In a passenger-friendly move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced a new 48-hour “Look-In” provision for flight bookings, which came into effect on March 26, 2026. The update, issued under the latest Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), is aimed at giving travellers greater flexibility shortly after making a reservation.
Under the new rule, passengers who book tickets directly through an airline’s website or mobile application will be allowed to cancel their booking within 48 hours without paying any airline cancellation fee. They will also be able to make changes to their booking during this period without incurring a change fee, although any difference in fare will still have to be paid.
However, the benefit is limited strictly to direct bookings. Tickets purchased through travel portals, agents or third-party platforms will not be eligible for the Look-In option, and standard cancellation or modification charges will continue to apply in such cases.
The DGCA has also placed certain restrictions on the applicability of the provision. The Look-In facility will not be available if the date of travel is too close to the booking date — specifically, within seven days for domestic flights and within 15 days for international travel.
In addition, the regulator has allowed minor name corrections on tickets, but this provision too will apply only to bookings made directly with airlines.
The move is expected to push more passengers towards direct airline bookings while offering a short window of flexibility, aligning India’s aviation norms more closely with global consumer-friendly practices.
