Delta schedule changes: Your options and how to use them to your advantage

Getting an email from Delta saying that your flight schedule has changed might induce a moment of panic. Did Delta decide to stop flying to Orlando? Are you now scheduled to fly half way across the country to make a connection? Will you be forced to book a more expensive flight?

Fortunately, in most cases you’ll open the email and find that Delta has changed your schedule by only a few minutes.

But what if Delta changes your schedule by a few hours, changes your direct flight to a connection, or has rebooked you on something completely unworkable?

Here’s everything you need to know about Delta schedule changes, including why they happen, how to rebook onto the flight you want for free, and how to use schedule changes to your advantage.

Why do schedule changes happen?

Most airlines start selling tickets almost a year in advance of when they plan to fly. A lot can change in a year, and while you might expect to fly on the exact time and route you purchased, airlines typically don’t guarantee their schedules.

Delta’s contract of carriage explicitly states that “published schedules, flight times, aircraft types, seat assignments, and similar details reflected in the ticket or Delta’s published schedules are not guaranteed and form no part of this contract.”

If you purchase a ticket well in advance, you should expect that you’ll see at least one schedule change. And 11+ months out, most airline schedules are aspirational at best.

Here are some common reasons why airlines change their schedules:

• A route may be selling tickets slower or faster than expected and an airline wants to adjust capacity.
• Aircraft maintenance may require more/different planes to be taken out of service than planned.
• Crews may not be available to cover the expected schedule.
• The aircraft or crew may be needed to cover another flight.

Of course, the reasons why an airline might change its schedule are many, but the point is airline schedule changes happen, and they happen frequently.

What are my rights if Delta changes my flight schedule?

In the United States, you don’t have many rights when it comes to airline schedule changes. According to the Department of Transportation, “A consumer is entitled to a refund if the airline made a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays a flight and the consumer chooses not to travel.” However the DOT does not define what constitutes a “significant delay.”

Likewise, Delta’s contract of carriage Rule 22A states that you are entitled to a refund equal to the fare paid if “a refund is required because of Delta’s failure to operate on schedule”. Again, Delta doesn’t define what it means by “failure to operate on schedule.”

What options will Delta offer if it changes my flight?

Fortunately, Delta is a little more generous than it has to be. In many cases, a schedule change will allow you to book most Delta itineraries between your origin and destination for free within a few days of your original flight.

If you’re eligible for a free schedule change, Delta is fairly flexible when it comes to which flights you can select. Here are the restrictions you’ll see on selecting your new flight:

• Your new flight must be within 2 days before or after your original flight.
• Your new flight must have the same origin and destination.
• You new flight must be in the cabin you originally booked. (If you booked into Main Cabin, but were upgraded to Comfort+, you must rebook your flight in Main Cabin.)
• You typically can change from a direct flight to a connection or vice versa.

Some tickets may not be changeable online. If you booked with a companion certificate or booked a miles ticket for an unaccompanied minor, these types of reservations typically need to be handed by an agent.

Agents may be less generous than the website

It’s usually best to complete your schedule change on Delta.com of the Delta mobile app if you can.

While Delta.com may allow a free schedule change if your flight time changes by as few as 15 minutes, Delta reservations agents may be less generous. Many agents will happily complete your schedule change if the website shows it as an option, but I have also been told by reservations agents that schedule changes under 90 minutes “aren’t substantive and don’t qualify for free changes.”

If your flight has changed substantially and a telephone agent won’t change your flight for free, your best bet is to hang up, and call another day.

How to do a free schedule change on Delta.com

If Delta offers you a free schedule change, in most cases you can complete the schedule change online. Keep in mind that you’ll only get one free schedule change due to Delta changing your flight times. Once you’ve changed your flight, your new flight is locked in (unless, of course, Delta changes your flight schedule again!)

Use the right link

Look for the link for “Change This Flight” after clicking into your itinerary details at Delta.com. This link is your best bet for seeing any available free schedule change options.

We’ve found that doing a free Delta schedule change works best on the desktop or mobile website. Changing your schedule in the Fly Delta app will usually show you fewer options.

Select your flight

Once you’ve clicked on “Change This Flight” you will see all available rebooking options in a format similar to what you’ll see when you’re buying tickets on Delta.com.

If you want to change your date, click “Edit Search” at the top of the screen. If Delta changes your flight schedule, it will typically let you select a flight within +/- 2 days of the flight you’ve booked.

Confirm your change

After you select your flight, you’ll see one more screen where you can review and confirm your flight change. You’ll need to confirm your flight change on this screen to lick in your flight change.

Until you click on “Complete Flight Change,” you’ll still be booked on your original flight.

What I don’t see free change options?

If you don’t see any free change options using the above steps, your schedule change may not have been significant enough to trigger a free schedule change. Before you give up, you can try the following:

• Try using the “Change or Add Flights” at the top of the page when viewing your itinerary at Delta.com. Attempt to change only the outbound or return portion of your round trip—it may be the case that only one half of your trip is eligible for a free change.
• Use the Fly Delta app to search for alternative flights. The “Change or Add Flights” when viewing your itinerary in the Delta app may show you additional or different flight options.
• Call the Delta call center. In most cases, small schedule changes are best done online, but telephone agents can often see more options than the website will display. Whether they will let you change to them for free is another story.

Strategy: Using schedule changes to your advantage

Being Minneapolis-based, I fly Delta often. I have Million Miler status with the airline, and Delta usually has the most convenient schedules for my travel. When I know well in advance that I need to go somewhere, I will usually book two tickets, hoping for a schedule change:

• The flight I actually want to take. If Delta doesn’t change my schedule at all, I’ll just take this flight and cancel the other one.
• The lowest-priced flight within +/- 2 days. If Delta changes my schedule, I’ll change this ticket to the flight that I actually want to take and cancel the other (more expensive) ticket.

The key to this strategy is always booking Main Cabin or a higher class of service. When I book Main Cabin flights, canceling my flight will get me a Delta flight credit that I can use within 1 year of the original ticket issue date. Since I travel on Delta often, I never have any issues using these credits before they expire.

Bottom line: Use schedule changes to your advantage

The bottom line on Delta Air Lines flight schedule changes is that they can often be used to your advantage. When Delta changes your flight schedule, you can often book any flight between the same origin and destination within 2 days for free.

Frequently asked questions