Everything You Must Know About Refund On A Non-Refundable Flight Ticket

Last Updated on Dec 12th, 2024 by Ankita Awasthi, 2 comments

Boarding a flight isn’t always as easy as booking one. Unless the circumstances are expectedly favorable, one could be bound to miss their flight boarding. So well, if you are concerned about your refund for your upcoming non-refundable flight ticket, you would be delighted to read along through this piece of information. 

As we all know, booking a non-refundable flight ticket can only be a profitable deal if one doesn’t fail to board their concerned flights at the last moment. However, each airline comprises its exclusive traveling terms and conditions. 

But mostly, a flyer’s prime concern is ‘Can you get a refund on plane tickets?’ For a refundable flight Ticket, yes! But well, if the ticket falls under a non-refundable sect, proceeding further could be a tedious task. However, a traveler may be entitled to claim their refund under some special conditions. 

What is a Non-refundable flight ticket?

As the name suggests, non-refundable flight tickets aren’t entitled to refund for an unboarded flight. However, the same terms play differently under each airline’s rules & regulations and several other factors.

Explained in layman language, a ‘non-refundable flight ticket’ is another term for a ‘final sale’ airways ticket, which can not be reverted under any personal circumstances. Even if a passenger manages to get a refund under special conditions, it shall always be a partial refund. 

How To Reschedule A Non-Refundable Flight?

If a flyer is iffy about their flight boarding itinerary and may have to reschedule, it is best for them to make refundable flight ticket reservations. Even though a few airlines offer a good deal if requested for a refund or reschedule on a non-refundable flight ticket, it will always be a ticket credit and not a monetary refund. 

Despite the fact that a refundable ticket is much more expensive than a non-refundable ticket, the former promises a significant refund percentage in their mentioned time frame. Moreover, the big business flyers prefer to opt for a refundable ticket as there is a greater scope to avail their flight boarding cancelation refund or rescheduling at ease. One should only book a non-refundable flight if they are certain of their boarding probabilities.

Correspondingly, the flyers seek to understand if they can refund for canceling their non-refundable flight ticket. Down below is a detailed explanation for the same that you’d not want to skip.

How Do I Cancel Plane Tickets And Avail Refund?

The most common concern related to a non-refundable flight ticket is whether or not a flyer can cancel their flight and avail a refund for the same. Assuredly, a flyer is entitled to a flight cancelation refund for a non-refundable flight ticket only if the flight has been canceled or rescheduled with a significant time gap by the airlines. Even if the airlines offer flight reschedule and the concerned passengers do not wish to board that flight, they consequently are qualified to claim their ticket refund. Passengers can also demand a difference in fare refund if they have been constrained to a lower degree of booked flight seating services without their consent.

Moreover, as the name suggests, a refundable flight ticket readily avails the option for flight cancelation refund in the authorized time frame.

Difference Between Refundable & Non-Refundable Flight Tickets

The major difference between a refundable flight ticket and a non-refundable flight ticket is its price difference for the same flight boarding. Secondly, it differs absolutely on the flight fare refund policies. 

Be it a flight cancelation refund or the flight reschedule, a refundable flight ticket is flexible for changes. In this case, the refund credit for cancelation is sent back to your credit or debit card. However, a flyer must go through the concerned airlines’ terms and conditions for the cancelation time frame and refund percentage variations. Additionally, few refundable tickets are refunded the credit amount with an airline refund service cut no matter how early the cancelation was intimidated. So, you must read through the refund policy before opting for a refund. 

Speaking of a non-refundable flight ticket, mostly, these tickets do not entertain the flight cancelation refund requests. The flight refund requests are generally denied unless the flight has been canceled or rescheduled with a significant time difference. Although you can apply for a flight reschedule, it is further processed with an addition of a hefty change amending charges.

Quick Tips To Get A Refund

1. Choose Airlines Wisely

Booking your next porting with in-depth research on the airlines will always be a plus to your travel savings. A flyer must book their flights based on their convenience (of course) and the airline’s refund policy. Several airlines offer no charge for amending ticket change requests(reschedule/cancelation). Thereupon, adding on to your travel saving hack, in case a passenger wishes to reschedule their flight in the authorized time frame, they’d be charged only the fare difference charge(if any).

2. Flight Canceled = Assured Refund 

It doesn’t matter if the flight ticket is a refundable type or not; if the flight has been announced canceled by the airlines, the passengers are entitled to claim their flight ticket refund. Even if the airlines offer a reschedule offer for your flight with a significant time difference, the flyer is entitled to refuse the offer and claim their refund. 

3. Wait For Airlines To Announce Flight Cancelation

If a flyer owns a non-refundable ticket or is out of time to get a significant refund for a refundable ticket, it is best for them to wait for the airline’s flying status. Amidst the covid crisis, the flight cancelation and rescheduling have become pretty frequent and may help the passenger to claim their refund better. The rule is applicable for both domestic as well as international flights, as mentioned in the rules and regulations of the Department of Transportation. Additionally, according to the latest DOT website updates, “Under any circumstances, a passenger is entitled to claim a full refund back on the unused part of boarding if the flight is canceled.”

So, if you’re planning not to board the flight but are unable to retrieve a significant portion of the refund, sit back and wait for the flight status; you may unlock a better deal for yourself. 

