New 48 Hr Rule For Air Ticket Cancellation Explained

Air passengers in India will soon benefit from a new 48 hour free cancellation rule. The DGCA has introduced this rule to protect passenger rights and reduce refund related complaints.

Under the new regulation, travellers can cancel or modify their flight tickets within 48 hours of booking without paying any cancellation charges. However, this applies only if the travel date is not too close.

For domestic flights, the departure date must be at least seven days from the booking date. For international flights, the departure must be at least fifteen days away. The ticket should also be booked directly through the airline’s official website. Third party app bookings are not covered under this free cancellation rule.

If passengers cancel within the 48 hour window, they should see zero cancellation fee. In case of a date change, they only need to pay the fare difference if applicable. Refunds must be processed to the original payment method if the passenger chooses that option.

The rule also states that airlines cannot automatically force the refund into a credit shell. The choice must be given to the passenger.

This new 48 hour free cancellation rule will come into effect from March 26, 2026. It is expected to bring more transparency and give travellers better control over their bookings.