American and United extend deadlines on unused flight credits

Unused airline tickets are getting extra shelf life as the steep drop in travel demand extends into a second year due to Covid-19. Fewer flight credits are on the verge of lapsing after United and American Airlines Group recently extended expiration dates into 2022, following similar moves earlier in the crisis by rivals. About 11% of all open, unused tickets are now set to expire this year, down from 55% as of Jan. 29, according to TripActions, a corporate travel management firm. “It’s pretty clear that the shift is a reflection of the fact that airlines are adjusting dates to accommodate customers, both business and leisure, in this fluid travel environment,” said Kelly Soderlund, a spokeswoman for TripActions. The changing rules reflect the uncertain recovery of air travel after last year’s unprecedented collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Most credits have traditionally expired 12 months after a ticket is purchased, and carriers extended expiration deadlines last year as air travel plunged. But many were set to expire this year -- and some already have -- as millions of would-be flyers continue to stay off planes. As more deadlines get extended, flight-credit expirations in 2022 have increased to 89% from 45% before, Soderlund said. The numbers represent unused US airline ticket credits in TripActions’ database, but are largely reflective of the industry as a whole, she said.<br/>