to the aircanada.com and visit ‘My Trip’ section. Keep your six-digit booking reference and the last name of the passenger handy. On the next screen, you would be having your trip details in front of you. You can cancel, upgrade and also change the travel date as well here.
Of course! Whether you buy a refundable or non-refundable fare, whether it is an Air Canada’s domestic or international flight, whether it is a basic economy, Economy Flex, Business or First class, Air Canada 24 hour cancellation helps you to get your ticket voided and get the 100 per cent refund automatically on your original form of payment.
Yes, you do but let us cut the clutter for you! Beyond 24 hours you would be eligible for partial or no refund. It totally depends on the kind of fare you have booked. If you had opted for Basic economy fare, then no refund would be provided upon cancellation. On Air Canada economy flex cancellation, there would be partial refund post deduction of 200 USD Air Canada cancellation fee. A partial refund is applicable on all Business as well as first-class booking too.
Yes! Air Canada Refund policy would be processed online if the point of purchasing the flight via aircanada.com.
According to the Air Canada cancellation policy, the airline will first inform the passengers after canceling the flights. It will provide compensation to the travelers in case the airline cancels the flight. Passengers are either accommodated to another flight or given a refund on the canceled flight ticket. Also, free food and accommodation facilities can be provided to the passengers in case of stay-overs for delays caused due to flight cancelation.
Customers are given the right to cancel Air Canada flight tickets. They can cancel their tickets of any fare at any time. However, passengers would be subject to a cancelation fee when they cancel a ticket. The amount to be returned as a refund also depends upon the type and time of the ticket canceled. For example, no refund is given for Air Canada cancel non-refundable ticket.
Passengers can cancel a flight ticket booked with Air Miles at any point in time. However, the earlier the ticket is canceled the lower will be the amount to be paid as a cancelation fee. One must make sure that they receive a confirmation from the airline once the cancelation is done.
Under the Air Canada booking cancellation policy, one can cancel a flight ticket from the official website of the airline. On the website, the passenger is simply required to log in and select the booking to be canceled. Then, the individual has to click on the “Cancel Booking” option and consequently follow prompts to complete the process. One may seek assistance for cancelation from the customer support of Air Canada.
The refund process of Air Canada does not take a long time. Once a passenger requests a refund and confirms the ticket to have been canceled, the airline officials initiate a refund process. Usually, passengers are given a refund within 7 to 10 days from the date of placing the request. The customer support team can always be accessed through a phone call in case the process is taking more time than usual.
According to the Air Canada refund policy, the airline offers a refund to the passengers once a request is placed. Customers who think that they are eligible for a refund can request for the same only after they have canceled a ticket. Once the cancelation is successful, a confirmation mail will be sent. After receiving the email, the passenger is entitled to a refund. The refund will be credited within a week.
The Air Canada booking can be canceled from the website of the airline. During the online process of cancelation, one has to mention the name of the passenger and the booking reference number. The prompts appearing on the screen will guide the passengers to cancel their tickets. In case they require live assistance, customer support will always be at the service of the passengers.
Air Canada will inform about the flight cancelation to the passengers as soon as possible. Depending upon the cause of the cancelation, the passengers will be provided with compensation. Flyers will either be given a refund or a new ticket will be handed over for another flight. However, no monetary refund will be offered to customers for reasons like Air Canada weather cancellation as these are beyond the control of the airline.
The Air Canada cancellation policy covers all norms related to ticket cancelation. The policy determines the different methods to cancel tickets. Also, the rules for refund and mode of payment are set according to the policy. To be customer-centric, the policy includes a compensation policy that observes the privileges and rights of passengers.
In case a passenger misses a flight he or she does not have any genuine rights. As under the Air Canada missed flight refund norms, depending upon the cause, the airline officials can rebook the ticket for the immediate flight. In most cases, no extra fee will be charged. At times passengers may need to pay the difference in fare.
Air Canada offers compensation in the form of refunds in case flights get canceled. In most cases, passengers of the canceled flight are accommodated to other flights. However, in case a passenger is not ready to accept the new arrangement, then he or she can always cancel the ticket and claim for a refund by filling up an Air Canada flight delay and cancellation claim request form.
The Business Class tickets of Air Canada are refundable. However, passengers may not get a full refund on canceling Business Class tickets. The refund amount will be high in case the ticket is canceled early. For instance, a full refund is received if it is canceled within 24 hours of its reservation. Again, only a small amount would be refunded in case the date of departure is close.
