Air India (AI) cancellation and refund policy for 2026 — the DGCA 48-hour free window, Smart Fare cancellation fees, and refund timelines. Verify on airindia.com.
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Quick answer: Air India lets you cancel or change bookings on airindia.com or via the app, with charges that depend on your Smart Fare tier (Value, Classic or Flex) and route. Under India's DGCA rule, tickets booked at least 7 days before departure can be cancelled free within 48 hours of booking. Otherwise, a cancellation fee plus any fare difference applies, and refunds go back to the original payment method. Check current fees on airindia.com.
Last reviewed July 2026 by the FlightGPT flights desk · summarised from the official Air India policy and DGCA passenger-rights rules. Fees and rules change — always confirm on airindia.com before booking.
Per DGCA rules, if you book a ticket at least seven days before departure, you may cancel within 48 hours of booking and receive a refund without a cancellation penalty. This applies regardless of fare type for eligible bookings made directly with Air India. If your flight departs within seven days, the free-look window does not apply and standard charges are deducted. Confirm eligibility and the exact 48-hour terms on airindia.com.
Air India's Smart Fares come in tiers, and cancellation and change penalties rise as you move from Flex (most flexible) to Classic to Value (most restrictive). Higher tiers allow cheaper or even free changes and partial refunds, while entry-level Value fares carry the steepest penalties and may be largely non-refundable apart from taxes. Exact amounts vary by fare and route and change over time, so always check the current fee against your fare on airindia.com.
Open Manage Booking on airindia.com or the app, enter your booking reference (PNR) and the lead passenger's last name, retrieve the itinerary and select the segment to cancel or modify. The applicable fee and net refund (or any fare difference for a change) are displayed before you confirm. Tickets bought through a travel agent or other website should generally be cancelled through that same channel. See the steps on airindia.com.
When you cancel, Air India deducts the applicable cancellation fee from the fare and refunds the balance, including unused taxes, to the original form of payment. Government and airport taxes are typically refundable even on restrictive fares. DGCA requires airlines to process eligible refunds within a defined timeframe, though bank or agent processing can add days. For refund status and to raise a request, use the refund tools on airindia.com.
If you neither cancel nor change your booking before the no-show deadline (commonly a set number of hours before departure) and then miss the flight, you forfeit the fare; usually only refundable taxes are returned, and the rest may be lost depending on fare rules. Cancelling or rebooking before that cut-off greatly reduces what you lose. Review the no-show terms tied to your fare on airindia.com before your travel date.
If Air India cancels your flight, significantly reschedules it, or you are denied boarding, DGCA passenger-rights rules entitle you to a full refund or an alternative flight, and sometimes compensation or care depending on the circumstances and notice given. These protections differ from voluntary cancellations and do not attract a passenger cancellation fee. For the current passenger-charter terms and how to claim, see airindia.com.
Yes. Under DGCA rules, if you book at least seven days before departure you can cancel within 48 hours of booking without a penalty on eligible direct bookings. If departure is under seven days away, normal charges apply. Confirm the terms on airindia.com.
It depends on your Smart Fare tier (Value, Classic or Flex) and route, with Value the most restrictive and Flex the most lenient. Fees change over time, so check the amount shown for your fare in Manage Booking on airindia.com before confirming.
Use Manage Booking on airindia.com or the app, enter your PNR and the lead passenger's surname, select the segment to cancel, and review the fee and refund before confirming. Tickets bought via an agent should be cancelled through that agent.
Yes, after deducting any applicable cancellation fee. The balance, including refundable taxes, returns to your original payment method; restrictive fares may refund little beyond taxes. Track status using the refund request tools on airindia.com.
If you do not cancel or change before the no-show deadline and miss the flight, you generally forfeit the fare and only refundable taxes may be returned. Cancelling before the cut-off limits your loss. See the no-show terms for your fare on airindia.com.
DGCA requires airlines to process eligible refunds within a defined period, though your bank or booking agent can add extra days before the money appears. For direct bookings, check refund status using the tools on airindia.com.
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