As COVID-19 continued to worsen in the United States, many travelers became reluctant to book trips out of concern that the outbreak could get even more serious. In response, airlines began rolling out free change policies so people could book flights with more peace of mind and avoid major losses if they ultimately could not travel.

These airline policies generally waive change fees, but if the new flight is more expensive, you still have to pay the fare difference. Airlines also generally allow you to cancel first and then rebook once your plans are finalized. Southwest has long offered flexible free changes, so it is not included in this article.

We recommend booking directly on the airline’s official website. That can save you the time and hassle of dealing with ticket agents or third-party booking sites. These policies also generally apply to tickets issued by one airline for another airline’s flights, as well as tickets an airline issues for its own flights. Award tickets may not be included.

United Airlines United

United announced that any new booking made between March 3 and March 31 is eligible for free changes with no change fee, though any fare difference still applies.

American Airlines American

American Airlines announced that tickets booked between March 1 at 16:30 and March 16 at 11:59 (Central Time, same below) for travel between March 1 and January 26, 2021, may be changed once for free, though any fare difference still applies.

In addition, the change must be completed at least 14 days before travel.

Delta Air Lines Delta

Delta announced that any Delta ticket booked between March 1 and March 31 is eligible for free changes. In addition, international tickets originally scheduled for travel in March can also be changed for free. Fare differences still apply here as well.

JetBlue Airways JetBlue

JetBlue announced that tickets booked between February 27 and March 11 for travel by June 1 are eligible for free changes.

Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian

Hawaiian Airlines is offering free changes for tickets booked between March 1 and March 16. Fare differences still apply, and the airline must be notified at least 24 hours before departure.

Frontier Airlines Frontier

Frontier Airlines is offering free changes for tickets booked between March 1 and March 16. Fare differences apply, and the revised itinerary must depart by June 1.