What is Air France Cancellation Policy?

Air France cancellation rules are based on several factors, including the fare type, booking class, and the timing of cancellation. 

In addition, the airline offers fare classes such as Economy Light, Economy Standard, Economy Flex, Premium Economy, Business Class, and La Première (First Class), each with varying cancellation policies. 

Below is the detailed breakdown of Air France cancellation policy:

How does the cancellation work for refundable and non-refundable fares?

Fully flexible fares, such as Economy Flex, Premium Economy Flex, Business Class Flex, and La Première, allow for flight cancellation and are subject to a fee. The refunds are issued to the original method of payment. 

Non-refundable fares such as Economy Light and Economy/Premium Economy/Business Standard fares are non-refundable. 

What is the Air France flight cancellation deadline?

As per Air France cancellation policy, the request for cancellation must be made up to 3 hours before the scheduled departure. 

Failure to cancel before the above-mentioned deadline may result in the flight ticket being forfeited. 

In addition, for flights to/from the US, cancellations within 24 hours of booking would not attract any cancellation fee, provided the flight date is at least 7 days away. 

What Is Air France’s 24-Hour Cancellation Policy?

Air France adheres to the U.S. DOT’s 24-hour cancellation rule for flights booked to/from the United States and Canada. Key details include:

• Applies to the flight ticket that is booked directly through the Air France website, mobile app, or customer service at least a week before the scheduled departure.
• Passengers can cancel within 24 hours of booking without incurring any fees, regardless of the class of service. 
• Air France offers a full refund and is sued to the original payment method within 10-15 business days. 

What Are the Air France Cancellation Rules for Tickets Booked in Select Fare Classes?

There are certain fare class that allows cancellation after 24 hours. 

For flights within Europe:

• Business Class and Economy Class fares charge no cancellation fees

For intercontinental Travel:

• Business, Premium Economy, and Economy fares are flexible fares.

The following fare types can be canceled for a fee:

• Business Class (non-fully flexible)
• Premium Economy – Fare Class S
• Economy

How Much is the Air France Cancellation Fee for flights to/from the US and Canada?

To help passengers identify the Air France cancellation fee, you ned to understand which fare you have purchased. For instance

Economy Class offers Light Fare, Standard Fare, and Standard Plus Fare, which are promotional fares and do not offer any cancellation options. While Economy Flex is a non-restricted fare, and allows cancellation for a fee. 

On the other hand, in Premium Economy Class, the Premium Standard is a non-refundable fare. While Premium Flex and Premium Flex Extra SAF offer a refund minus a cancellation fee. 

Meanwhile, the Business Class has a Standard fare, which is non-refundable. While Business Flex and Businex Extra SAf charge a 300 USD cancellation fee.

And the La Premiere fare offers Flex fare and Flex Extra SAF fare, which are refundable and subject to the cancellation fee as given below. 

Below is the summary of the Air France cancellation fee for all fares. Please note the cancellation penalty applicable for travel to/from the US and Canada.

Fare Type	Cancellation Fee	Notes
Economy Light	Non-refundable	NA
Economy Standard/Standard Plus	Non-refundable	NA
Economy Flex	200 USD	Remaining balance refundable.
Premium Economy Standard	Non-refundable	NA
Premium Flex/Premium Flex Extra SAF	250 USD	Remaining balance refundable.
Business Standard	Non-refundable	NA
Business Flex/Business Flex Extra SAF	300 USD	Remaining balance refundable.
La Première Flex (First Class)	400 USD	Remaining balance refundable.
La Première Flex Extra SAF (First Class)	400 USD	Remaining balance refundable.

How much is the Air France cancellation fee if booked through miles?

A 75 USD cancellation fee is charged for flight tickets booked with miles. After the cancellation is processed, the miles will be redeposited into the passenger’s Flying Blue Account. 

In addition:

• Passengers will get a refund for taxes and fees.
• Elite or Elite Plus members will receive waivers on the Air France cancellation fee.

Below is the overview of the Air France cancellation fee

Fare Type	Cancellation Fee	Notes
Flying Blue Award Tickets	75 USD	The fee applies to redeposit miles

How to Cancel an Air France Flight?

Air France offers flight cancellation through the Air France website or mobile app, over the phone, or at the airport. 

Here’s how you can cancel:

Air France Online Cancellation:

• Go to www.airfrance.com or open the Air France mobile app.
• Navigate to the “My Bookings” section. Log in to your account using the six-digit code and your last name. 
• If passengers booked a flight with miles, sign in with their Flying Blue credentials.
• Click “View ticket conditions” to check if your ticket is refundable and if any Air France cancellation fee is applicable. 
• Confirm eligibility for a refund or voucher.
• Select the “Cancel Your Flight” option.
• You’ll receive an email confirmation with details about your refund or voucher. 

