Will My Airline Tickets Get Refunded Due to COVID-19?

The coronavirus pandemic impacted every aspect of our lives and travel agencies is no exception. Beginning with the first months of 2020, countries have been temporarily closing their borders and therefore imposing travel bans and lockdowns for their citizens’ safety.

The mass flight cancellation resulted in high demand for flight cancellation reimbursements and ticket exchanges and eventually, airline policies have become more flexible in order to help customers cancel or rebook flights. Read on to find out airline policies on ticket refunds, how to apply for a refund with a certain airline, and if there’s any chance to change flights.

American Airlines

1. To/from Europe before May 31st - A fee waiver is offered for date changes before December 31st, 2020. Fare difference coverage is required.
2. To/from India before April 14th - A fee waiver is offered for date changes before December 31st, 2020. In case of routing changes, original fare rules may be applied.
3. To/from Latin America,Caribbean & Mexico before May 31st - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes. Routing changes are not permitted.
4. To/from Korea Rep. & Japan before May 6th - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes. In case of routing changes, change fees are waived and fare difference is applied.
5. To/from China before October 23rd - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes. In case of routing changes, change fees are waived and fare difference is applied.
6. Other travel destinations before May 31st - A fee waiver is offered for date changes before December 31st, 2020. Fare difference coverage is required.    

Flight reimbursement for customers with flight cancellations and schedule changes of more than 1 hour.        

All Nippon Airways

Before April 30th  -  The penalty for date change is waived. The fare difference coverage is required. Routing changes are not permitted.      

Full refund.          

Air France

Before April 30th - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes before November 30th, 2020. For planned trips after December 1st and routing changes, only fare difference is applied.

The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.
In case of refundable flights, customers can get full refunds for canceled flights and refunds without operational fees for operated flights.
In case of non-refundable flights, customers may not be granted refunds but may be offered vouchers for the paid amounts.                  

British Airways

1. To/from Italy before April 4th - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes before May 31th, 2020.Routing changes are permitted to following airports: Geneva - GVA, Grenoble - GNB, Innsbruck - INN, London - LON, Lyon - LYS, Munich - MUC, Nice - NCE, Salzburg - SZG, Zagreb - ZAG, Zurich - ZRH. If traveling before April 30th, a reschedule on Alitalia might occur.

Full refund.The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.

2. Other travel destinations before April 30th - For canceled flights: A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes before August 1st, 2020. Routing changes are permitted within the same region.
For operated flights: A fee waiver is offered for date changes before August 1st, 2020. Only fare difference is applied. Routing changes are permitted.    

Full refund is allowed but the airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.  No refunds for operated flights.          

Cathay Pacific

Before May 31st - A penalty waiver is offered for date and routing changes before December 10th, 2020.    

Full refund.                  

China Eastern

Before May 2nd for North America routes - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered in case of flight cancellation. Airport change might occur within North America.

Full refund for canceled flights or passengers denied traveling due to travel bans.      

China Southern

Before May 2nd for North America routes - The penalty for date change is waived. A fare difference coverage is required.    

Full refund for canceled flights.                  

Delta Air Lines

Before May 31st - A fee waiver is offered for date changes before December 31st, 2020. A fare difference coverage is required. Routing changes are permitted. New flights before May 31st, 2020 which aren’t involving route changes are implying fare difference waivers.    

The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights. Full refund for canceled flights.
In case of refundable flights, customers can get refunds without operational fees for operated flights.
In case of non-refundable flights, customers may not be granted refunds.

Emirates

Before June 30th - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes of new travel in the same cabin. Fare difference and fee waiver is applied for route changes.

Full refund for canceled flights. The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.  The issued voucher has a 760-day validity.                  

Hawaiian Airlines

Before May 31st - A fee waiver is offered for date changes before December 31st, 2020. A fare difference coverage is required unless the flight is canceled due to network changes or travel ban.    

Refund for canceled flights.                  

Japan Airlines

Before April 30th - A fee waiver is offered for date changes before June 30st, 2020. A fare difference coverage is required. Routing changes are not permitted.    

Full refund. Cancellation penalty is waived.                  

KLM

Before May 31st - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes before November 30th, 2020. For planned trips after December 1st and routing changes, only fare difference is applied.

The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.
In case of refundable flights, customers can get full refunds for canceled flights and refunds without operational fees for operated flights.
In case of non-refundable flights, customers may not be granted refunds but may be offered vouchers for the paid amounts.

Lufthansa

Before April 30th - The penalty for a one time exchange is waived and a €50,00 voucher for trips before December 31st, 2020. Fare difference coverage is required.    

The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.                  

Qantas

Before July 31st - A fee waiver is offered for operated flights, but the fare difference coverage is required. For canceled flights, fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes before July 31st, 2020.    

The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.
In case of refundable flights, customers can get full refunds for canceled flights and refunds without operational fees for operated flights.
In case of non-refundable flights, customers may not be granted refunds.                  

Qatar Airways

Before June 30th - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for flights in the same cabin.    

No refund. A voucher with the paid amount is provided to be used for future travel.

Singapore Airlines

Before May 31st - A fee waiver is offered, but the fare difference coverage is required.

Refunds are processed with regards on the original ticketed fare rules.                  

United Airlines

1. To/from China: Beijing (PEK), Chengdu (CTU),Hong Kong (HKG), Shanghai (PVG); To/from Northern Italy: Bologna (BLQ), Genoa (GOA), Milan (BGY, LIN, MXP), Rome (FCO), Trieste (TRS), Turin (TRN), Venice (VCE), Verona (VRN); To/from South Korea Seoul-Incheon (ICN) before April 30th - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for date changes before June 30th, 2020. Routing changes are not permitted. For planned trips after June 30th and routing changes, only fare difference is applied.

To get refunded, a submission on united.com/refunds has to be provided.

2. Other destinations before May 31st - A fee waiver is offered, but the fare difference coverage is required.

For international travelers, a travel credit equal to the value of the tickets can be retained. The credit can be used within 12 month. If not willing to use the credit, a refund can be requested after the 12-month period.                  

Virgin Atlantic

Before May 31st - A fee and fare difference waiver is offered for rebooked travel before June 30th, 2020. For planned trips after June 30th, only fare difference is applied.    

Refund for canceled flights.                  

Virgin Australia

Before June 30th - A fee waiver is offered, but the fare difference coverage is required.    

The airline is encouraging its customers to cancel the booking and use the credit for future flights.
In case of refundable flights, customers can get refunds without operational fees.
In case of non-refundable flights, customers may not be granted refunds.

Speaking of how to apply for a refund, visit your airline’s website. It usually requires you to fill out a form to request a refund. It is to be noted that due to a high number of inquiries, air carriers, as well as travel agencies barely can keep up with them. So, be ready to wait as they make their way through reaching to you and addressing your travel needs.

Keep an eye on this article as we will provide updates once new information of flight reimbursement is collected. We wish you good luck in getting your refund if your travel was affected and hope we can all return to it soon! Stay safe and healthy!