India Revises Airline Refund Policy, Introduces New Flight Cancellation Rules

Brief By Newsbrief / 2:16 PM on 27 Feb 2026

India’s aviation regulator has introduced major reforms to airline ticket cancellation and refund rules, aimed at improving transparency and passenger convenience. The new guidelines, effective March 26, 2026, provide travelers with a 48-hour “look-in” period after booking, allowing cancellation or modification without extra charges, subject to certain conditions. For domestic travel, the journey must be at least seven days away, while international flights should be booked at least 15 days in advance to qualify. The revised policy also standardizes refund timelines, requiring airlines to process credit card refunds within seven days and cash refunds promptly. Passengers will benefit from easier name corrections within 24 hours of booking and mandatory refunds of taxes and passenger service fees even on non-refundable tickets. Airlines must clearly display cancellation and refund charges and are barred from imposing hidden processing fees. Officials say the changes aim to strengthen consumer protection and reduce disputes in India’s rapidly growing aviation sector.