Here’s when you can get a refund for your nonrefundable ticket:
• If an airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation.
• If there’s a significant schedule change by the airline, you may be entitled to a full refund
• The contract of carriage sometimes called the conditions of carriage — is the legal agreement between you and the airline so be sure to read yours carefully. It may contain a clause that gives you a full refund.
• If you feel the airline hasn’t offered you the product it promised, you might be able to dispute the charge on your credit card
• Your rights to dispute a credit card charge are spelled out in the Fair Credit Billing Act.
• In the case of a death, there is a long-standing industry courtesy. There’s no rule or regulation that says an airline must refund a dead passenger’s fare. If, however, the promise is contained in the contract of carriage, then the airline must honor it.
• If your travel companion dies, some airlines will refund tickets as a goodwill gesture when your travel companion dies or if the person you were traveling to visit dies. If you need to request this type of refund, you will also need to provide written evidence of your companion’s death.
• If your military orders change or you have jury duty
• If you have extenuating personal circumstances
• Airlines review these refund requests on a case-by-case basis. Share your dilemma with them succinctly and with a minimum of drama.