Airlines expand travel waivers, cap fares and fees as Hurricane Dorian strengthens

Several airlines have expanded the travel waivers being offered ahead of Hurricane Dorian to include Florida and parts of Georgia. 

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Thursday that Dorian could reach powerful Category 4 status before it makes landfall in Florida. 

The National Hurricane Center said late Thursday the storm is expected to strengthen into a potentially catastrophic Category 4 with winds of 130 mph and slam into the U.S. on Monday somewhere between the Florida Keys and southern Georgia.

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American

American Airlines says change fees may be waived for passengers currently scheduled to travel to, from or through about a dozen Florida cities between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4. Passengers cannot change their origin or destination city and must rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference. A full list of restrictions and eligible airports can be found on American’s website. 

Flights to and from the Bahamas and Turks and Calcos Islands are eligible if you’re scheduled to travel Aug. 30-31.

Delta Air Lines

For Delta passengers scheduled to travel to and from about a dozen destinations in Florida from Sept. 1-4, they can rebook with a waived change fee and fly no later than Sept. 10. The same goes for those traveling in Georgia to Brunswick and Valdosta. A full list of cities is available on Delta’s website. 

For those traveling to the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos between Aug. 30 and 31, they can rebook and fly no later than Sept. 7.

The airline also says passengers can cancel their trip and use the value toward a future flight. 

Frontier

Frontier is allowing customers planning to fly to certain Florida cities between Sept. 2 and Sept. 3, and who booked those flights before Aug. 28, to make one free itinerary change with a fee waiver. Travel must happen no later than Sept. 27. See the full list of cities here.

Frontier is also letting customers scheduled to travel to parts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to make one free itinerary change. Passengers must have flights booked between Aug. 26 and Aug. 30. They must have purchased their tickets before Aug. 25 and must travel no later than Sept. 20.

JetBlue

JetBlue is offering to waive change fees, cancel fees and fare differences for customers scheduled to travel between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2 to and from several Florida destinations. The original flights must have been booked by Aug. 29 and the rescheduled flight must happen by Sept. 10. See the full list of cities here (you may need to scroll down the page).

Those booked to travel to or from Nassau in the Bahamas on Sunday, Sept. 1, can reschedule with no fee through Sept. 7, as long as the booked the flight by Aug. 29.

Spirit

Spirit says passengers with travel booked that includes Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa from Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 can rebook through Sept. 18 to have the change fee waived and with no fare difference. After that, the change fee will still be waived but passengers will have to pay the fare difference.

Those scheduled to travel through Aug. 30 to Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti can rebook through Sept. 5 to have the change fee waived and with no fare difference. After that, the change fee will still be waived but passengers will have to pay the fare difference.

Southwest

Southwest’s travel advisory affects passengers in three areas:

• The Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic — scheduled to travel through Aug. 30
• The Bahamas — scheduled to travel through Sept. 1
• Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach — scheduled to travel Aug. 31 through Sept. 4.

Passengers can rebook within 14 days of their original travel date without any additional charge. Customers with reservations for a canceled flight may request a refund for an unused ticket/travel itinerary.

United

United says anyone scheduled to and from about 10 Florida destinations between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4 can reschedule through Sept. 11 with no fees as long as it’s in the same cabin and the same cities as the original ticket.

For those who want to fly after Sept. 11 or change their departure or destination city, the change fee will also be waived but passengers will need to pay any fare difference. Travel must happen within one year.

Find the list of cities here (you will need to scroll down the page to find the Hurricane Dorian section.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.