4. Involuntary Schedule Changes Calls For Refund

Booking a flight well in advance shares the benefits window for the passengers as the greater chances for flight reschedule provide them an upper hand of control to claim their flight ticket refund. Even if the ticket is a non-refundable type, a significant time shift in flight schedule entitles the flyer to opt for other flights than offered or even claim their refund request. However, if the time difference between the concerned flight and the rescheduled flight is not much, the airlines may not permit any refund initiation, but it never hurts to try, so one may. 

5. Reconnect For Better Agent

Imagine, a flyer, who wishes to avail refund for their flight booking, is connected to an airline agent. No matter how strong their point of appeal is, the agent is not ready to initiate the refund. Under such circumstances, the best one can do is to disconnect the call and redial as the next agent might understand your concern better than before. Not only would this be time/effort saving, but it also could get you to the right agent for the given circumstance. And, at MyTicketsToIndia, we have the best agents who initiate easy cancelations and swift refunds once you book tickets with us.

When Is A Flyer Entitled To Avail A Flight Delay Refund?

Before reading further, one must learn that availing a refund for a flight reschedule is only possible if the time difference between the two flights is significantly great. If the time difference is not too much to manage, the airline is authorized to decline to proceed with the refund. However, except for the universal policies, airlines’ refund & cancelation policy varies for the same. So, read further and dig deeper for the information. 

The following factors enable a flyer to claim the airline ticket refund–

• Flight Cancelation: If the airline cancels the flight, the passenger is entitled to claim their refund, regardless of whether or not they were present at the airport for boarding or not. 
• Flight Reschedule: If a flight is delayed for a significant amount of time, a flyer is entitled to claim their flight refund. 

Note: The Department of Transportation hasn’t put a clear line on the limit beyond which a delay could be considered ‘significant.’

• Bringing Down the Class of Service: A person involuntarily degraded to the lower class of services enables them to claim for a refund. 
• Baggage Fees: A flyer is entitled to claim a refund if the airport declares their checked baggage lost. 
• Refundable Flight Ticket: A flyer can claim their ticket refund if they inform cancelation well in advance in time. 

Following factors constraints a flyer from claiming an airline ticket refund–

• Non-refundable ticket: Unless the airline itself cancels the flight, a passenger cannot claim a refund. 
• Personal Issue: The inability to board a flight on time due to a personal reason isn’t entertained under the ticket refund policy. 
• Unsatisfactory Services: The below-average review can aware other flyers about the airline services. However, it doesn’t allow the informer to claim a refund for the same. 

That’s pretty much everything about the refund policies for refundable as well as non-refundable flight tickets!

Still in doubt? Leave a comment, and we are here to acknowledge your concerns! 

Headquartered in the USA, MyTicketsToIndia is the quintessential flight-booking portal to answer all your queries and assist you through your next USA to India flights and vice-versa. A trust score of 4.8 analyzed from the 5k+ reviews on Trustpilot clearly testifies our sincerity towards brilliant services. 

So, in case you still are unsure and have queries regarding India travel, our travel executives are just a call away. Feel free to reach out to us @ 1-585-948-0222 or explore our website for the same. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How to utilize an unused airline ticket?

A: The term unused ticket is generally referred to as the ‘non-refundable ticket,’ which a flyer can now not utilize as planned. However, an unused ticket is not always implied as to the ‘lost cause.’ Even though it is very rare to get a refund for a non-refundable flight ticket, reaching out to the official executive may help you with a tiny portion of flight credit. These flight credits can later be used for booking future flights. 

Q: Can I book a ticket without a credit card?

A: Yes, instead of a credit card, one can proceed by paying for flight tickets through PayPal, Cash, UPI, Gift Cards, and Debit Cards. However, credit cards are considered the most efficient, profitable, and safe source of payment for a flight ticket booking. 

Q: Can you transfer airline tickets to another person?

A: Only the low-cost carriers offer the service to transfer the unused ticket in somebody else name. However, most airlines do not support this as this may create miscommunication within the airline data. The airlines offering this service also charge detail-changing fees.

Q: If I miss my flight, can I get a refund for the same?

A: No, a passenger failing to board the flight on time does not entitle them to claim the refund. However, if the airline cancels the concerned flight itself, which you also happened to miss, it can avail you of the right to claim a refund. 

Q: Can you book a flight for someone else?

A: Yes, most certainly. You are authorized to book a flight for anyone, provided you have apt passenger details for the booking. 

Q: Why do airlines change flight times?

A: There are ample reasons due to which a flight is rescheduled. Topping the list, weather issues or air traffic are the most common reasons for a flight rescheduling or cancelation. 

Q: What is a no change fee?

A: A ‘no change fee,’ as the name suggests, is waiving off the fee for amending changes to the already booked flight ticket. So, if a traveler wishes to cancel or reschedule an eligible flight ticket, they may proceed with a full refund or flight credit. However, few airlines do not follow the ‘no change policy’ so, read the airline’s refund terms and conditions before booking a flight. 

Q: Can I change my flight date for an Air India flight?

A:    Yes, you can make changes to your flight date if the desired flight is available to book. However, the changes can only be processed in a specific time frame before the scheduled flight. Additionally, with the updated Air India change charge regulations, the expected changes may sustain a ‘change fee’ accordingly. 

Q: Can I avail my American Airlines ticket refund?

A: If American Airlines cancels the scheduled flight (for any given reason), all kinds of flight tickets are eligible to avail refund. However, only the refundable flight tickets are entitled to claim a refund within the given time frame before flight departure time.