How to Use the Free Cancellation Deadline Calculator
Hotel and flight cancellation policies are easy to misread, and missing a deadline by even a day can cost you the full booking amount. This calculator handles both cases: general hotel policies based on a days-before-check-in window, and the federal DOT 24-hour rule that applies to most US flight bookings.
For hotels, enter your check-in date and the cancellation window from your confirmation email (e.g., "free cancellation until 3 days before check-in") to get an exact deadline date. For flights, enter your booking date and departure date — if you booked at least 7 days before departure, the DOT 24-hour rule guarantees a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking. If you booked closer to departure than that, the federal rule doesn't apply and you'll need to follow the airline's own fare rules instead.
Note that many hotels enforce a specific cutoff time (often the property's local time, like 6 PM) rather than just a date — always double-check the exact time on your confirmation before your deadline date arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under US Department of Transportation regulations, airlines must allow passengers to cancel a reservation and receive a full refund within 24 hours of booking, as long as the booking was made at least 7 days before the flight's scheduled departure.
The federal 24-hour rule doesn't apply in that case. You'll need to follow the airline's own fare rules and cancellation policy, which vary by ticket type and carrier.