Airlines start waiving Florida change fees ahead of Erika
Updated at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 29
Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue issued flexible rebooking policies for some Florida airports as Tropical Storm Erika appears increasingly likely to affect the state.
Big U.S. airlines had already issued weather waivers for Caribbean destinations in Erika's path. But American and Southwest were the first of the nation's "big four" to do so for Florida. After a wave of mergers have reduced the number of U.S. airlines in recent years, American, Delta Southwest and United now combine to carry about 80% passengers in the U.S.
JetBlue followed American and Southwest's lead by also waiving change rules for some Florida flights. Another carrier – small Florida-based airline Silver Airways – also was waiving fees on many of its Florida flights.
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The decision to waive flight-change restrictions for Florida flights coincided with Florida Gov. Rick Scott's move to declare a state of emergency Friday ahead of the approaching storm. Current forecasts predict the storm could impact the state by Sunday or Monday.
As for Southwest's flexible rebooking policy, it covered the airline's flights to five airports in south and central Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
Southwest, of course, is famous for not charging change fees under any circumstance. But its flexible rebooking policy lets certain Florida customers move their flights without paying any difference in fare. The carrier lists all the policy's fine print on its website. In short, it covers fliers ticketed to fly to, from or through those five Florida airports from Sunday through Tuesday. Rebooked travel must occur within 14 days of the originally scheduled travel date.
American's policy covered three Florida airports: Key West, Fort Myers and Sarasota. Customers ticketed to fly to, from or through those airports on Sunday or Monday will be able to make one change to their itineraries without paying the customary change fee or fare difference. Rebooked travel must occur between Friday and Tuesday. (Full details)
At JetBlue, its flexible rebooking policy includes seven Florida airports: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach. JetBlue said it would waive its change fee and any fare difference for customers ticketed to travel through one of those airports on Sunday or Monday. (Full details) Customers must completed their rebooked travel by Thursday (Sept. 3).
Scroll down for all Erika-related rebooking policies in place at U.S. airlines as of 10 a.m. ET on Saturday.
Air Canada: Erika advisory/policy
American Airlines: Erika travel policy
Delta Air Lines: Erika travel policy
Frontier Airlines: Erika travel policy
JetBlue: Erika travel policy
Silver Airways: Erika travel policy
Southwest Airlines: Erika travel policy
Spirit Airlines: Erika travel policy
United Airlines: Erika travel policy
Virgin America: Erika advisory
WestJet: Erika travel policy