Can i get a refund on a non refundable flight

Q: What happens when you cancel a non refundable flight?

Understanding nonrefundable Depending on the ticket type, often, nonrefundable simply means: The airline will not give you all of your money back if you cancel (true for most basic economy tickets). The airline will not refund your ticket value as cash (it will be remitted as a voucher instead).

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Table of Contents Show

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What if I booked non-refundable flights and other services?
Beware of low-cost airlines and cheap fares
Cancellation and refund policies of major Australian airlines
Cancellation and refund policies of major travel agents
Cancellation and refund policies of major online aggregators
Type or select country destination(s)
Are non refundable plane tickets refundable?
How do I get my money back from a non refundable trip?
What happens when you cancel a non refundable flight?
Can I change my non refundable airline ticket?

If you're one of the millions of people who've had travel plans thrown into disarray due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), it can be a double blow if you learn your flights and accommodation are non-refundable.

But don't lose hope just yet - you might be able to get some money back after all. Here's our guide on when you can get refunds, and how you can do it.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What if I booked non-refundable flights and other services?

Most airlines are offering full refunds or credit values for those whose travel plans have been affected by COVID-19. Just remember to keep in mind that credit values need to be redeemed by a certain time.
Depending on your departure date, tour companies and cruises are offering refunds, credit values or the option to rebook to a later date.
If you have a valid travel insurance policy, you should be able to claim out-of-pocket expenses regardless whether they were non-refundable or not.
If you don't have travel insurance, contact your travel service providers directly to see if they are making exceptions, or can at least offer you credit.

The ACCC has put together a guide to help navigate consumer rights and expenses related to COVID-19.

Other COVID-19 guides;

You have cover for cancellations costs

The cancellation is outside of your control

If you find yourself in this position, make sure to keep all your receipts, have proof that your expenses were non-refundable, and make a claim directly with your travel insurer.

This depends on your airfare but, generally, if your flight is non-refundable then no. An airline may consider waiving cancellation fees for extenuating circumstances like a death in the family, but not if you've just changed your mind.

If your non-refundable flight is cancelled by the airline, they may offer you an alternative option, a credit value or a refund - if you're lucky.

How do I know if my flight is non-refundable?

There are a few ways to figure out the rules of your airfare;

During the booking process, your change and cancellation fees will be outlined. If you're booking online, pay extra attention to pop-ups and extra links that could lead you to this information.
Check "Manage My Booking" - Most airlines have an online portal where you can access the details of your booking.
Check your original e-tickets, booking confirmation or any other emails/paperwork regarding your booking.
Check with your airline, online aggregator (like SkyScanner and Webjet) or travel agent. It's important to refer back to the company that you booked with as airfare rules can vary.

Beware of low-cost airlines and cheap fares

Cheap flights can be tempting but it's important you understand exactly what you're getting for your money. Low-cost carriers and budget airlines provide the bare minimum for air travel, and charge extra for other services. Here are some examples;

Airfares may be non-refundable - you'll have to pay more for a flexible ticket
Airfares may be non-changeable or very expensive to change
You may have to pay for checked baggage
You may have to pay for food and drinks
You may have to pay for a preferred seat on the aircraft
Name changes may not be allowed

Cancellation and refund policies of major Australian airlines

Searching through terms and conditions can be tricky, not to mention boring. So we did it for you. Here's a brief summary of refund policies in place with major airlines.

Cancellation fees vary based on your destination and fare type, so we've highlighted the maximum fee the airline could charge to cancel an international return airfare.

Airline	Maximum cancellation fee	Policy
Qantas	$500 to Non-refundable	"Cancellation fees may apply and these vary depending on your point of origin and destination."
Virgin Australia	$400 to Non-refundable	"All bookings can be cancelled; however some bookings are non-refundable and may attract cancellations fees and surcharges."
Jetstar Airways	$50 to Non-refundable	"Some fare types are non-refundable or only partially refundable, subject to our Conditions of Carriage or applicable law. However, if you choose not to travel,contact us to request a refund of certain third-party charges and Government taxes that may be included in your fare: excluding fuel and insurance surcharges."
Tiger Airways	Non-refundable	"Sometimes we will provide you with the ability to obtain a refund even when we have not failed to comply with the Consumer Guarantees. We do this because we value you as a customer and we want to ensure you get to your destination as quickly as possible."
Air New Zealand	$500 to Non-refundable	"Bookings for domestic and international travel may be cancelled online, subject to the following considerations: Flexi fares and Business fares may be cancelled up until departure and are fully refundable with the exception of Flexitime and Business Saver fares A booking must be cancelled in full, i.e. both the outbound and return flights if a round trip"
Qatar Airways	$993 to Non-refundable	"To cancel your booking and get a refund of your ticket price (depending on the fare conditions of your ticket), please contact the agent/office where you booked your ticket, or if you changed your booking, contact the office where you last modified it."
Eithad Airways	$565 to Non refundable	"Refunds are subject to fees and the rules of the fare that you have booked for each segment"

*This information is accurate as of 6 August 2021. These fees are per person and may not be applicable to codeshare flights.

