TCG 2020: Travel

TCG 2020: Travel

This page is updated as of March 12th, 2020. 

Airline cancellation policies for coronavirus (via Barron's March 10th, 2020 article)

In addition to new flights booked in March, United said it will waive change fees for tickets issued before March 2 with travel dates between March 9 and April 30.

Delta said it will waive change fees for customers traveling through April 30 if the ticket was issued before March 9, in addition to waiving fees for customers purchasing flights between March 1 and March 31.

American Airlines will waive the change fee for tickets bought by March 1 for travel between March 10 and April 30. This is in addition to its previously offered waivers for tickets purchased between March 1 and March 31.

JetBlue has extended a temporary no change fee or cancellation fee policy for bookings made between March 6 and March 31 on travel through Sept. 8. It’s offering full credits that are valid for one year after cancellation

Alaska Air Group suspended change and cancellation fees and is offering flexible travel options for new ticket purchases between now and March 31 for travel through Feb. 28, 2021. “We understand that information about the coronavirus is creating confusion and anxiety for some,” Alaska Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison said. “Our first goal is to keep our guests safe, and offer peace of mind when it comes to flying with us.”

Spirit Airlines spokesman Erik Hofmeyer said that the company has been offering flexible travel options to guests who reach out about Covid-19 concerns since January. Hofmeyer said guests who have travel concerns due to Covid-19 are eligible to make a one-time free modification by contacting Spirit’s customer service. “We will continue to monitor the situation, comply with federal and international requirements, and follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines,” Hofmeyer said. “Our Guests are welcome to reach out to us any time if they have questions.”

Though airline stocks have trailed the market in the past month as the coronavirus sell-off materialized, the group soared Tuesday. Shares of American and United both posted double-digit gains. Delta (ticker: DAL) and Southwest (LUV) shares rose 4.5%, while the S&P 500 was up 4.9%. Spirit Airlines (SAVE), JetBlue Airways (JBLU), and Alaska Air Group (ALK) all rose 5% or more.