I just saw a blurb on TV about a new site called Yapta, or Your Amazing Personal Travel Assistant. On the surface, it’s just another airfare price tracker that can be found on sites like Travelocity.
But, if you’ve already purchased your ticket, you can enter your confirmation code and Yapta will then track prices on that flight and alert you if the price drops. Why is this good?
Did you know you could get a refund or travel credit when prices drop after you.ve bought a ticket? Most people don’t. The airlines offer this policy only if you buy on the airline website (and they want you to have the confidence to buy early). Yapta alerts people when prices drop so they can get these refunds and credits from the airlines.
This is a good reminder not to buy on sites like Orbitz unless they truly have the best price after fees. It’s usually cheaper or the same price to buy directly on the airline website, and you might even get this price drop protection.
I think the refund is often in the form of a voucher good on a future flight on the same airline, but it’s still worth a shot. Currently, it works on Alaska, America West, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, and US Airways.
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YAPTA must have just started a big marketing blitz — there’s a story on it in today’s Wall Street Journal, Personal Journal section. I gave YAPTA a try just now — want to make sure I’m not overpaying for a flight to the East Coast!
I just saw this on northwest cable news, kinda related, Yapta’s building catches on fire, 1.1 million damage
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/115632.asp
If these airlines truly have this policy of refunding the price difference, they sure don’t advertise it. Has anyone actually read about this policy anywhere on the airlines’ websites? Thanks for posting a link.
Got a refund of the price difference in the form of a voucher from Northwest about a year ago. However, it is issued as a Northwest e-certificate IN THE PASSENGER’S NAME only. We purchased a ticket for my brother in-law. A week later the price dropped $75, so we got a voucher for $75 off future travel, but it can only be used for a ticket for my brother-in-law since he was the original passenger. 🙁
I tried to get a refund for a $50 drop in price the day after I purchased a ticket on delta.com. They wouldn’t give it to me.
Anyways, I ended up canceling my ticket for a full refund for free, and just re-purchased it at the lower fare. Delta does have a 24 hour cancellation policy with full refund when you buy the ticket directly through them (website / phone).
Thank you for the post. Price drop is happened to me all the time, but I never realized that this policy exist!!!
Thanks for the head’s up! My wife and I just bought airline tickets to Barcelona for a fall cruise! (it’s our belated Honeymoon :)… )
Got $85 travel voucher back after seeing this! Thank you!
It works on Southwest. Actually, what I have done in the past is cancel my flight, then rebook with the new price. You then get a credit for the difference, and it doesn’t have to be used on the same passenger.
Just got a $32 credit by doing this with my southwest flight – I love this site!!
Please let me know if the airfare from ewr to aua on November5-10 goes down on continental.
I remembered reading about this somewhere and so when I Googled it, I found your blog. I just purchased airfare on Southwest and I’m using the tracking feature to have them alert me of a price drop. I’m also watching potential airfare that I’d like to purchase. What a great service! Thanks for info. – it might save me some moolah!
I purchased a ticket on AA less than 18 hrs. ago. The ticket price went down $40. I called American and ask for a voucher, refund or anything. The ticketing lady refused, said I would have to pay a $150 change fee or if I booked on the wrong day they would change with no charge, but I could not re-book the ticket on the same flying dates on at least one of the legs of the flight!
Thats American Airlines for you!!!
i tried using yapta but it doesnt list southwest as an option
two years ago the price dropped on some NWA tickets and they issued me vouchers for over $500.00 good for a year.
Today the price on my tickets also dropped BUT now NWA makes you cancel and rebook the old reservation on the same flight and you incur a $150.00 “administrative fee” for cancelling the old reservation. They will not jus issue you the vouchers as in the past.
From Yapta: “If the price of a ticket continues to drop you may be eligible for an additional voucher or credit. Keep in mind that the drop in airfare must be greater than the airlines re-booking fee”. The problem is that most airline re-booking fees are $150-200 so unless the ticket price drops more than that, no refund! 🙁
Just called delta about flight being lower and avail. and ran into the same situation as someone else that yes you can rebuy at the lower price but you are paying a $150 rebooking fee for downgrading the fair. Urgggggggggh! It would have only given me $102 back because it was 3 tickets, so could not do it.