Build a refundable vs nonrefundable decision flow for automated agent bookings

Steps

1. At search time, tag each result with its refundability class: fully refundable (cancel anytime, full refund), partially refundable (refund minus fee), non-refundable (no cash refund, possible credit/voucher), and exchangeable-only.
2. Extract the earliest cancellation deadline and penalty from the fare rules or cancellation policy object — this is the single most important fact for the decision; surface it in human-readable form (e.g. 'Free cancellation until Aug 14 at midnight London time').
3. Define a decision matrix in your agent logic: if booking is for a flexible traveler or uncertain itinerary, prefer refundable even at higher cost; if itinerary is confirmed and the traveler explicitly accepted non-refundable terms, proceed.
4. Before booking a non-refundable fare, require explicit affirmative confirmation from the human user — do not treat 'book the cheapest option' as blanket consent to non-refundable terms.
5. Log the refundability class, deadline, and penalty at booking time alongside the booking reference — customer service will need this for any change or cancel request.
6. After booking, set a reminder or flag in your system for the cancellation deadline on partially refundable bookings — proactively notify the user before the free cancellation window closes.