Why can’t I change my flight?
If you can't change your flight in the app, it's usually for one of a few reasons. Your fare or airline may not support self-serve changes, the change you want may be a new route or a later date, or your trip may already be paid in full.
None of these means something is wrong with your booking. Each one has a clear next step, and this article walks you through them.
Which situation am I in?
This table matches each situation with what it means:
| Your situation | What it means |
|---|---|
| You see Request Flight Change instead of Change Flight | Your fare or airline isn't eligible for self-serve changes |
| You want to fly from or to a different place | A booked trip's route can't be changed |
| You want to depart later than your original date | That's a cancellation and a new booking |
| Your trip is paid in full, with a confirmation number | Changes are made directly with the airline |
| Flight Options is greyed out | The trip is cancelled, in payment default, or every flight on it has departed |
Whichever it is, there's still a way forward. The sections below explain each one.
Why do I see Request Flight Change?
Change Flight is offered on fares other than Basic Economy, on American, United, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, Cathay Pacific, ANA and Japan Airlines. If your fare is Basic Economy, or your airline isn't on that list, Flight Options shows Request Flight Change instead.
Here's what happens when you tap it:
- A chat opens. It's the Defera Concierge, our AI concierge, with your request already written.
- You add the details. Tell the concierge the dates or times you'd like.
- The concierge sends your request to our team. It shows as a card on your trip page.
- You get an answer. It appears on your trip page and arrives by email, usually within 24 hours.
The scope is the same as Change Flight: new dates or times on your existing route.
Why can't I change my route?
The route of a booked trip can't be changed on Defera. That's true in the app, and through a request to our team too. To fly from a different airport or to a different place, you'd cancel this trip and book a new one.
Changing your departure airport or destination explains how, and what you'd get back.
Why can't I move my trip to a later date?
Departing later than your original departure date isn't a flight change on Defera. It's handled as a cancellation and a new booking.
Before you decide, open Flight Options, then Cancel, to see what cancelling would give you back. Opening that screen doesn't cancel anything by itself. Changing your travel dates or times walks you through it.
What if my trip is paid in full?
Once your trip is paid in full and your confirmation number is released, date and time changes are made directly with the airline. You use your confirmation number, and the airline's fare rules decide what's possible. Tapping Change Flight shows the same guidance.
Some fares can't be changed at all. On restrictive fares, such as Basic Economy, Basic, Saver and Light, the airline doesn't accept changes or cancellations.
If the airline asks you to contact the company you booked through, contact us and our team will take it from there. The airline told me to contact the third party explains what to do.
Why is Flight Options greyed out?
The Flight Options menu is on every trip. It's greyed out only in three cases:
- the trip is cancelled;
- the trip is in payment default, which means its payment plan has ended and automatic payments have stopped;
- every flight on the trip has departed.
If none of those match your trip, contact us so we can take a look.
What about older plans?
On some older Defera Installments plans, Change Flight opens a prompt to message us instead of a search. The Defera Concierge takes your request in chat and sends it to our team.
Still not sure?
Chat with the Defera Concierge, our AI concierge. Tell it what you'd like to change, and it can explain the options for your trip.