What happens if I check in to a flight online, but then miss the flight?

Back in the old days, you checked in for a flight when you arrived at the airport. The airline then could see that someone was missing, and give your seat to someone else. Now, if I check in for a flight online 24 hours early, the airline doesn't know if I'm sitting at the gate waiting to get on the plane, or sitting in traffic trying to get to the airport.

My question is, if I elect to check in online before I get to the airport, and then I don't get on the plane, what happens to me? Will they let me board the next flight? Will they make me pay a change fee? Will they throw away my ticket and make me buy a new one?

If a general answer is not possible, let's say this is for a U.S. domestic flight on Delta.

airlines fees-and-charges

Best Answer

A lot will depend on Delta's policy, the load factors of other flights that day, and the mood of the gate agent. I've tried it the other way (earlier flight) and the gate agent checked the load on my original flight, saying if it was overbooked they would take me on the early flight. It wasn't, so my choices were wait or pay the usual change fee.

Low-cost carriers are usually NOT accommodating. Miss your flight -> too bad.

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Can I cancel a flight if I already checked in?

Yes. You can cancel your flight after check-in or at any time before the flight. However, unless you have a refundable airline ticket, it's unlikely that you'll get any money back.

Will I be charged if I miss my flight?

Can I get charged for missing a flight? Most airlines only charge a fee for missing a flight if the passenger seems to have a habit of doing it purposely, commonly known as skiplagging, in which a passenger books a ticket with no intention of taking the secondary legs of a trip in order to secure a cheaper fare.

What to do if you miss your connecting flight? | Victor Travel

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