Are flexible airline tickets ever worth it?
I'm currently doing some research on cheap tickets between Europe and China. Since my return flight is more than 6 months from now, I'd appreciate the possibility to change the date.
However, while browsing I came across this:
Not flexible ticket Frankfurt-Beijing both ways - ~550 EUR
Change of flight date: 125 EUR (?), I'm having a really hard time finding info on that
Whereas:
Ticket with flexible flight date: One way >1000 EUR plus approx 300 EUR the other way
Are flexible tickets never worth it, or am I missing something? Lufthansa definitely does everything in order not to tell me what the rebooking fee is.
Best Answer
Flexible tickets are worth it if and only if it's highly likely you will need to change your tickets at short notice.
If you're on a business trip of uncertain length (say, negotiating a contract), this kind of thing is frequent, and a flexible ticket that costs $1000 is a better deal than a fixed ticket that costs $500 plus >50% odds of needing to pay a $2000 walk-up fare — especially if that negotiation drags on and you end up changing your reservation two, three or four times. One of my previous employers mandated that all tickets purchased in advance be flexible for this very reason.
If you're a backpacker, on the other hand, this is unlikely to ever be the case, and it'll be much cheaper to buy fixed tickets and work your own schedule around the fixed dates. For your cheap ticket, the "change fee" is in addition to the fare difference, so the total cost with a last-minute change would sum up to $500 (original ticket) plus $125 (change fee) plus the difference between the original price and the walk-up fare (potentially >$1000).
Note that the conditions of flexible tickets vary, and many do charge the fare difference as well. However, since flexi fares are more expensive in the first place, on busy routes with some spare capacity the fare difference to the cheapest available seat is often zero.
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What is the difference between standard ticket and flexible ticket?
You can't change or cancel train bookings on a Standard fare. There is no refund if you change or cancel a Standard fare. With a Flexi Fare you can change or cancel bus and ferry bookings up to 2 hours before departure. Booking fees and any additional fare charges apply.What does flexible ticket mean for flights?
Flexible flights are those which allow for changes or cancellations after the purchase has been made. By purchasing a flexible flight, also known as flexi flights or open tickets, travelers are able to change travel dates or even cancel last-minute for no fee or a smaller fee than with regular airline tickets.Are flexible tickets refundable?
Generally speaking, a flexible flight ticket is one you can change or even cancel without paying an additional fee. These ticket policies differ between airlines. Most will offer you a refund or the option to change your travel dates for free if you need to cancel your flight due to COVID-19.Are flexi flights more expensive?
study has found that it could cost you a huge premium to buy flexible tickets: up to 17 times the original cost, to be exact. The consumer group compared the prices of standard fares and flexible fares for flights to check if paying extra for flexibility is worth it after months of travel disruption and uncertainty.Is It Worth Buying A Flexible Airline Ticket - AARDY
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Answer 2
Yes. Ignoring the possibility of changing the time of the ticket, which the other answers have covered well, there's also the ability to cancel it outright, which is often equally relevant. Most full-price tickets can be cancelled either completely for free or with minimal fees, which makes them extremely useful if travelling on a business trip, for example, which you're not sure is going ahead.
It's also worth pointing out that most flexible tickets (often called full-fare or full-price tickets) typically come with other perks, often airline dependent, such as:
- More airmiles.
- "Preferred" seating or a wider choice of seats (e.g. exit rows).
- (Occasionally) business lounge access or similar.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mikhail Nilov, Jo Kassis, ANASTASIIA, Jeffry Surianto