Cancellation and refund policies of major travel agents

When you book a flight through a travel agent, a separate cancellation fee may be applied to your booking. YThat means, if you need to cancel your flight, or change the date, you'll incur both the airline cancellation fee and the travel agent cancellation fee. If you have the right travel insurance policy, it may cover you for both expenses.

This table outlines the agency cancellations fees that are applied on top of the airline cancellation fees. It mainly refers to international flight bookings since these have the highest penalties.

Travel agent or aggregator

Additional Maximum cancellation fees

Policy

Flight Centre

$300 to Non-refundable

"Cancellations to International bookings (excluding Trans-Tasman bookings) will incur a fee of $300 per passenger per booking in addition to supplier fees."

Helloworld

$300 to Non-refundable

"Each fare within the itinerary you have booked carries unique rules and restrictions:

If each fare has an airline change fee, then the highest fee applies to each traveller.
If any fare does not allow changes, then no changes are allowed to any flight.
If any fare is non-refundable, then all flights are non-refundable

Cancellations to International bookings (excluding Trans-Tasman bookings) will incur a fee of $300 per passenger per booking in addition to supplier and credit card fees."

Cancellation and refund policies of major online aggregators

If you’ve booked your flight through an online website like Skyscanner or Webjet, you’ll normally be directed to the airline itself to deal with the cancellation admin, but sometimes you’ll need to pay a third-party cancellation fee aswell.
Here’s what to expect:

Aggregator	Maximum cancellation fees	Policy
Webjet	$32.95	"Your right to a refund of an airfare booked on the Website is governed by the terms and conditions of the airfare you purchased and is as determined by the applicable airlines. Many fares are non-refundable. Airline charges or cancellation fees may apply to your particular airfare."
Skyscanner	n/a	"For changes, cancellations or refunds, we recommend that you contact the travel provider (airline or travel agent) agent that you completed your booking with. As a travel search engine, Skyscanner doesn't take your booking or payment ourselves. Instead, we pass you through to your chosen airline or travel agent where you make your booking directly. We therefore don't have access or visibility to any of your booking information. Depending on the type of ticket you've booked, there may be different options for changes, cancellations and refunds, and the travel provider will be best placed to advise on these."

Finder analysed the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) data for airlines cancellations dating back to 2010, to find out which was the worst-performing airline in Australia.

Carrier	Flights 2019	Cancellation 2019	Cancellation %
Jetstar	86,489	2,162	2.5%
Qantas	108,313	3,033	2.8%
QantasLink	122,441	2,204	1.8%
Regional Express	72,575	726	1.0%
Virgin Australia	139,407	5,509	1.8%
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines	9,492	123	1.3%

Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE)

Yes. If you have a valid travel insurance policy, then it should cover most non-refundable expenses. You'll have to provide copies of your receipt and prove that you can't be reimbursed elsewhere.

If you don't hold valid travel insurance, it's still worth getting in touch with the accommodation provider to see if they will let you change the dates of your booking, or give you a credit voucher. Try to give them as much notice as possible.

How do I know if my accommodation is non-refundable?

Here are a few hints to help you figure out if your hotel is non-refundable.

The terms and conditions of your hotel booking will be outlined during the booking process. Pay attention as this is the easiest way to understand the cancellation policy of your booking.
If booking online, you may be able to access the "Manage My Booking" section where your cancellation fees could be provided.
Check emails and invoices. These details are often found here.
Check directly with the hotel. Give them a call or contact them via email.

Here are some examples of why your travel insurance policy may not cover you:

You cancel due to change of mind
Your travel service provider goes bankrupt or insolvent
You make an error on your own booking
You trip is affected by a government regulation or prohibition

Once you enter in your details and click "Get my quote" you can filter the results by clicking "Cancellation fees" on the left side of the page to only see policies that include this.

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Are non refundable plane tickets refundable?

Non Refundable Tickets: Non-refundable tickets cannot be returned for a refund. However, if you cannot use your ticket, you may be able to apply its value toward a future flight. The airline may charge additional fees for changes made to a non-refundable ticket.

How do I get my money back from a non refundable trip?

The airline may not notify you of a qualifying schedule change, so if you've purchased a non-refundable fare that you would like to refund, be sure the check the flight schedule to see if it has changed in any way. If it has, call the airline and request a refund, explaining that the schedule no longer works for you.

What happens when you cancel a non refundable flight?

Understanding 'nonrefundable' Depending on the ticket type, often, 'nonrefundable' simply means: The airline will not give you all of your money back if you cancel (true for most basic economy tickets). The airline will not refund your ticket value as cash (it will be remitted as a voucher instead).

Can I change my non refundable airline ticket?

In such unfortunate circumstances, you can contact the airline to request a free cancellation or to reschedule your flight in light of the circumstances. You will likely need to provide some form of documentation as proof of the situation such as a death certificate.