Taxes / Fees change - can I request credit?

[rpoplin]

I booked a flight yesterday for my family with points, the taxes and fees per ticket were right at $50. Today I was reviewing the flight again and now the same ticket is $33 in fees and taxes when buying with points. How can this be? And is this refundable for the difference?

[basslaw2010]

As to the taxes changing, are you flying internationally? International taxes change more frequently than the domestic taxes do.

[TheMiddleSeat · Accepted solution]

Regarding the credit, yes, you should be able to cancel the original reservation which will result in a refund of the points and taxes, then rebook the flight at the lower price.  My experience with cancelling points reservations is the taxes are refunded back to the method of payment.  The points will refund immediately so you can rebook immediately.  The refund of the taxes may take a day or two to post so as long as you don't mind that you should be good to go.

Keep in mind, if you purchased EarlyBird Check-In and cancel you will forfeit that purchase.

You may have the same luck getting a refund of the difference in taxes if you do a change flight and rebook the same flight, but I don't have personal experience with that option.  Doing a change flight process would keep EarlyBird on the reservation.

--TheMiddleSeat