One can visit the website and cancel a ticket from there. In case the ticket is canceled within 24 hours of its booking, Air Canada provides a full refund of the entire booking money. So, there is no penalty for canceling a ticket within a day. After Air Canada 24 hour free cancellation, passengers are required to request a refund once they receive a confirmation mail from the airline.
Air Canada Economy Flex cancellation policy is useful for passengers who may have to change the time and date of the flight. When changes are done through Economy Flex, no extra charge is needed to be paid. The scheme comes along with refund options as well. On cancelation, a refund can usually be given in the form of a credit, which can be utilized for booking tickets in the future.
Tickets bought under the Flex fare rates are refundable. These Flex tickets offer flexibility in changing the time and date of the flight without paying any cost. Also, a full refund can be provided in case a ticket is canceled. Often, refunds are in the form of travel credits that can be used in the future. The Air Canada Flex cancellation policy is quite useful for handling COVID uncertainties.
The airline has an Air Canada 24 hours cancellation policy. The policy provides an opportunity for customers to claim a full refund on canceling a ticket within 24 hours of the purchase. However, passengers must make sure that the ticket canceled should have at least 7 days left for its departure. The policy is also not applicable to tickets that are canceled in the last 24 hours of departure.
Air Canada tickets can be canceled online by visiting its official website. After logging in, one is needed to choose the booking that is to be canceled. Through the process, the travelers are needed to enter their booking number and the name of the passenger. Then finally, the ticket has to be canceled by pressing the “cancel” button. Once the process is confirmed by the airline, he or she can then place a request for a refund. The airline then will evaluate and credit Air Canada flight cancellation reimbursement in case the passenger is eligible.
The cancelation fee is charged according to the type of ticket and the time at which the cancelation is done. For Standard tickets, $25 is charged when the time left for departure is more than 60 days. The charge becomes $100 when the cancelation is done in less than 60 days of departure. Likewise, the Air Canada penalty for cancelling is different in the case of Flex and Comfort tickets.
A flight ticket is not canceled unless the passenger initiates a cancelation process, or informs the airline regarding ticket cancelations. However, in case a person is not able to use the ticket and has not boarded the flight, yet has not canceled the ticket, in that case, a “no show” is considered. Under the Air Canada no show policy, the airline reserves the right to forfeit the entire booking money.
Passengers are needed to first check that they have received an email where the airline has officially announced the cancelation. Once it is checked, the travelers can avail of the fresh tickets for another flight provided as a new arrangement. In case, the travelers are not willing to accept the arrangement, they can always ask for a full refund.
Anyone know what the refund cost to cancel reservations for May 14 from CLT to Madrid purchased through a travel agency? It’s impossible to communicate with anyone from AC.
Travelling with Air Canada was truly a blissful experience for me. I had to cancel my ticket due to some reason, the airline provides a free cancellation window of 24 hours. Luckily, I got to know about my change in plans and cancelled the ticket within a day of booking. The airline initiated a complete refund for me along with the taxes.
Air canada 24 hour cancellations are helpful. But problem is when the period has gotten over. I was only late by an hour. For some reason, I realized only late that cancelling the ticket would be the only option. I think the limit should extend to 48 hours. 24 is just too short to decide.
Usually, I prefer buying non-refundable tickets because they are cheap and I book only when am double sure. There was this one time when I was unable to fly. I didn’t have any option to get get a full refund also. Air Canada fully refundable fares are too expensive anyway.
During covid, there were so many times when I would notice change in regulations and countries would suddenly restrict travel. During the pandemic, I often used the air canada cancellation policy when these regulations changed. There were some times when the fee seemed exorbitant. Shouldn’t it be lowered a bit?
Was flying to Toronto with Air canada. My flight was delayed by the airline so I cancelled it. With the Air canada refundable tickets policy, I got the booking amount back. But I expecting it earlier to book another ticket and my account didn’t have much balance then. Took around 10 days to receive the amount.
I had a flight from Toronto to Dubai in January 2022. I was travelling with my wife, 5 daughters, brother and sister-in-law. We have to alter our plans due to the Omicron scare. I almost paid 1500 Canadian dollars for the travelling premium. Cancelling the flight means it would have cost me a fortune.With Air Canada covid policy change I was able to cancel my flight without paying any airline’s penalty. The airline offered me a full refund. Thank you again for your kind, affectionate, and gentle service.