Air France cancellation through phone: 

If you’re calling from the U.S., call 1-800-237-2747 (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–8:30 p.m. ET). For Flying Blue award tickets, call 1-800-375-8723.

• Keep your booking reference ready and explain to the agent why you need to cancel your flight.
• The agent will check the fare conditions and any fees that apply to your reservation. 
• You will be provided the details about the fare rules, and the agent will guide you on how much refund you can claim. Explore the option if you can change the reservation.
• If you agree with the refund amount, ask the agent to process the cancellation. 
• You will be provided with details about the refunds or vouchers.
• The airline will offer the email confirmation with refund details. 

Please note: The Air France agent will charge a 22 USD service fee for cancellation requests over the phone. 

Air France flight cancellation at the airport

For international travel, in order to cancel the flight, you must request 3 hours before the scheduled departure. All you need to do is:

• All you need to do is visit the Air France check-in desk at the airport.
• Provide the booking reference or 13-digit ticket number for identification.
• Ask the Air France executive to cancel your reservation. 
• You will be charged a 20 USD service fee on top of an additional cancellation fee.
• Passengers will receive an email with refund or voucher details. 

What If Air France Cancels or Delays the Flight?

If Air France cancels a flight or delays it for at least 2 hours or more passengers are entitled to specific accommodations and compensation under regulations like EU 261/2004. 

For flight cancellation:

• Air France will offer rebooking on the next available flight at no extra charge. Passengers can choose a different date, time, or route.
• Passengers can request a refund for the unflown flight segment.
• Passengers are eligible for compensation if the flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure. 

For flight delays:

• For flight delays of 2 hours or more, Air France provides meals and communication services to support the waiting time.
• For delays that require an overnight stay, a hotel accommodation would be provided. 
• If the flight delay exceeds five hours, passengers may be eligible for a refund on the unused portion of their flight ticket.
• For a flight delay of 3 hours or more, passengers will receive compensation between €250–€600. 
• No compensation would be offered if the flight delay is caused due to extraordinary circumstances. 

What does Air France offer if the flight is delayed, canceled or denied boarding?

Under EU Regulation 261/2004 and U.S. DOT rules, the passenger’s rights will apply if the flight is delayed, canceled, or when boarding is denied. 

• You have a confirmed reservation.
• Passengers have a valid boarding pass.
• You are traveling on a published fare, not on a discounted voucher or award ticket.
• Your flight departs from any airport in the European Union. 

If Your Flight Is Canceled: The airline offers rerouting as well as refunds, as mentioned in the section above. 

Passengers are eligible for the following compensation –

Flight Distance	Cash Compensation	Voucher Compensation
Up to 1,500 km	€250	€350
1,500–3,500 km (or over 1,500 km within the EU)	€400	€500
Over 3,500 km	€600	€800

Note: The compensation offered by Air France would be reduced to 50% if the new scheduled arrival time is within 2-4 hours of the original. 

Air France delays flight schedule: If there is a change in flight schedule for 2+ hours:

• Free meals and refreshments
• Hotel accommodation if there is an overnight stay
• Two free calls, emails, or taxes.

For a delay in the flight schedule of 5+ hours of more

• A full refund of the flight ticket

Flight Distance	Compensation (Cash)	Compensation (Voucher)
Up to 1,500 km	€250	€350
1,500–3,500 km (or within the EU over 1,500 km)	€400	€500
Over 3,500 km	€600	€800

Passengers denied boarding: Air France passengers are entitled to:

• Rerouting or refund
• Meals, hotel stays, and communication assistance (if necessary)

The compensation for denied boarding include:

Flight Distance	Compensation (Cash)	Compensation (Voucher)
Up to 1,500 km	€250	€350
1,500–3,500 km (or within the EU over 1,500 km)	€400	€500
Over 3,500 km	€600	€800

What Is the Air France Refund Policy?

The Air France non-restricted fares are eligible for a full refund and is subject to the airline’s penalty.

• Non-refundable fares such as result in a non-transferable travel voucher valid for one year. 
• If the flight is unused and no longer valid, passengers can claim a refund on the government-imposed taxes and fees. The refund is applicable for non-refundable fares. 
• Refunds take 7–20 business days, depending on the payment method. Refund on a credit card may take one billing cycle to reflect on the credit card statement.

Conclusion

Air France’s cancellation policy offers flexibility, while there are certain fares for which restrictions may be applicable. The rules are specified above for refundable as well as non-refundable fares, the 24-hour cancellation policy, as well as fees for standard as well as award tickets. Whether you want to cancel the flight online or by phone, the process is mentioned above with clear steps to request a refund or vouchers. 

In a situation where the airline initiates cancellation or delays, passengers benefit from compensation and rebooking options. Always review fare conditions when you decide to cancel the flight, as well as to maximize on refund eligibility. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)