By The Escape desk · Last verified 7 October 2026
The price of an air ticket buys a seat and a set of rules. Within one cabin, airlines sell several fare types (Singapore Airlines’ Economy runs Lite, Value, Standard and Flexi), each priced through booking classes shown as single letters. Cheaper fares usually make changes chargeable and may not allow cancellation at all; dearer fares cost more up front but charge less or nothing to change. Singapore Airlines states plainly that cancellation, change and no-show charges vary by fare type, with lower costs for a higher fare type. A no-show, where you miss a flight without cancelling first, adds a fee and, on most airlines, can cancel the remaining flights on your booking. The fare rules link at checkout tells you which deal you are buying.
Five minutes reading the fare rules can save hundreds of dollars. Here is how to read them.
Quick facts
- Fare type: the bundle of rules (changes, refunds, seats, miles) attached to your price.
- Booking class: the letter code behind the fare, which also drives miles and upgrade eligibility.
- Changes: usually chargeable on cheaper fares, plus any fare difference.
- Refunds: lowest fares may be non-refundable; others refund minus a cancellation fee.
- No-show: failing to cancel before departure costs extra and can void later legs.
- Fees change: Singapore Airlines raised long-haul cancellation fees on tickets issued from 28 April 2026, as reported by The Milelion.
Fare types, using Singapore Airlines Economy
Every airline names its fares differently, but the ladder looks similar. This is how Singapore Airlines describes its Economy fare types as of October 2026.
| Economy fare type | Changes | Cancellation | No-show | KrisFlyer miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Chargeable | Not permitted | Chargeable | 50% |
| Value | Chargeable | Not permitted | Chargeable | 50% |
| Standard | Chargeable | Chargeable | Chargeable | 75% |
| Flexi | Complimentary | Chargeable | Chargeable | 100% |
Seat selection follows the same ladder: Lite pays for seats, Value gets free standard seats, and Standard and Flexi get free standard seat selection, with families travelling with children given free standard seats on any fare type. Low-cost carriers go further, often charging separately for bags, seats and meals, so compare the full price, not the headline one.
Changes, refunds and what you get back
| You want to | What usually happens | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Change dates | Pay the change fee (if any) plus any fare difference | A cheap original fare means a bigger difference |
| Cancel a refundable fare | Refund minus the cancellation fee | Fees can differ by route; long-haul is often higher |
| Cancel a non-refundable fare | Fare is kept by the airline | Ask whether unused government taxes and airport charges can be refunded |
| Airline cancels or reschedules | Different rules apply; you are not the one changing | See our guide to what airlines owe you |
No-shows and skipped legs
If you cannot fly, cancel or change before departure. The Milelion reported Singapore Airlines’ no-show fees at S$130 to S$400, depending on fare type, on top of any change or cancellation charge. There is a second sting: airlines generally require flights on a ticket to be used in order. Skip the outbound flight of a return ticket and the airline can cancel your return. Skip a connecting leg to get off early and your bags may still fly to the final destination.
- Plans changing? Contact the airline or agent before the flight departs.
- Missed the outbound? Call immediately and ask the airline to protect the rest of your booking.
- Get confirmation of any change or refund in writing.
- Claim on insurance if the reason is covered, such as illness with a doctor’s letter.
A worked example: is Flexi worth it?
Mei Ling is booking Singapore to London on Singapore Airlines and might need to cancel. The Milelion reported long-haul Economy cancellation fees, for tickets issued from 28 April 2026, of S$380 for Standard and S$260 for Flexi. If she cancels, Flexi saves her S$380 − S$260 = S$120 in cancellation fees, and Flexi changes are complimentary. So if the Flexi fare costs less than about S$120 more than Standard and a change or cancellation is a real possibility, Flexi is the better bet. If her plans are fixed, the cheaper fare wins. She checks the exact fees in the fare rules before paying, as they can change.
The WahLiao Verdict
Before you click pay, open the fare rules and find three numbers: the change fee, the cancellation fee and the no-show fee. If your plans are firm, buy the cheapest fare and enjoy the saving. If they are not, price the flexible fare against those fees, as the dearer ticket is often the cheaper outcome. And if you will miss a flight, cancel before it leaves, every time.
Questions people ask
What is a booking class?
A letter code that sits behind your fare. It decides the price bucket, the rules, how many miles you earn and whether you can upgrade.
Can I get anything back on a non-refundable ticket?
Often the unused government taxes and airport charges, depending on the airline’s policy. Ask the airline or your agent.
What counts as a no-show?
Not turning up for a flight without cancelling or changing it before departure. It usually costs a fee and may cancel later flights.
Are change fees the same on every route?
No. They vary by fare type and route; Singapore Airlines’ 2026 increase, for example, applied to long-haul routes only.
Sources: Singapore Airlines, Economy fare types, changes, cancellations, seats and miles; The Milelion, report on Singapore Airlines’ 2026 cancellation and no-show fees. The Escape explains; it does not advise.
Read next: Flight Delayed or Cancelled From Singapore: What Airlines Owe You · What’s in a Singapore Air Fare: Airport Charges and the New Green Fuel Levy · Back to The Escape
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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