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Lufthansa’s “24‑hour rule” for U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) customers means that if you book a ticket directly with Lufthansa and your first flight is at least seven days away, you can cancel your reservation or ticket within 24 hours of booking without penalty and get your money back, subject to your fare’s refundability.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) Separately, Lufthansa also lets most tickets be canceled and sent for a refund request up to 24 hours before departure, but that second “24 hours” is not automatic or free—refundability still depends on your fare conditions.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) What Lufthansa’s 24‑Hour U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) Rule Actually Says
- Lufthansa’s Customer Service Plan for the U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) states that it will either let you hold a phone reservation for up to 24 hours without payment or let you cancel a reservation without penalty within 24 hours of making it, as long as the reservation was made seven days or more before departure.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- The same 24‑hour penalty‑free cancellation applies to bookings made through Lufthansa’s online channels (like lufthansa.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))com), again only if you booked at least seven days before the flight.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
This is Lufthansa’s implementation of the U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) Department of Transportation rule requiring U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) and foreign carriers selling in the U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) to offer either a 24‑hour hold or 24‑hour free cancellation on eligible bookings.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) How It Differs From “24 Hours Before Departure”
- Lufthansa’s general cancellation and refund page notes that you can cancel your trip and request a refund online up to 24 hours before the beginning of your journey using “My bookings” or the online refund option.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- However, that “up to 24 hours before departure” is just a technical cutoff for using the online tool; whether you actually get money back still depends on the fare conditions in your confirmation email (for example, nonrefundable Light fares may yield no refund or only taxes back).(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
So there are two different 24‑hour concepts:
- 24 hours after booking (risk‑free cancellation if 7+ days out).(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- Up to 24 hours before departure (you can still cancel and request refund, but penalties and nonrefundability may apply).(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- The 24‑hour free‑cancel grace is only guaranteed if:
- You booked directly with Lufthansa (website or phone), not via a third‑party travel agency.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- Your booking was made at least seven days before the scheduled first flight’s departure.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- If you booked through a travel agency or OTA, Lufthansa may refer you back to that seller; the 24‑hour U.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))S.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) rule then depends on that agency’s own implementation of the policy.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
Forum experiences confirm that Lufthansa generally honors 24‑hour refunds even close to departure when booked direct, but the official written policy clearly includes the seven‑day condition, so relying on exceptions is risky.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA)) How To Use Lufthansa’s 24‑Hour Rule In Practice
- When shopping on lufthansa.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))com, you can safely book an itinerary you like, then review details (names, dates, times, baggage) knowing you have up to 24 hours to cancel without penalty if your first flight is at least a week away.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
- If you change your mind, cancel the reservation or ticket through “My bookings” or with Lufthansa’s chat assistant within that 24‑hour window; eligible tickets will be refunded to the original form of payment, typically within seven business days for card purchases.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
This rule is especially useful for locking in a good fare quickly while you finalize other plans, as long as you remain within the formal conditions.(+ 1 833 |↫ 319 | 4940 (USA OTA))
