Airlines waive flight-change fee after Taylor Swift postpones Argentina show

Major South American airlines waived flight-change fees after Taylor Swift postponed her Argentina “Eras Tour” concert over the weekend — a rare move that appears to be the latest result of the Taylor Swift effect.

“Attention Swifties,” LATAM Airlines, the largest airline in Latin America, shared in a post on X on Saturday for Swift’s loyal legion of fans.

“We know that your plans have changed, that’s why starting today we updated our flexibility policy so that those who had a flight scheduled from Buenos Aires on November 11 and 12,” the Chile-based carrier added in a tweet that was earlier reported on by CNBC.

LATAM said it would be waiving both ticket-change fees and differences in fare through Nov. 17 after Swift’s show on Friday was rescheduled to Sunday.

Discount airline JetSmart implemented a similar contingency plan in response to the rescheduling, which impacted thousands of fans who flew from across the globe to see Swift’s 44-song setlist at the nearly 85,000-seat stadium.

“Swifties we are with you!” JetSmart posted, notifying passengers with return flights on Nov. 11 or Nov. 12 that they could change their flight to sometime before Nov. 17 at no cost.

Swift, who was set to perform in Buenos Aires’ Estadio River Plate Stadium — Argentina’s largest stadium — on Friday, but said in an X post that she was forced to postpone the show to Sunday “due to the weather being so truly chaotic it would be unsafe to try and put on this concert.”

“I love a rain show but I’m never going to endanger my fans or my fellow performers and crew,” the 33-year-old songstress added.

Airline industry experts told CNBC that while it’s common for airlines to add flights in preparation of major events like concerts, sporting games and high-profile conferences, it’s highly unusual that change-fee waivers are honored for postponed shows like Swift’s.

However, it goes to show just how many fans bought tickets on these airlines to see the Eras Tour, which sold out Estadio Monumental all three nights.

In the crowd on Saturday was Swift’s “Lover,” Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

The 34-year-old NFL star was spotted during the 2.5-hour Eras Tour in a VIP tent with his pop-icon girlfriend’s father, Scott Swift.

During the show — in a moment that shocked fans and even the dancers on stage alike — Swift switched up the lyrics to her song “Karma” to nod to her beau.

Instead of singing: “Karma is the guy on the screen, coming straight home to me,” Swift crooned: “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me.”

Then shortly after the concert concluded, Swift ran into Kelce’s arms for a backstage kiss in a moment that has since gone viral.

After the eventful weekend, Swift is slated to jet set off to Brazil, where she’s scheduled to perform the Eras Tour for a three-night stint at Rio De Janeiro’s Estadio Nilton Santos.

Swift also has plans to make a stop in São Paulo before heading to Tokyo in the new year.

The final Eras Tour concert is set to take place in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8, 2024.